Free Settlement Services: What Canada Offers Newcomers

Yes. IRCC funds pre-arrival settlement services for eligible newcomers who have been approved for permanent residency but have not yet landed. The Pre-Arrival Services (PAS) program provides orientation, employment planning, and connections to services before you arrive. Check the IRCC website for currently funded pre-arrival service providers.

It depends on your category. Refugees, protected persons and most non-economic permanent residents are generally eligible while they hold that status, without the new time limit. For economic-class permanent residents (such as Express Entry and PNP), IRCC is phasing in a time limit: up to 6 years after becoming a PR as of April 1, 2026, and up to 5 years after becoming a PR as of April 1, 2027. This applies to economic principal applicants and their accompanying spouses and dependants. Confirm the current window for your situation on canada.ca or with your local settlement agency.

Refugee claimants (people who have filed a refugee claim but don't yet have a decision) have limited access to IRCC-funded settlement services. Some provinces and municipalities fund additional services for refugee claimants. Check with local settlement agencies, many serve refugee claimants even where federal funding doesn't cover them.

Yes. Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) classes are completely free to eligible permanent residents and protected persons. Some classes also provide childcare and transportation assistance so that parents with young children can attend. Classes are offered at various levels from beginner to advanced.

LINC (Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada) provides free English classes for newcomers outside Quebec. CLIC (Cours de langue pour les immigrants au Canada) provides free French classes for newcomers outside Quebec. In Quebec, the equivalent French-language program is offered through MIFI (formerly MIDI). Both programs are free for eligible newcomers.

Settlement services are concentrated in major urban centres, but IRCC has expanded funding for smaller communities. Many programs are now available online, including LINC language classes. If you are in a rural area, contact your provincial government's immigration office or use the IRCC "Find free newcomer services near you" tool to see what is available near you.

Generally no. IRCC-funded settlement services are designed for permanent residents, protected persons and resettled refugees, and are not generally available to Canadian citizens (whether born in Canada or naturalized) or to most temporary residents such as visitors, most international students, and most work permit holders. A limited number of temporary residents in specific situations may qualify. If you are a citizen or temporary resident, you can still use free public resources such as libraries, community centres and provincial employment services, even if you are not eligible for IRCC settlement programs. Verify your eligibility on canada.ca.

You do not need a job to use settlement services, and you do not need a Social Insurance Number (SIN) to attend most settlement programs, though you do need a SIN to work in Canada. What a settlement agency will usually want to see is proof of your immigration status (for example, your Confirmation of Permanent Residence, PR card, or protected-person document) to confirm you are eligible. Bring your status documents to your first appointment and ask the agency exactly what they need.

Settlement agencies help you live in Canada: language classes, finding work, housing, schools, healthcare navigation and community connections, all free to eligible newcomers. They cannot give you immigration advice or represent you on an application. Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) and immigration lawyers, by contrast, charge fees and are authorized to advise on and submit immigration applications. RCICs are regulated by the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants and lawyers by their provincial law society. For application or legal questions, use an authorized representative or apply yourself through IRCC; for settling in, use a settlement agency.

Often, yes. Many settlement agencies employ multilingual staff and settlement workers who speak the most common languages in their community, and IRCC funds interpretation for essential appointments. Availability depends on the agency and your city, so when you contact a local settlement agency, ask whether they offer service in your first language or can arrange an interpreter. Quebec runs its own services through MIFI; check directly for language options there.