A free app just launched for immigrants and refugees to assist them as they settle in to BC and our city.
The mobile app, Arrival Advisor, will help newcomers find information about local services and can be customized to fit their individual needs.
Users start by answering an optional and anonymous questionnaire that will then produce recommendations and step-by-step guidance on topics such as medical services
plan registration, housing, employment, banking, schools, child tax credits, government programs, and more.
See also:
- BC immigrant entrepreneur program to be piloted on Vancouver Island
- BC invests $11 million to help immigrants find careers in their field
- Canada plans to accept over 1 million new immigrants in the next three years
“This is one stop for newcomers to British Columbia in their own language so they know the
steps necessary to establish themselves and their families as quickly and efficiently as possible,” said Arrival Advisor Community Outreach and Engagement Coordinator Jean Parlina in a statement.
“It fast tracks newcomers by providing services specifically tailored to their needs while bridging gaps in accessibility to information.”
The app launched province wide and will assist roughly 70,000 BC immigrants that move to the province each year.
Arrival Advisor is currently available in three languages, English, French, and Arabic, with plans to add Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Korean, Punjabi, and Tagalog within the next few months.
The app was developed by non-profit Vancouver-based developers PeaceGeeks. The non-profit won a $750,000 prize from the 2017 Google.org Impact Challenge Canada competition to build Arrival Advisor. Additional funding was also provided by the provincial government.
Arrival Advisor is available for free on Apple App and Google Play.
