Referrals - Commitment 1
The Commitment:
Develop standard operating procedures that embeds use of the Settlement Referral Form in:
1) new staff onboarding process, and
2) when supporting applications for Permanent Residency.
Why This Commitment?
When newcomers arrive in the Bow Valley, they often leave behind their families and support systems and can experience isolation, especially if they were born outside of Canada. Luckily in the Bow Valley, we have a strong network of settlement services to help newcomers settle in. Because there are so many services, sometimes it can be difficult to know where to start.
Once newcomers are connected with local settlement services, they are guided through every other service that could support them to better settle in and integrate into the Bow Valley community. If foreign-born staff don’t connect with settlement supports, the journey to feeling they belong can be much longer and more difficult.
So that everyone can get the best possible start, we are asking employers to help new staff to navigate and connect with local settlement services, by opening the door with a single referral form.
How To Complete This Commitment (Evaluation Plan)
To complete this action, businesses must be able to show how their standard operating procedures include use of settlement referral forms in new staff onboarding processes, and when supporting applications for Permanent Residence in Canada.
In October 2022, we’ll ask you to:
Describe your process for supporting employees’ application for Permanent Residence or provide a copy of the relevant Standard Operating Procedure document, and
Describe your onboarding process or provide a copy of the relevant Standard Operating Procedure document,
and if available, show us a copy of any onboarding materials that embed use of the Settlement Referral Form.
Resources
Settlement Referral Form
Information collected in this form will be kept confidential and used only by Settlement Services in the Bow Valley and Foreign Worker Support Services for the purposes of delivering free, confidential, settlement support services.Whether sending this form to new hires directly or filling it out on their behalf, please be sure to explain in plain language the benefits of the services offered and how the personal information collected will be used. Here’s some language you can use:
Asking new employees to complete the form themselves:
”Our community offers free support services for foreign workers and newcomers to Canada. We encourage you to complete this form to learn more about help for life in Canada. Your contact information will only be shared with Settlement Services in the Bow Valley and Foreign Worker Support Services and will only be used to contact you about free, government-funded services.”
Filling out a form on behalf of new employees:
”Here in the Bow Valley, help is available for foreign workers and newcomers to Canada. We would like to share your name, phone number, and email address with an organization called Settlement Services in the Bow Valley [if relevant: and Foreign Worker Support Services] which provides free services for newcomers. Do I have your permission to give Settlement Services in the Bow Valley your contact information so they can contact you for a meeting?”