T
his year, amid significant uncertainty across Canada’s immigration landscape, ISSofBC continued to be a reliable source of information, guidance and support for those navigating complex and often changing circumstances.
Our Programs: Impacts & Outcomes
While we served 17,142 clients, this number tells only part of the story. Throughout the year, we strategically adapted our programs and services to respond to emerging needs, ensuring that newcomers remained at the centre of every decision. We welcomed and supported immigrants, refugees, refugee claimants, temporary foreign workers, and international students, each bringing unique experiences, skills, aspirations, and challenges.
The following highlights reflect the breadth and depth of our impact. The data incorporates all ISSofBC programs, including our Language and Career College (LCC) social enterprise. It also demonstrates the many ways clients engage with our organization. While some individuals access a single service to meet a specific need, many continue their journey with us through multiple programs and supports, creating pathways to successful settlement, language learning, employment and community connection.
Kathy Sherrell
Chief Program Officer, Settlement and Refugee Services
Carla Morales
Chief Program Officer, Language and Career Services
Unique clients who receive one or more service, including LCC 5
⁵ # of clients served across all programs.
Unique Client Immigration Status at time of service for clients
who received one or more services in any ISSofBC program, including LCC
Permanent Residents (PRs)
Temporary Residents (all)
Naturalized Canadian Citizens (NCCs)
Other
TOTAL
Protected Person as defined in S.95 of IRPA
Government Assisted Refugees (GARs)
Privately Sponsored Refugees (PSRs)
Other
Top five (5) client languages
Client genders
* Gender categories were updated in 2024. Some earlier records were not updated, resulting in a higher proportion of “unknown/prefer not to answer” responses.
Client ages
Language & Career Services (LCS)
Our Languages & Career Services division supports newcomers in achieving their language proficiency, employment, career development, training, and credential recognition goals. The division also includes the Language and Career College of BC (LCC), which delivers high-quality English and co-op programs for domestic and international students at affordable rates. The sections below highlight key achievements over the past year.
English language classes—Language Instruction for Newcomers (LINC)
Known for its quality, excellence, and sector leadership, our LINC program continued to deliver free, high-quality English-language training to newcomers across the Lower Mainland and Squamish.
Over the past year, the program continued to evolve through significant growth and transformation, including expanded staffing, new roles focused on digital literacy and online instruction, and enhanced service delivery across in-person, online, and hybrid learning formats. In total, 153 classes were offered across the region.
The program also strengthened partnerships and outreach initiatives to improve service accessibility and awareness. This included collaboration with community partners to support specialized programming such as American Sign Language (ASL) LINC classes for newcomers who are deaf or hard of hearing.
The Janis-ESL website was redeveloped to strengthen access to high-quality resources for students and teachers globally and will be relaunched in the next fiscal year as Learn English.
With a continued focus on client outcomes, innovation, and service quality, the LINC program remains a cornerstone of newcomer settlement and long-term integration across BC.
Our Impact
unique clients enrolled in LINC classes at any level available
program enrollment*
attendance rate
of clients reported improved English skills
reported they can use English to function in Canadian society
LINC students received childcare support through our preschool services.
* LINC enrolment increased by 24% to 3,430 unique clients compared with 2024–25. A significant increase in classes—including online and short-term offerings—expanded capacity faster than enrolment could grow within the funding period. The 66% rate therefore reflects unfilled capacity during a year of rapid program expansion, rather than a decrease in the number of clients enrolled.
Career Services
Throughout a year of significant change, our Career Services continued to support newcomers in finding meaningful employment, advancing their careers, and building successful futures in BC.
As labour market needs evolved and funding priorities shifted, services adapted while remaining focused on what mattered most: Helping newcomers gain the skills, confidence, and connections needed to succeed. Flexible, client-centred support ensured people could continue to access employment services during a period of transition.
Career Services strengthened access through new digital tools, technology-supported coaching, and enhanced employer partnerships. Improved job-matching, interview preparation, translation supports, and applicant tracking systems helped reduce barriers to employment, while the Employer Relations Specialist model strengthened connections between employers seeking talent and newcomers ready to contribute.
The year also marked an important period of renewal. While the Skills Hub and E-Connect for Temporary Foreign Workers programs concluded, Career Services ensured continuity of support through referrals and transition planning, so clients remained connected to employment services.
At the same time, investment continued in programs aligned with current workforce needs, including Solid Start 360 Employment, Career Paths, B-Hired, and Global Talent Loans.
Together, these initiatives supported thousands of newcomers to build careers in BC while connecting employers with the skilled talent they need.
Our Impact
Over the last year,
Clients received employment or career services
Clients secured employment across a range of sectors
Clients received skills training
Clients received career loans
Clients secured employment through employer partners
Clients achieved recognition of professional qualifications.
Language & Career College (LCC)
LCC maintained stable operations in 2025-26 despite immigration policy changes, lower enrolment, and broader economic uncertainty. The College continued to deliver English as a Second Language (ESL), skills training, and Canadian Language Benchmarks Placement Test (CLBPT) services, while strengthening collaboration with the Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS) and maintaining accreditation.
A successful relocation to the ISSofBC Vancouver Welcome Centre ensured operational continuity and positioned the College for future growth, including the development of a newly funded national Cybersecurity program.
Our Impact
clients supported by LCC services
students enrolled in language programs
students enrolled in skills training
Net Promoter Score (NPS): 66% (above 50% is excellent; 70% is world class).
*Based on student evaluations indicating likelihood to recommend LCC to others.