• validate the results of the diagnostic and the profile for the immigration section of the ACCC website that will be linked to the Government of Canada Immigration Portal;
• initiate a dialogue between senior officials from colleges and institutes and federal government representatives on how colleges and institutes can better meet the needs of immigrants;
• develop a strategy that outlines the areas of support to be offered by colleges and institutes.

A summary of the Immigration Roundtable presentations and discussions is attached as Appendix 3.

This final report provides an overview of the:

• programs and services colleges and institutes are offering, how these programs and services are funded, where they are being delivered and how they are being accessed;
• partnerships colleges and institutes are involved in for the delivery of these programs and services;
• barriers colleges and institutes face in providing these programs and services;
• barriers faced by immigrants in accessing college/institute programs and services;
• lessons colleges’ and institutes’ have learned through the delivery of programs and services for immigrants; and
• conclusions and outcomes of the Im migration Roundtable, including a Process Model and Strategy for the integration of immigrants.

2. Colleges’ and Institutes Programs and Services for Immigrants

The types of programs and services colleges and institutes are offering immigrants within their communities vary depending on where the institutions are located, the immigrant population base to be served and the needs of employers within the community or region.

Colleges and institutes are delivering programs and services such as assessment services that facilitate the recognition of foreign credentials, language training, career and technical training, workplace training, community-based training, as well as advising and counselling services.

2.1 Assessment and Foreign Credential Recognition

College and institute assessment services include English and French language assessments for entry into English or French as a second language programs, and high school and educational credential assessments for entry into college career/technical, applied degree and university transfer programs.

Colleges and institutes that participated in the diagnostic survey provided some indication of how many immigrants are benefiting from these services. Although not all colleges and institutes were able to provide such information, we can provide some indications of the number of immigrants being served. On an annual basis, the figures range from 200 immigrants assessed in smaller settlement centres to 1,000 to 3,000 in larger settlement centres.