Searching for Immigration / Sponsorship

COVID-19 (November 10, 2021): Provincial and legal aid offices closed to the public. Services still offered by phone. Visit the website for latest service updates.

Provides eligible clients with a certificate that covers the cost of hiring a lawyer to deal with serious types of civil or criminal cases

• helps with separation and child custody, but not divorce
• lawyers may or may not accept Legal Aid certificates

Services

• criminal legal issues
• domestic violence
• family legal issues
• mental health issues
• refugee and immigration legal issues
• legal clinics

Provides traveler, commercial and immigration services

• Accounts Receivable Ledger Office
• e-Longroom - Manifest
• Duty-Free Shop
• NEXUS/Highway
• Designated Commercial Office
• Highway/Land Border Office
• e-Longroom - Release
• Electronic Data Interchange
• Designated Export Reporting Office

Provides traveller and commercial services

• authorized marine site for commercial vessels (no ferry boats or cruise ships) reporting to Canadian Border Service Agency
• Low Value Shipments Program clearances
• reporting and clearing of commercial goods
• reporting of exports
• duty free shop
• electronic transmission and interchange of cargo, release, and accounting data
• authorized port of entry from the United States for traffic arriving by land (passengers and/or commercial)

Offers professional advice to individuals who require assistance with their Canadian immigration applications.

Services:

• Family Sponsorship Applications
• Parent and Grandparent Supervisas
• Permanent Residence Applications
• International Adoptions
• Canadian Citizenship Applications
• Work Permits
• Study Permits

Provides commercial and passenger services

• customs office classified as non direct point of entry providing a full range of customs services to the general public and to other service sites, for instance, in-bond highway, marine, rail, etc
• also provides for the electronic transmission and interchange of cargo, release, and accounting data

Network of 33 public libraries in the City of Ottawa

Services include:

• lending services for a variety of resources
• lending services between libraries
• online catalogue
• homebound services
• downloads of virtual or audio-digital books and music
• public computer access
• admission passes for local museums
• Kill-A-Watt counter to measure electrical consumption
• pedometer to count steps
• 3D printer
• musical instrument lending
• dedicated services for children, teens, adults, newcomers, people looking for work
• assistive services for individuals who cannot read or access regular print material
• literacy support
• business services, for anyone interested in starting or growing a business
• meeting room rentals
• information and referral
• used books coordination
• outreach service: the Bookmobile
• computer club for adults 50 years and older
• various programming

InfoService:

• bilingual telephone information service centre
• quick information by phone on a wide variety of topics
• contact information for businesses and government agencies
• look up dates, names, spellings and definition of words
• information about library services and programs or reference to other sources of information for further help

COVID-19 (Jan 2021): Due to COVID19, all in-person services have been discontinued and office is closed to clients until further notice. Services can be accessed remotely by calling 613-232-9634. Volunteer program activities are suspended. See website for latest updates.

Community-based services for immigrants, refugees, and newcomers

Settlement Program (formerly Immigrant Settlement and Adaptation Program):

• orientation programs, language and skills training to help facilitate employment, and programs to welcome newcomers to the community
• may provide needs and eligibility assessments, pre- and post-arrival information and referral, job search and employment counselling, assistance to establish social and professional networks to promote community engagement, and assistance to access a range of settlement services

Reception House, Maison Sophia House:

• 90-bed facility that provides temporary accommodation, food and clothing
• orientation workshops facilitated with language translation and interpretation
• house search support
• multicultural children's program
• basic English classes
• referrals to government services and community organizations

Community Connections Program (formerly HOST Program):

• group activities for newly arrived immigrants and refugees of all ages to help orient them to their new community and establish social and professional networks * trained and experienced volunteer mentors assist, with focus on citizenship and civic engagement or skills and career development

Pastoral and Sponsorship Programs:

• works to ensure that the newcomer can find pastoral services in the faith group of their choice * promotes the involvement of faith groups in the Private Sponsorship program

Bruyère Centre for Immigrants:

• one-stop access to the services of several agencies, groups and organizations that operate out of the Centre.

Cultural Profiles:

• a series of booklets, each one introduces a particular country and its people, including details on family life, religion and history
• profiles developed in consultation with the respective community groups

COVID-19 (October 7 2021): Services available by appointment only. Staff still available by phone. Many services now offered online and organisation offering volunteer outreach to isolated seniors to get food and medication to their homes. Call 613-235-4875 ext 181 to access emergency volunteer senior services (available in mandarin).

Settlement and community services agency

Orientation and Adaptation Services

• needs assessment and information and referral to community and social services
• support with finding housing, child care, registering children in school and health care
• orientation within the city
• help filling out government forms including housing and immigration sponsorship forms
• community support for Chinese newcomers through volunteer befriending, conversation circles to practice English
• workshops to reduce stress of adjusting to Canadian culture

Citizenship Preparation

• courses, tests and activities to help newcomers prepare for the citizenship test
• offered on site

Language Training Services

• enhanced language training
• sector specific language training and career orientation in the fields of accounting and IT
• individual counselling and action plan development
• volunteer placement
• mentoring
• networking
• resume and interview preparation

English as a Second Language/French as a Second Language

• English or French for Life and Work in Canada
• conversation and pronunciation classes

Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC)

• provides basic language skills in English or French
• courses offered part-time

Employment Counselling and Preparation

• job search preparation and training
• developing strong job search strategies and workplace communication skills
• job search workshops
• on site job search and preparation training courses

Employment Counselling

• resume help
• job readiness clinic
• employment counselling
• skills and career development
• help in establishing social and professional networks

Other Settlement Services

Library Settlement Partnership

• workshops
• one-to-one counselling
• settlement referrals
• English Conversation Club

Commissioner of Oaths

• commissioner of Oaths for verifying documents (only at 400 Cooper St)

Other Services
Counselling services workshops and support groups for:

• financial difficulties
• family conflicts
• mental health issues: depression, anxiety, stress, family relationships, caregiver stress, grief and loss, parenting, effective communication, workplace stress
• problems with the law
• racial discrimination
• family law
• legal problems
• sponsorship matters
• Convention Refugee support

COVID-19 (November 10, 2021): Provincial and legal aid offices closed to the public. Services still offered by phone. Visit the website for latest service updates.

Provides eligible clients with a certificate that covers the cost of hiring a lawyer to deal with serious types of civil or criminal cases

• helps with separation and child custody, but not divorce
• lawyers may or may not accept Legal Aid certificates

Services

• criminal legal issues
• domestic violence
• family legal issues
• mental health issues
• refugee and immigration legal issues
• legal clinics

Office mandated to lead and coordinate international action to protect people forced to flee their homes due to violence, conflict and persecution

• provides shelter, food, water, medical care, and other life-saving assistance to refugees around the world

Protection:

• observes Canadian asylum practices and policies in order to promote the highest standards of protection for refugees and asylum-seekers

Resettlement:

• works with the Canadian government and private sponsorship groups to help coordinate resettlement opportunities in Canada

Awareness:

• informs and educates Canadians about the situation of refugees and other displaced persons around the world

Fundraising:

• encourages the Canadian public and the Government of Canada to provide financial assistance to UNHCR programs worldwide

UNHCR Gift Shop:

• targeted donations toward essential resources for refugees such as shelter, medical care, education, nutrition,and clean water

Coalition of groups interested in sponsoring refugees

• workshops for sharing information and topics which sponsors have raised are given with Refugee 613
• established by representatives of sponsorship groups consisting of many faiths, communities and private groups committed to increase help to the growing world population of displaced people
• workshops to share problems and advice held as needed

Governmental information centre

• the Client Support Centre can answer questions about immigration, refugees and citizenship services and programs, and on status of an application in process inside Canada

University hub that delivers core programming in the area of refugee law and policy

• refugee law education
• research
• advocacy

University of Ottawa Refugee Assistance Project (UORAP):

• offers resources for community workers who are assisting refugee claimants, and for refugee lawyers

Refugee Law Research Team (RLRT): Team of law students involved in the refugee field that provides:

• legal research
• analysis
• strategic support
• high-level domestic and international refugee advocacy initiatives

Settlement Program (formerly Immigrant Settlement and Adaptation Program)

Orientation and Adaptation Services

• needs assessment and Information and referral to community and social services
• support with finding housing, child care, registering children in school and health care
• help filling out government forms including housing and immigration sponsorship forms
• community support through volunteer befriending, conversation circles to practice English or French
• help with connecting to language classes

Citizenship Preparation

• courses, tests and activities to help newcomers prepare for the citizenship test
• offered in French only
• citizenship preparation courses on-site

Employment Counselling and Preparation

• bridging services connecting skilled or internationally trained professional newcomers to employment with job placements, mentorship, volunteering and networking connections in their preferred fields

Job search centre

• walk-in job search centre
• access to computers, Internet, fax, photocopier, telephone
• staff assistance available
• resource materials
• job boards
• labour market information

Job search preparation and training

• develop strong job search strategies and workplace communication skills

Employment counselling

• resume help
• job readiness clinic
• employment counselling
• skills and career development and help in establishing social and professional networks

Franco-immigrant integration portal (PIFI)

• French-speaking newcomers only Facebook group intended to be a place for friendly discussion on various settlement and integration issues.

Employment services and settlement services

• working for the economic, social and cultural integration of Francophone racial, ethnic and cultural minorities living in and around Ottawa

Employment Program:

• individual and group training to improve competencies for finding a job or starting a business
• technical and cultural support to set goals and assist in achieving them
• tailoring resumes for job search
• help drafting letters of recommendation
• complements settlement program

Settlement Program: (formerly Immigrant Settlement and Adaptation Program)

• services to enable immigrants and refugees to integrate into Canadian society including orientation programs, language and skills training to help facilitate employment, and programs to welcome newcomers to the community
• individual agencies may provide needs and eligibility assessments, pre- and post-arrival information and referral, job search and employment counselling, assistance to establish social and professional networks to promote community engagement, and assistance to access a range of settlement services

Settlement service for Francophone immigrants and newcomers to Ottawa

• workers help the new arrivals and Francophone immigrants with the initial stages of settlement

Services:

Settlement Program/Welcoming Communities Program:

• needs assessments, orientation programs, language and skills training, and programs to welcome newcomers to the community

Interpretation and Translation services:

• helps clients in interpreting and understanding information, requests, documents they receive, etc
• clients may obtain services in their native languages

Couselling services:

• offers counselling to those facing challenges with their settlement

Employment preparation service:

• explains Canadian workplace realities, and helps with proactive job search and receiving professional and academic equivalences

Provides traveler, commercial and immigration services

• reporting and clearing of commercial goods
• designated office for the reporting of exports
• authorized port of entry from the United States for the processing of passengers and/or commercial highway traffic arriving by land

COVID19 -- services provided by phone or online, as well as in-person services

----------- ------------- ----------------

Information and training support services

• online applications and forms, serves Canada (except Quebec)

Settlement Services

• orientation to life in Ontario; information on immigration issues
• accessing government resources including social assistance, income security, child tax benefits
• assistance with search for housing and social housing
• emotional support

Helping Our Newcomers Prepare for Employment/Entrepreneurial Success (HOPES) Program: resettlement stress support, education, skills and experience support

LINC (Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada): provides basic English skills in English, upon assessment by YMCA of Greater Toronto --see separate entry

Language Instruction Giving Hope to Trauma Survivors (LIGHTS) Program: alternative language program that provides functional English as a second or additional language (ESL/EAL) instruction to vulnerable newcomers who experience emotional, cognitive, or academic barriers to learning in traditional English classes

Members include international unions, provincial organizations, provincial federations of labour, chartered unions, labour councils

• assists in organizing new unions
• information and referral

Permanent Residence for Out-of-Status Construction Workers in the Greater Toronto Area -- help out-of-status construction workers find a pathway to permanent residence

COVID19 -- Follows all current public health restrictions


Provides support and expertise to groups involved in refugee sponsorship and resettlement

• refugee sponsorship training, toolkit and online resource centre
• public awareness of refugee needs

Represents the Anglican Diocese of Toronto and supports the Toronto Conference of the United Church of Canada as a Sponsorship Agreement Holder (SAH)

COVID19 -- call or visit website for current information irb-cisr.gc.ca/en/stay-connected/Pages/covid-19-irb-operations.aspx



Refugee Protection Division: panel determines refugee claims, for more detailed information, click irb.gc.ca/en/applying-refugee-protection/Pages/index.aspx

• appeals of negative decisions may be heard at Refugee Appeal Board or other bodies, for more information, click irb.gc.ca/en/filing-refugee-appeal/Pages/index.aspx

Immigration Appeal Division: hears appeals on immigration-related matters including sponsorships, removal orders, and residency obligations, for more information click irb.gc.ca/en/making-immigration-appeal/Pages/index.aspx

Detention Reviews and Admissibility Hearings: detention reviews and admissibility hearings conducted for persons believed to be inadmissible or removable from Canada; located at 385 Rexdale Blvd, 1-833-222-0408; for more information, click irb.gc.ca/en/detention-hearings/Pages/index.aspx

Free telephone hotline providing legal assistance to Ukrainians arriving in Canada affected by the war in Ukraine, with focus on immigration related issues, and also provides assistance and referrals for other legal issues related to resettlement, such as housing, employment

• assistance identifying nature of legal issue, advice and assistance on steps to take
• help drafting basic legal document for use in Canadian justice system
• where appropriate, referrals to pro bono and other lawyers for ongoing services
• referrals to support services

Settlement Services

• orientation to life in Ontario; information on immigration issues
• accessing government resources including social assistance, income security, child tax benefits
• assistance with search for housing and social housing
• emotional support

Helping Our Newcomers Prepare for Employment/Entrepreneurial Success (HOPES) Program: resettlement stress support, education, skills and experience support

LINC (Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada): provides basic English skills in English, upon assessment by YMCA of Greater Toronto --see separate entry

Language Instruction Giving Hope to Trauma Survivors (LIGHTS) Program: alternative language program that provides functional English as a second or additional language (ESL/EAL) instruction to vulnerable newcomers who experience emotional, cognitive, or academic barriers to learning in traditional English classes