The government of Canada assists immigrants in overcoming barriers so they can establish themselves and their families in Canadian communities through Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) Settlement Program.

The Settlement Program has a budget of circa $762m (outside Quebec) and funds partnerships with more than 500 third-party Service Provider Organizations (SPOs). A key component of IRCC’s Settlement Program, available to newcomers, is Needs Assessment and Referral (NARS), conducted pre- or post-arrival. NARS consists of three components. First, the SPO meets with the client to identify their needs, using a variety of methods, such as questionnaires, group sessions, information sessions, informal follow-ups, home visits and referral forms. Second, taking their needs into consideration, the SPO works with the client to create a customized roadmap. These Settlement Plans are developed with and centred on the newcomer, realistic, portable and flexible and include milestones to monitor progress. Third, using the settlement plan as the guide, the SPO provides recommendations to a broad spectrum of settlement areas and connects clients to settlement and community-based services.