Finding support
Consular offices
Your home country may operate a consular office in Ontario to help with services including travel and visa information and offering assistance during emergencies or when their citizens are in need of support. Know how to find your country’s consular office if you need to reach your country’s officials or representatives during your stay.
Migrant Worker Support Program
Economic and Social Development Canada funds projects to help IAWs access information, services and support. Programs funded under the Migrant Worker Support Program include:
- Polycultural Immigrant and Community Services operates support services in the Toronto Pearson International Airport, including language support in English, French, Spanish, Hindi, Mandarin, Ukrainian and Russian. Polycultural supports workers arriving in Ontario by providing orientation services, educational materials and referrals to community organizations to receive direct services.
- The Neighbourhood Organization’s (TNO) objective is to create welcoming communities to improve the safety, well-being and integration of workers and allow them to feel a sense of belonging. TNO works collaboratively with Polycultural to provide information packages to arriving IAWs. You can contact TNO through their offices in Toronto, Simcoe and Oshawa.
- Workforce Windsor Essex reaches workers through events, information sharing, educational materials and other support services. With a focus on the Windsor-Essex-Chatham-Kent-Sarnia-Lambton areas, Workforce Windsor Essex develops community organizations’ knowledge and capacity to provide resources and services to IAWs.
You can also reach out to a local international agri-food worker support service organization:
Windsor-Essex Region
- Migrant Worker Community Program connects IAWs with community services and offer interpretation and translation support.
- TeaMWork and Workforce WindsorEssex provide information and resources to help IAWs access services and support in the region.
- The Windsor Essex Local Immigration Partnership has designed an interactive map of services and amenities in Windsor Essex, including government services, newcomer services, language training, housing services and more.
Brant-Haldimand-Norfolk Region
- Grand River Community Health Centre provides information on access to health care, community programs and outreach.
- Community Legal Clinic - Brant, Haldimand, Norfolk can provide legal assistance and connections to other support groups in the region for IAWs.
Niagara Region
- Bridges Niagara offer information and programs for IAWs in the Niagara region and can also assist with interpretation.
- Quest Community Health Centre provides access to health care services and connection to community supports.
Across Ontario
- The Migrant Worker Health Project has created a list of support organizations active in different regions and communities across Ontario.
- Settlement.org’s service lookup tool can help you locate community services in your city or area.
- Search an address, postal code or city name in 211central’s virtual tool to find community and government services in the Greater Toronto Area.
- Connecting Ottawa’s Newcomer and Refugee Support webpage gathers information on social services and support organizations in the Ottawa region.
Legal aid
Legal Aid Ontario may be able to provide legal help in areas of:
- family law
- refugee and immigration law
- criminal law
- mental health law
They also support 72 independent legal clinics across Ontario that provide legal advice and information or representation. Call
You can also find community legal services and a legal clinic near you using a postal code and Steps to Justice’s virtual tool.