Immigrants and Refugees

Immigrant Services Calgary provides a wide range of settlement services to immigrants and refugees looking to begin a new chapter of their lives in Canada. Their aim is to reach newcomers in a timely and responsive manner to facilitate a smooth transition, proper settlement and successful integration into the Calgary community. They provide interpretation and translation of official documents in over 50 languages theough their language bank.

This is a 2017 Alberta guide to law in Alberta on immigration published by Student Legal Services Edmonton. The guide provides general information on becoming a Canadian citizen, attaining temporary status and permanent status. It also provides information on protections for refugees both from inside and outside Canada as well as sponsorship.

The Refugee Hearing Preparation Guide is for refugee claimants and their service providers. It educates, guides, and supports refugee claimants who are preparing for their refugee hearings. It was developed to help inform and empower service providers in their understanding of the refugee hearing preparation process. The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada – Refugee Protection Division (IRB-RPD) holds refugee hearings in six locations across Canada. The Preparation Guide is uniquely adapted to each location, and available in the following languages:

• Montreal – English, French, Spanish, Sorani Kurdish
• Toronto – English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, Farsi, Urdu, Sorani Kurdish
• Winnipeg – English, French, Spanish, Somali
• Calgary – English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Urdu, Mongolian
• Edmonton – English, French, Spanish, Somali, Tigrigna
• Vancouver – English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, Farsi, Sorani Kurdish

This division of Alberta Employment and Immigration will help temporary foreign workers to learn about their rights and find solutions for problem situations. Booklets and brochures are available for employers and for workers. (Guide for Employees is available in 13 languages.) A walk-in office and a helpline are offered for assistance.

The Canadian Council for Refugees is a non-profit umbrella organization committed to the rights and protection of refugees in Canada and around the world and to the settlement of refugees and immigrants in Canada. The membership is made up of organizations involved in the settlement, sponsorship and protection of refugees and immigrants. The CCR site provides basic information about immigration and refugee issues, policy documents, public education materials about refugees and immigrants, as well as statistics and links to other sources of statistics.

The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) is Canada's largest independent administrative tribunal. It is responsible for making well-reasoned decisions on immigration and refugee matters, efficiently, fairly and in accordance with the law. The IRBdecides, among other responsibilities, who needs refugee protection among the thousands of claimants who come to Canada annually.

Topics covered in this resource are:

• What is the Private Sponsorship of Refugees?
• Who can sponsor under the PSR Program? Who can be sponsored?
• What do you need to know about the Blended Visa Office Referred (BVOR) and Joint Assistance Sponsorship (JAS) Programs?
• What is a sponsored refugee's immigration status?
• What are the sponsors' responsibilities?
• What is the role of a Settlement Counsellor in assisting privately sponsored refugees?
• What should settlement counsellors consider when supporting privately sponsored refugees?
• What should you do if you believe that refugees may not be receiving sufficient support?