News

Changes to ISSofBC services in 2025

Since 1972, ISSofBC has supported newcomers as they settle in British Columbia.  We are happy to continue these services in many locations, offering settlement, language, and career services to newcomers throughout BC.    

However, some locations and programs will change by March 31, 2025. Please see below for all the latest updates as they are announced.

Please note our English Language LINC classes are continuing as usual across all our locations.

Thank you for your patience during this time. If you have any questions about these upcoming changes, please submit them through our feedback form.

Change to our English language (LINC) program

Starting April 1, 2025:

  • There will be no classes for Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 or CLB 8 students in LINC at ISSofBC.
  • All CLB 5 and 6 classes will be online only. Space in these classes will be limited.

ISSofBC is here to support as you navigate these changes.

 
If you are a current student and have questions, please make an appointment to speak to someone at your local ISSofBC office.

Permanent closure of our Langley office

Our Langley office will close all services on March 21, 2025.

For clients living in Langley, settlement services are available at:

End of all Entrepreneur and ‘Start a Business’ programs

Our Business Quest, Spark, and Ignite programs will all end on 31 March 2025.

Since these programs started, they have supported over 500 newcomer entrepreneurs in finding and building their businesses in BC. We thank all the staff and clients who have worked to make them such a success.

End of the Gateway to Tourism and Hospitality Program

This program will also end on 31 March 2025. Clients, partners, and other key stakeholders have been informed.

The Gateway program has supported over 400 newcomers and worked with 150 corporate partners to discover and develop careers in hospitality and tourism.

End of support for CUAET visa holders

After March 31, 2025, holders of Canada-Ukraine Authorisation for Emergency Travel (CUAET) visas, Ukrainian nationals with temporary resident status in Canada, and their dependents will no longer be eligible for all IRCC-funded settlement or language programs.

Since the start of the CUAET program in 2022, we have supported over 800 Ukrainian newcomers as they settled, learned English, and found work.

We have already notified the clients impacted by this change, but if you support any Ukrainian clients, please remind them of this upcoming change.

Ukrainian visa holders may also be eligible for provincially funded programs, like the BC Newcomer Support Program (NSP).

Our Language and Career College (LCC) also offers a 50% discount on English classes.

Additional key changes:

In addition to the changes to our programs, several partner organizations are transitioning in 2025. Please see below for further details:

1. Relocation of Vancouver Health Clinic to Victoria Drive 

A Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) clinic will be relocating from a temporary location in Richmond to Victoria Drive on February 3, 2025.

This clinic will be exclusively available for Government Assisted Refugees (GARs) referred by our Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) team. The clinic will provide post-arrival health assessments, follow-ups, and vaccinations.

2. Changes to the Immigrant and Refugee Legal Clinic

The Immigrant and Refugee Legal Clinic (IRLC) currently based at our Victoria Drive location will be no longer administered by ISSofBC and will be moving location in 2025.

The Clinic will continue to provide free legal aid to low-income and vulnerable newcomers. We will provide further information as details are confirmed.

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