This document provides information about the Canadian Immigrant Integration Program (CIIP), a voluntary pre-arrival program that helps skilled immigrants prepare for economic success in Canada. CIIP provides group orientations, personalized action plans, and connections to partners across Canada to give immigrants resources and a support network. Studies show CIIP clients find employment faster, at higher rates, and in their field of work compared to non-CIIP clients. The program aims to give immigrants a realistic understanding of opportunities and challenges in Canada.

1. "Copyright [CIIP] [2014]. This work is the intellectual property of the author. Permissions granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the author.”

2. CIIP Thomas Hope Agent de programme sénior, Qualité des programmes et exécution francophone Senior Program Officer, Program Quality and Francophone Delivery Canadian Immigrant Integration Program OCASI Workshop, Toronto, October 2014

3. •Funded by the Federal Government of Canada
•Voluntary program offered in English and French to pre-approved economic immigrants anywhere in the world
•Delivered in-person in China, India, the Gulf, the Philippines and the UK as well as online
•Close to 30,000 graduates since 2007
•99% committed to pre-departure action
•93% had a better understanding of licensure
Key CIIP Facts

4. CIIP
Goal
Help skilled immigrants prepare for economic success in Canada by providing pre- arrival services overseas
•Group Orientation (GO)
•My Action Plan (MAP)
•Online support from a comprehensive network of partners across Canada
Outcomes
•More realistic understanding of opportunities and challenges in Canada
•Well-informed decisions about where to go and what to do to be successful
•More competitive and able to contribute to the economy more quickly

5. What Does CIIP Offer?
Group
Orientation
Labour market and employment information, resources and tools
My Action Plan
Develop an employment focused personal action plan
Platform
Participate in additional pre-departure services with Canadian partners
Follow-Up
Participate in surveys, focus groups, and meetings
Direct Referrals to CIIP Partners
“Entryway” - Connect with and access online support

6. GO Components
•Identifying Job Prospects
–Understanding provincial, sectoral and occupational options
•Increasing Job Readiness
–Addressing integration challenges
•Preparing for Job-Search
–Canadian approaches, tools and techniques
•Improving Job Retention
–Socio-cultural issues, rights etc

7. My Action Plan (MAP)
•Guided needs assessment
•Facilitated awareness of key online resources
•The personalized action plan outlines key decisions and steps, both pre-departure and on arrival

8. Connections to Canada
•Immediate contact with college and settlement Focal Point Partners (FPPs) in each province/region for:
•online advice and
•onward referrals to other agencies
•Referrals for online mentorship
•Job-ready clients referred for internships and job search
•Contact provided with Sector Councils and regulatory bodies
•Webinars on banking etc

9. Who are CIIP’s Partners?

10. Connections & Partnerships
Success story: License to Architecture leads to Integration Success
Arindam Bose, “CIIP played a significant role in our preparation for Canada. The
two most important insights we received were, understanding the cultural
sensibilities and the employment scenarios.”
“I spent a significant amount of time understanding the licensure requirements in my profession in Canada and especially Ontario. I contacted the Ontario Association of Architects (OAA) and they gave me extensive guidance on the first steps. I didn’t want to wait till I got to Canada to start my licensing process, so I got my degree evaluated by the Canadian Architectural Certification Board while I was still in Qatar. This sped up my process immensely.”
CIIP helped me …
•Begin the licensing process while I was still outside Canada
•Identify pathways to licensure and connecting with the right agencies
•Help me notice the important aspects of transferable skills
Arindam now works for one of Canada’s top five General Contractors.

11. A 2013 CIIP partner survey revealed that CIIP clients have stronger outcomes than non-CIIP clients:
•93% said CIIP clients are more knowledgeable about licensure
•92% said CIIP clients are more knowledgeable about settlement
•87% said CIIP clients are more knowledgeable about employment strategies
•80% said CIIP clients have greater awareness of alternate careers
•78% said CIIP clients are more proactive around labour-market integration
•73% said CIIP clients find employment related to their skills & education more often
•71% said CIIP clients find employment faster
•67% said CIIP clients find employment at higher levels
Results & Reach

12. CIC Tracking
CIC’s on-going tracking of CIIP clients reveals the following:
•49% of CIIP clients were employed within three months and 72% within a year
•52% of those employed at three months were working in their field, as were 60% at one year

13. Feedback from CIIP Grads
“CIIP was like having an insider supporting your transition. It will ensure that everybody going to Canada becomes economically active almost as soon as they step on Canadian soil... This is a ground-breaking initiative that will grow the Canadian economy. it should be compulsory.” - (CIIP graduate, UK)
“CIIP …. gives you a glimpse of what you will be facing in Canada and it encourages you to prepare for the challenges you will encounter. The approach is holistic. They cover settlement and employment topics, which are essential for those relocating to a new country.” - (CIIP graduate, Philippines)
“In a nutshell, CIIP guided me on how to benefit from going to Canada to achieve my dreams and how to share with Canada my achievements, so the next generations would benefit from them”. - (CIIP graduate, Gulf)

14. Success Says It All!
JingJing Rao was a Medical Radiation Technologist. She found a job 10 weeks after passing the certification exam.
“Thanks to CIIP, I was able to contact the physiotherapy credentialing agency and start the process overseas.” Komal Soni
Andy Day was a social worker. He obtained a license while overseas, which helped him to secure a job in his field before landing.
Clare and John Share were civil engineers who obtained temporary licenses and generous job packages before arrival in Canada.

15. Public Policy Success
Institute of Public Administration of Canada - IPAC Award
ACCC (now know as CICan) wins gold at the IPAC Deloitte 2013 Public Sector Leadership Award, in recognition of its pioneering program for economic immigrants.
TD Economic Report, Feb 2012
“Pre-arrival services have proven to be an invaluable asset in setting expectations and preparing immigrants for the challenges they will face in Canada. And early signs show that the CIIP is paying large dividends….These results would indicate that clients of the CIIP are faring much better than non-CIIP graduates. …”

16. Colleges and Institutes Canada
•Is partnering with CNFS and AUFC to deliver CIIP services to immigrants destined to Francophone minority communities
•Is partnering with IOM to ensure consistent pre-arrival services for economic immigrants
•Is delivering an Essential Skills for Immigrants component based on a successful pilot
•Has conducted research to benchmark Canadian skilled trades requirements against UK/Ireland requirements to inform the Federal Skilled Trades Class
•Supports pre-departure services with Canadian organizations
Opportunities

17. For more information: www.newcomersuccess.ca thope@collegesinstitutes.ca