'Next Stop Canada' premium survival guide for Newcomers to Canada

The pre-arrival program is funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for those who have been approved for permanent residence status.

Pony Huang, Program Coordinator explains, “The program’s primary objective is to provide quality settlement services to new immigrants before they arrive to Canada.”

“The staff at Next Stop Canada, being immigrants themselves, have firsthand experience in the settlement experience, and bring with them a unique and insightful perspective on the settlement process. This allows clients to receive complete and comprehensive pre-arrival settlement support, which addresses all their questions and concerns,” says Huang.

Enrolling in this pre-arrival program can help alleviate many of the fears and misconceptions that new immigrants may encounter while preparing for their journey.  

“We understand the anxiety, excitement and uncertainties that come with immigrating to a new country. We therefore help people feel more confident about settling in their new home, adapting to Canadian culture and building a network before their arrival with Next Stop Canada,” explains Huang.

Next Stop Canada’s services focus on the different needs of adults and youth as they prepare for their new lives in Canada. Jaskaran Gill, Certified Information and Referral Specialist explains, “As a result clients who register their children can take advantage of the only youth pre-arrival service designed to better prepare immigrant youth for their transition to school in Canada.”  

“The youth program, intended for youth 12 to 19 years old, provides access to self-directed learning modules, interactive videos and a mentorship program which connects youth to other successful Canadian immigrant youth,” she adds.

People who register with the adult services have access to the unique live chat feature, which allows an Information and Referral Specialist to assess their situation and provide them with a personalized settlement plan based on their individual needs.

“Clients also have access to information about various aspects of life in Canada, including finding a place to live, the Canadian health system, banking and finance, community services, and much more,” explains Huang.

However, Huang points out, “To be eligible for these services and to register for the program, clients must have received an official invitation to immigrate to Canada, be residing outside of Canada, and must be able to submit the required documentation.”

Although immigrants prefer populous cities and better liveable areas like British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec, people who have been selected by the government to to settle in Alberta, Manitoba and Atlantic Canada are also assisted via Next Stop Canada pavilion.

Huang says, “Next Stop Canada works vigorously to develop their platform to encompass pan-Canada wide resources and information to deliver quality services for their clients. We  hope to develop more partnerships with service providing organizations across Canada to assist clients in various aspects of the settlement process. The ultimate goal is to increase client registrations and help even more immigrants prepare for life in Canada.”

“It is like you have one of your family members living in Canada, so you never get better than that,” explains Mohamad, who sought Next Stop Canada’s help from Kuwait. He further adds, “Next Stop Canada is ready to help you at any time, ready to offer full information about everything, ready to give the maximum help with honesty, and I really felt very comfortable with you guys.”

Next Stop Canada has now assisted over 350 clients from 44 different countries to prepare for their new lives in Canada. In addition, they have guided thousands of individuals through their social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Followers can find updates on networking events, helpful tips about life in Canada, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), and informative blog posts.

(Reporting by Debarati Mukherjee)