Key Definitions

Settlement refers to the process of meeting newcomers’ immediate needs, such as housing, access to health care, food, education, language training, and employment.

Integration is defined as the “gold standard of settlement” and measured by the level of inclusion and participation in various community dimensions, such as civic, political, economic, and social involvement.
Integration depends on the ‘two-way street model’, such that in order to be successful, both the newcomers and the community must value and adapt to one another.

Retention refers to establishing long-term (i.e., 5 years or more) residence. Together, settlement, integration, and retention encompass the mission of the Local Immigration Partnership.

Newcomer encompasses all new residents of Saint John and can include those from other parts of the country if they experience barriers to settlement and integration.

Immigrant includes all foreign-born residents, regardless of visa class or date of arrival in Canada. This may include citizens, permanent residents, students, refugees, and those with temporary work permits. Because children of immigrants sometimes experience the settlement challenges of their parents, their needs will also be considered by SJLIP.