Immigrants and their families have access to a network of wrap-around supports to help you settle and integrate in Nova Scotia. The needs of newcomers vary, so there are many resources available to identify and focus on your individual needs.
Settlement Services help newcomers feel at home.
Welcoming and Supportive
Settlement services can help you develop skills for the Canadian workforce, make social connections, get information on community services and become part of your new community.
Access Before You Arrive
You’ll be able to access pre-arrival services to prepare what you need based on your unique immigration pathway.
Employer Benefits
Settlement is a key factor in employee integration into Nova Scotia. It helps retain and upskill employees, and fosters healthy workplaces.
Settlement Services are available for you and your family:
- Across the province
- At no cost – free
- In Person or online
- In English or French
Resources and topics offered:
- Employment and Business
- Money and taxes
- Housing
- Language Learning
- Health care
- Childcare and education
- Transportation
- Legal Services and rights
You may be eligible to access Settlement Services. Determine if you are eligible and how to confirm your eligibility to service providers below:
Confirmation Documents needed: Citizenship card, Canadian passport
Individuals from all immigration categories except Nova Scotia Nominees, who have been selected, in Canada or overseas, to become permanent residents and intend to settle in Nova Scotia, pending completion of medical, security and criminal verifications, and who have been informed by a letter from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
Confirmation Documents needed: Letter from Citizenship and Immigration Canada indicating that individuals are awaiting statutory IRCC checks
Foreign nationals and their dependents who have been nominated under the Nova Scotia Nominee Program but have not yet received Permanent Resident status.
Confirmation Documents needed: Nomination certificate from the Nova Scotia Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration
Applicants and their immediate dependents who have been endorsed by Nova Scotia Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration.
Confirmation Documents needed: Endorsement certificate from Nova Scotia Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration
Permanent Residents of Canada other than:
a) Permanent Residents of Canada – Nova Scotia Nominees
Foreign nationals and their dependents who have been nominated under the Nova Scotia Nominee Program and have become Permanent Residents.
b) Permanent Residents of Canada – Refugees
Convention refugees and protected persons overseas who have been selected for resettlement in Canada by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and have obtained Permanent Resident status.
Confirmation Documents needed: Permanent resident card
Individuals (and their dependents) who have submitted an application for Permanent Resident status to the Nova Scotia Nominee Program or to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and intend to settle in Nova Scotia. Refugee claimants and off-campus work permit holders (i.e. full-time international students enrolled in post-secondary studies with a valid off-campus work permit) are excluded and hence, ineligible.
Confirmation Documents needed:
Valid work permit, AND
– A letter from Nova Scotia Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration confirming the receipt of the application for permanent residence, OR a letter from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada confirming the application, OR
– An entrepreneur approval letter (ENT) from Nova Scotia Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration
Who have graduated from university or college in Canada and who are living in Nova Scotia and intend to settle in this province.
Confirmation Documents needed: Valid Work Permit
As defined in Section 95 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA).
Confirmation Documents needed: Notification letter from the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada noting their protected status is conferred
Settlement Service Providers
ISANS welcomes immigrants and provides settlement support services, job readiness training, employment related language training, work placement programs, business and employer supports, and awareness activities for the public to promote diversity and inclusion.
These supports are delivered in person in Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM), but many may be accessed online by immigrants, newcomers, and refugees who are outside HRM and abroad (distance and pre-arrival programs).
*Offers Atlantic Immigration Program Settlement Plans
https://isans.ca/
(902)423-3607
Mumford Professional Centre, 2120-6960 Mumford Road, Halifax
Halifax Regional Municipality; Virtual;
The YREACH program welcomes immigrants and refugees to provide settlement support to families in communities outside of HRM such as Bridgewater, Yarmouth, Kentville, Amherst, Truro, Pictou, Sydney and others.
Programs like Saturday Study Skills provide opportunities for elementary school aged immigrant children, primarily refugees, to develop language, social and study skills, to facilitate their success in public school. This program is offered in HRM.
YREACH also provides school settlement support and awareness raising activities, to promote diversity and inclusion in schools and the community.
YREACH Language Services program provides English language training outside of HRM in one-one one & group setting.
*Offers Atlantic Immigration Program Settlement Plans
yishfx.ca/yreach
(902)457-2680
65 Main Avenue, Halifax
Bridgewater; Yarmouth; Kentville; Amherst; Truro; Pictou; Sydney; Halifax Regional Municipality
YWCA offers a Financial Literacy program for immigrants and refugees, includes topics on family budgeting, taxation, loans, credit cards and other. The program is delivered at most immigrant-serving organizations and language schools. This program is offered in HRM and in other areas of Nova Scotia, based on the need.
ywcahalifax.com
(902)423-6162
358 Herring Cove Road, Halifax
Halifax Regional Municipality
LENS provides language assessment, language counselling and referral programs across Nova Scotia, on site and through distance.
learnenglishns.org
(902) 431-8675
204-6169 Quinpool Road, Halifax
Halifax Regional Municipality; Virtual
NSCC’s English for Academic Purposes (EAP) offers Intermediate level English language training to prepare immigrants for post-secondary study or to meet language requirements for licensure of internationally educated professionals in regulated occupations. This program is offered in HRM.
nscc.ca
(902)221-2787
NSCC Institute of Technology Campus, 5685 Leeds Street, Halifax
Halifax Regional Municipality
Halifax Public Libraries’ Adult English Language (EAL) program offers English language tutoring in one-on-one, or in a group setting. It is offered in nine libraries within HRM (Alderney, Bedford, Spryfield, Halifax North, Keshen Goodman, Central, Woodlawn, Lower Sackville, Virtual)
halifaxpubliclibraries.ca
(902) 490-5836
60 Alderney Drive, Dartmouth
Halifax Regional Municipality; Virtual
CDENE’s Economic Immigration project offers support to French speaking immigrants wishing to start or expand an existing business. This program is offered in HRM.
cdene.ns.ca/
(902)424-3970
1809 Barrington Street, Suite 902, Halifax
Halifax Regional Municipality; Virtual; Francophone
Université Sainte-Anne’s Employment Training Program offers pre-employment training, language training, post-secondary training (diploma programs of 2 years or less), and work experience opportunities, to support the labour market attachment of francophone immigrants. This program is offered in HRM.
usasainteanne.ca
(902) 424-2630
5657 Spring Garden Rd, Suite 100, Halifax
Halifax Regional Municipality; Francophone
FANE’s Francophone Immigration to Nova Scotia program offers a warm welcome, settlement services and informal French language instruction for French-speaking immigrants and refugees. This program is available across Nova Scotia. Online supports are also available for French immigrants abroad before they arrive in NS (pre-arrival).
*Offers Atlantic Immigration Program Settlement Plans
acadiene.ca
(902)433-2028
6960 Mumford Road, Suite 2085, Halifax
Virtual; Francophone
AWRC’s Immigrant Support Program provides settlement support services including crisis counselling to families. This program is delivered in Antigonish and Guysborough counties.
*Offers Atlantic Immigration Program Settlement Plans
awrcsasa.ca
(902)863-6221
303 Kirk Place, 219 Main Street, Antigonish
Antigonish; Guysborough
Cape Breton Island Centre for Immigration welcomes immigrant and refugee families and provides them with settlement support services. New Dawn also delivers awareness activities to various stakeholders to promote diverse and inclusive communities. This program is located in Sydney and provides outreach services across Cape Breton.
New Dawn Enterprises is now offering a pilot program General English language training in partnership with Cape Breton Language Centre.
*Offers Atlantic Immigration Program Settlement Plans
newdawn.ca
(902)270-5772
319 Charlotte Street, Sydney
Sydney; Cape Breton;
VCLA offers English language training for immigrants and refugees in the classroom setting. This program is offered across Annapolis Valley area (Kentville, Wolfville, Middleton, Cornwallis).
Their Extending Language Training Beyond the Classroom Walls Program offers informal language tutoring in combination food production and preparation (kitchen and garden setting). This program offers an entrepreneurial component for clients to participate as farm market vendors.
vcla.ca
(866)898-7323
106-49 Cornwallis St, Kentville
Kentville; Wolfville; Middleton; Cornwallis;
Atlantic Canada Language Academy’s EAL Program offers language training for immigrants and refugees in the classroom setting. This program is offered across the South Shore area (Lunenburg and Queens Counties).
studyatlantic.com
(902) 634-6111
97 Kaulbach Street, Suite 105, Lunenburg
South Shore; Lunenburg; Queens Counties;
Veith House offers a Newcomers Program that provides settlement support services to newcomer families. This program includes one-to-one settlement support, a family garden, conversation club, English language tutoring, sewing classes and a men’s activity Club.
veithhouse.com
3115 Veith Street, Halifax
Halifax Regional Municipality;
UACWA’s S.H.E. Matters Project is a multi-faceted program focusing on networking, mentorship, orientation, essential skills, conversation clubs and whole health wellness circles focusing on physiological and mental health wellbeing.
uacwa.org
uacwainhalifax@gmail.com
61 Boland Street, Dartmouth
Halifax Regional Municipality;
The Digby Area Learning Association’s Skills for Success and Integration program works to assist newcomers to obtain essentials skills for the workforce such as assessment and case management, English language training, job search and essential skills for the workplace.
digbydala.com
902-245-7540
207- A Highway 303, Digby
Digby;
The Pictou County Partnership offers a Newcomer Business Navigation program that provides a one-on-one settlement-based approach with the aim to support newcomer economic integration for those with entrepreneurial and self-employment interests through business mentorship, workshops and one on one support.
pictoucountypartnership.com
902-755-2254
112 Provost Street, New Glasgow NS
Pictou County; New Glasgow;
Metroworks provides newcomers with the opportunity to build their employability skills through essential skills training and work experience through MetroWorks supported social enterprises.
mymetroworks.ca/home
(902) 453-6246
7071 Bayers Road, LL05, Halifax
Halifax Regional Municipality;