If you are new to Canada, you probably have lots of questions about living here. You might be asking about school in Canada, how to ride the bus, about immigration, getting a doctor, or getting a job. Settlement services and counsellors can help you get answers to these questions.

Settlement Services help you “settle” in Canada. Most settlement services are free. Somtimes, settlement agencies will charge you a fee for some services, like translation. They are also available in many languages.

You can find settlement services in community centres and agencies, schools, and community health centres.  Settlement counsellors can answer your questions about living in Canada. They can also help you understand your immigration process better.

Settlement counsellors can also help you:

• Find a school
• Find a place to live
• Find a family doctor
• Get government-issued things like a Social Insurance Number
• Get a driver’s license
• Get help with your immigration process

Settlement services are confidential – this means that anything you say to a settlement counsellor will not be repeated to someone else, and they cannot share your information with anyone.

Do they have Settlement Services for Youth?

Yes. If you are between 13-24 years old a Youth Settlement Counsellor can help you with many things, like:

• Finding information about volunteering
• Finding someone you can talk to about problems you may be having
• Meeting other young people who are new to Canada
• Getting into school (high school, university, college)
• Finding a place to live

Youth Settlement Services are also fun! You can join a homework club, mentoring group, or attend workshops on topics like film, photography, dance and your health. You may also be able to access computers and internet, depending on the agency you are visiting.