Frequently Asked Questions
I want to immigrate to Canada
If you have been accepted or arrived in Nova Scotia, please register with us at www.isans.ca. You can also start these programs before you arrive:
- Pre-arrival: www.novascotiastart.ca
- SOPA: www.arriveprepared.ca
If you have not been accepted to come to Nova Scotia, we are unable to help you at this time. To learn about what programs you may be eligible to apply for, please visit here.
To learn about federal and Nova Scotia immigration programs, please visit the following websites:
ISANS does not directly sponsor refugees. If you have friends or relatives in Nova Scotia able to financially support and settle you in Canada, please have them contact ISANS directly. Otherwise, we are sorry but our organization is unable to help you.
You may like to review the UNHCR, The United Nations Refugee Agency, website at www.unhcr.org for general information.
You can learn more about the AIPP through this link.
You can learn more about employers with open positions in Nova Scotia through this link.
The Atlantic Immigration Pilot (AIP) immigration program is employer-driven, so you will need to find a designated employer in Atlantic Canada that is interested in hiring you. The jobs you apply for must be the same as or similar to your current employment experience. Please note, we are unable to provide assistance with your job search if you are not an ISANS client.
You can find the list of designated employers in Nova Scotia now posted on the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration website .
If you have questions about the Provincial Nominee Program, or if you are successful in securing a job offer from a Nova Scotian employer and your employer has questions, please contact the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration by phone at 1 (902) 424 5230 or 1 (877) 292-9597 (toll free in Nova Scotia), or via email at immigration@novascotia.ca.
ISANS offers courses on preparing for your Canadian citizenship tests
For more information, please email info@isans.ca.
To learn more about how to qualify to become a Canadian citizen, please visit here.
I want to use ISANS services
To access any of our programs or services you must first register with us.
If you live outside of Canada, you can visit us online at: www.novascotiastart.ca
If you live in Nova Scotia please call us to make an appointment. In the Halifax area, you can call (902) 423-3607. If you live elsewhere in Nova Scotia call 1-866-431-6472. For more information on what happens after you register, visit www.isans.ca/about/get-started-at-isans
We can translate short, personal written information and documents. Your documents must be for settlement, employment, education, transportation or obtaining documentation in the province of Nova Scotia only.
We translate written information and documents for commonly spoken newcomer languages in Nova Scotia. There may be a fee applicable.
To learn more and if your documents qualify for translation and translation process, visit https://isans.ca/program/translation/ or email translationservices@isans.ca.
Congratulations on your upcoming move! It's a good idea to prepare as much as possible for your new life in Canada. The best resource is Settlement Online Pre-Arrival (SOPA) program. Please visit SOPA at www.arriveprepared.ca.
SOPA provides free resources and courses including one-on-one orientation, job search support and workplace culture training, as well as referral to a wide range of post-arrival services upon entry to Canada.
To access SOPA, you must live outside Canada and have:
- Received approval from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to immigrate to Canada
- An English level (IELTS) 5.5 or higher
- Access to a computer and high speed Internet
For more information, please visit Please visit SOPA at www.arriveprepared.ca.
ISANS offers monthly webinars for employers on AIPP.
To learn more, go to https://isans.ca/program/aip-employers/ or email aipp@isans.ca
ISANS provides interpretation support for our settlement, employment, community, intake and orientation programs and refugee health support. If you require an interpreter for non-ISANS related support, you need to access an interpreter at an interpretation agency or organization.
I want to join one of ISANS programs
We offer language skills classes for everyday living in the community and for immigrants who are looking for work, currently working, planning to start a business or currently running their own business. ISANS classes are in-person, online or in the workplace. To learn more about our classes visit: www.isans.ca/learn-english. To take classes, you must first register with ISANS. To register, email us at info@isans.ca. Alternatively, call us at 1-866-431-6472.
We offer a range of services to help you become independent and effective in your job search. You begin by meeting with an employment counsellor. Counsellors will help you create a plan to learn and gain skills about employment in Canada. For professionals, we have opportunities to meet mentors and get work placements. For regulated professionals we can help you begin the pathway to become a licensed professional in Canada. For more information, please visit: www.isans.ca/find-employment.
If you work in a regulated profession, you will need a license, certificate or registration to practice in your field. The Pathway to Licensure for your profession will show you how to get your qualifications assessed and recognized. To learn more, please visit: https://isans.ca/find-employment/.
ISANS has a range of programs for immigrants.
We can:
- connect you with a volunteer from the community who will offer social support and introduce you to your new community, help you practice skills for daily family activities, and help you practice English conversation
- support you as a parent of children aged 3-5, with structured lessons and practical information on parenting
- support you during your settlement through a series of orientations to life in Canada
- help you manage the stress that comes from moving to a new country
We have dedicated team of business professionals to help you understand what you need to know to start or grow your business in Nova Scotia. We connect you to the community and provide resources and tools to help you build a successful business. Get one-on-one business counselling, attend workshops and networking events, and connect with other ISANS services like language training. For more information, please visit: www.isans.ca/do-business.
I want ISANS help with a community event or research project
Please send all research inquiries to info@isans.ca with the word "research" in the subject line. Please note we are unable to respond to all requests.
ISANS is unable to post events, products or services on our website. If you are an immigrant entrepreneur or business owner, you may be eligible to have your business listed on our Marketplace directory, for more information contact business@isans.ca.
We share community and immigration-related events through social media. To have your event forwarded to our Public Relations coordinator, please email info@isans.ca with the words "community event" in the subject line.
If you are interested in English as an Additional Language (EAL) resources please visit our Resources page at https://isans.ca/resources-and-publications/
The Refugee Sponsorship Program at ISANS provides information and resources to sponsorship groups across Nova Scotia. We support Sponsorship Agreement Holders in Nova Scotia in the application process and settlement of refugees. We also works with relatives and groups living in Nova Scotia in the sponsorship and settlement of refugees.
For general information on sponsoring a refugee from overseas, please visit the Refugee Sponsorship Training Program website www.rstp.ca and look at ISANS list of FAQs on refugee sponsorship www.isans.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/PRS_FAQs.pdf. For more details, visit https://isans.ca/program/private-sponsorship-of-refugees-psr-program/.
We have clients actively looking for work. Please send an email to info@isans.ca with the word "employment" in the subject line. If possible, please give details on timelines, job descriptions, and contact details for follow-up.
To access ISANS services, immigrants must register with ISANS. Please encourage them to contact us through info@isans.ca or call us at 1-866-431-6472.
Once registered, they will speak to an intake counsellor who will advise them of the programs for which they qualify. For resources on where they can receive additional support outside of ISANS, visit www.isans.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/MentalHealthResources_2015_final_website.pdf
I want to support immigrants
Thank you for your generous support for recent immigrants and refugees to Nova Scotia!
You can make a one-time donation or a recurring donation. For more information and payment options, please visit www.isans.ca/donate
Thank you for your interest in donating to ISANS. Unfortunately, we are unable to accept donations of clothing, furniture, computers and other physical goods.
Thank you for your interest becoming more culturally sensitive and learning about diversity. We offer several programs on cultural sensitivity and diversity. Our Workplace Culture Program helps Nova Scotian employers understand the benefits of hiring international talent and the importance of immigrant experience in the workplace. Our Building Intercultural Competence workshops focus on how to welcome and work with immigrants and build a better community together. Our Welcome Ambassador program trains individuals a on a range of topics including build cultural awareness skills, awareness about refugee newcomers, and how to participate actively in making Nova Scotia a more welcoming and inclusive province. You can also attend SupperNova, a multicultural potluck where you can meet and welcome newcomer families and celebrate diversity.
Every year in mid-June, ISANS participates in an annual Walk wtih Refugees. Hundreds of Nova Scotians of all backgrounds take part in the Walk to mark World Refugee Day, help raise awareness, and put refugee voices up front. Please visit www.isans.ca in early June to find out details on this years' walk.