Let us help you make Halifax your home!

Being a newcomer into any city comes with as many challenges as opportunities. Whether because you chose it or circumstances beyond your control forced you to do so, we acknowledge your courage, resolve and resilience in moving to a new place, perhaps even a radically new place.

There are several services for new immigrants in Halifax, all meant to help you in your homemaking journey. We want this city to feel as much as a home as it can possibly be. All these services exist to help you with your journey, build a sense of belonging in the city, and navigate your rights and responsibilities as a resident of this city.

We want you to feel at home in Halifax as much as we want you to make others feel at home too!

Where to find services for you and your family

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)

The Federal Agency of Immigration. All documentation to study, work or reside in Canada is processed and issued here.

Telephone: 1-888-242-2100

If you want:

Nova Scotia Immigration

The Provincial arm of immigration. They offer streams especially designed to immigrate to this province.

Telephone: toll free in NS 1-877-292-9597 or (902) 424-5230

Email: immigration@novascotia.ca

If you want:

Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS)

A community-based organization that offers a large range of services to newcomers, both on site and online.

Telephone: 902-423-3607 or toll free in Nova Scotia: 1-866-431-6472

Email: info@isans.ca

Location: Mumford Professional Centre, 6960 Mumford Road, Suite 2120, Halifax

Hours of operation: Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm

If you want:

YMCA

A community-based organization that helps young newcomers to better transition towards a new language, culture and community.

Telephone: 902-457-9622

Email: yis@halifax.ymca.ca

Location: 104-7071 Bayers Road, Halifax

Hours of operation: Monday – Friday 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

If you want:

Halifax Partnership

An economic development organization that works to promote economic growth in Halifax, provides networking opportunities for newcomers, and helps newcomer entrepreneurs to connect with other businesses in their sector.

Telephone: 902.490.6000 or toll Free: 1.800.565.1191

Location: 1675 Grafton Street, Suite 701, North Tower

If you want:

Immigration Francophone de la Nouvelle-Ecosse

Provides settlement and integration services to French-speaking immigrants.

Telephone: 902-433-2099

Email: info@ifne.ca

Location: 6960 Chemin Mumford, Bureau 2056

If you want:

Halifax Regional Centre for Education

It provides services to over 48,000 students at 136 schools.

It offers full-time and part-time English language instruction, from basic to advanced levels.

Phone: 902-464-2000

School Cancellations: 902-464-4636

Location: 33 Spectacle Lake Drive, Dartmouth

If you want:

Conseil scolaire acadien provincial

The Conseil Scolaire Acadien Provincial (CSAP) is the only francophone school board in Nova Scotia. It is responsible for teaching French first language education programs from primary to Grade 12 in Nova Scotia.

Phone : (902) 769-5460 or 1-888-535-2727 (Toll-free)

If you want:

Halifax Public Libraries

Made up by 16 branches, the HPL has over 1 million items in its collection. It offers and houses a variety of programs for adults, children and youth as well as English Language Learning (ELL) support.

Telephone: 902-490-5744

Location (Administration Offices): 60 Alderney Drive, Dartmouth

If you want:

Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness

Supports programs and services that protect and promote the health of all Nova Scotians and their families. It also issues the Nova Scotia Health Card (MSI Card).

Phone: Toll free in Nova Scotia 1-800-670-4357

For MSI card related questions, call 902-496-7008, of toll free in NS 1-800-563-8880

If you want:

Housing Nova Scotia

Offers programs to support Nova Scotians in their search for a home in the Province. From new graduates to seniors, these programs are designed to provide satisfactory housing options to all Nova Scotians.

If you want:

Nova Scotia Department of Community Services

Provides a wide range of social services to Nova Scotians in need by working with other levels of government and community-based non-profit organizations.

To contact them, visit their Directory and find the nearest Office to you.

If you want:

Nova Scotia Community College

Offers English classes for newcomers wanting to pursue post-secondary education. Application deadlines are in fall, winter and spring.

If you want:

Learn English Nova Scotia (LENS)

Provides language assessment services based on the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) as well as language counselling and referrals to language classes.

Telephone: 902-431-8675

Location: 221-6169 Quinpool Road (above Wendy's restaurant), Halifax

If you want:

Frontier College – Halifax

A national community-based literacy organization that helps immigrant children, youth and families improve their reading, writing, speaking and listening skills in English. Programs are free.

Telephone: 902-494-7003 or toll free 1-888-425-15-17

Email: cmorrison@frontiercollege.ca

Location: 5880 Spring Garden Rd.,Suite 308

If you want:

Halifax Refugee Clinic

Provides free legal and settlement services to refugee claimants in Nova Scotia.

Telephone: 902-422-6736

Email: halifaxrefugeeclinic@gmail.com

Location: 5538 Macara Street, Halifax

If you want:

Canadian Red Cross (Nova Scotia)

Offers an extensive number of programs and services that actively reach out and serve local communities across the province.

Telephone: 902-423-3680

Location: 133 Troop Avenue, Dartmouth

If you want:

Rainbow Refugee Association of Nova Scotia 

Privately sponsors, resettles, and advocates for LGBTQI+ refugees seeking to resettle in Nova Scotia

Contact: http://www.rainbowrefugeens.com/contact

Location: 230-3 Spectacle Lake Drive, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

If you want:

Conseil de développement économique de la Nouvelle-Écosse

CDÉNÉ is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the economic advancement of
the Acadian and Francophone community in Nova Scotia.

Contact: 1-866-55CDENE (1-866-552-3363)
Telephone: 902-424-7230
Email: info@cdene.ns.ca

Location: 1809 Barrington Street, Office 902, Halifax

If you want:

Université Sainte-Anne (CLIC Program)

The Cours de langue pour Immigrants Canada (CLIC) is funded by Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and is for Permanent Resident newcomers and those with refugee status only. The program offers French language at levels 1 to 4 at Université Sainte-Anne.

Telephone: 902-424-2432
Email: oriane.lefalher@usainteanne.ca

Location: 1190 Barrington Street, Suite 100, Halifax

If you want: