The federal government will spend more than $3.2 billion over three years to help newcomers integrate into Canada’s job market and address critical labour shortages across key sectors.
Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab announced Wednesday that more than 520 organizations outside Quebec will receive funding to provide settlement services designed to get newcomers working in high-demand fields like health care and skilled trades.
The funding represents a shift toward regional, tailored approaches rather than standardized programs, with local organizations delivering services that match specific community needs and labour market gaps.
Addressing critical workforce shortages
Settlement services will focus on helping newcomers obtain professional licences and certifications, access job-specific language training in English and French, and connect French-speaking immigrants with Francophone communities outside Quebec.
The investment comes as Canada faces significant labour shortages in essential sectors, with employers struggling to fill positions that newcomers could potentially occupy if given proper integration support.
“Canada is focused on building more homes, better infrastructure and a clean economy—and newcomers are essential to making that happen,” Metlege Diab said. “This investment is about giving newcomers the skills and opportunities they need to build their lives here and help build Canada at the same time.”
Outcome-focused approach
The government selected organizations through a competitive national process, evaluating applications based on eligibility requirements, alignment with program priorities, value for money, and ability to meet newcomer needs.
Under the Canada-Quebec Accord, the federal government provides Quebec with separate annual grants for immigrant reception and integration services in that province.
Government data shows that between April 2014 and January 2025, 47 per cent of permanent residents outside Quebec and 93 per cent of resettled refugees accessed at least one federally funded settlement service.
The minister positioned the investment as part of building what she called “one unified Canadian economy—the strongest economy in the G7,” linking newcomer integration directly to broader economic competitiveness goals.
Regional service delivery
The funding will support services that recognize regional labour market differences and community-specific integration challenges, moving away from standardized programming that may not address local employer needs or newcomer circumstances.
Organizations will work with newcomers on economic, social and cultural integration, with the goal of helping immigrants apply their existing skills more quickly while filling critical labour gaps and boosting productivity.
The three-year funding commitment provides organizations with planning certainty to develop comprehensive programs and build relationships with local employers, regulatory bodies, and community groups essential to successful newcomer integration.
