ISSofBC (Immigrant Services Society of BC)

ISSofBC (Immigrant Services Society of B.C.) has served hundreds of thousands of newcomers since 1972 when we welcomed and resettled planeloads of Ismaili refugees fleeing conflict in East Africa.

Despite having grown into one of the largest immigrant-serving organizations in Canada, ISSofBC has remained true to our roots as reflected in our mission statement: Helping immigrants build a future in Canada.

Through our multilingual staff, and with the support of our valued volunteers and community partners, ISSofBC provides a wide variety of services to help immigrants and refugees get settled, learn English, find employment, explore entrepreneurship, and learn all they need to know about starting new lives in Canada. The purpose-built ISSofBC Welcome Centre in Vancouver, and its counterpart facility in Surrey, provide newcomers with streamlined access to care in a fully-integrated service environment.

While government funds the bulk of ISSofBC services, private donations fund many services that are no less valuable. These include the ISSofBC Private Refugee Sponsorship Program, which helps refugees displaced by conflict, violence and persecution reunite with family in Canada. Donations received cover start-up costs, food, clothing, housing and emotional support for one year.

Other ISSofBC services that benefit from private donations include a leadership training program for youth, first-language trauma services, and training of home visitors to provide virtual settlement services for newcomer women with young children who are at extreme risk of isolation. We make sure that every bit of your help goes a long way.