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Immigrant Family Services

During this period of transitioning, ICI offers you a turnkey service built with you and for you!

Always concerned with the well-being of immigrant families, ICI's services promote their financial and social independence. As part of a personalized support adapted to the pace of each immigrant, the organization considers a healthy integration into the labor market and development in social integration as essentials. Both of these aspects ensure the progress and prosperity of immigrant families in their new country. ICI firmly believes that employment is synonymous with social integration, and that one does not go without the other! Successful social and economic integration is the result of the importance granted to the totality of the person and respect for his rights and freedoms in and by his host society.

ICI has always been able to focus its efforts on providing a multitude of personalized, respectful, and completely free services for every immigrant and his or her family. Taking into account the needs and interests of their life project in the Thetford Mines /RCM Appalachian region, ICI deploys front-line services, and guides families during their first steps towards settling in the area. With regard to help-lines, installation, and adapted services of social integration, ICI offers:

  • Personalized information and support, including analysis of needs and the development of a simple, effective, and tailored plan of action;
  • Housing assistance;
  • Enrollment in daycare centers and schools;
  • Enrollment in French-language courses;
  • Enrollment in utilities: Hydro-Québec, telecommunication services, etc.;
  • Help in completing various government forms concerning: immigration, allowances, permits, swearing-in ceremonies, etc.
  • Interpreter services as needed for: health, education and others upon request
  • Accompaniment during the restructuring of the initial migration project;
  • Introducing the host environment and preparing the new arrivals for a smooth transition towards living comfortably in the region.
  • References and monitoring in collaboration with partners and employers;
  • Support in making the change of address to institutions and public services;
  • Limited accompaniment for important appointments: health services, education, SAAQ, etc.;
  • Carpooling for the family for the first few days upon their arrival;
  • Orientation towards local recreational services;
  • Workshops and activities that promote healthy integration into the host society;
  • Any other personalized service that can help immigrant families emerge from exclusion and poverty so that they can achieve healthy socio-economic integration into the region.
  • Ministerial link for more information on French language courses offered


Specialized workshops to promote a better understanding and acceptance of the host society
Learning and understanding to better adapt to a new society is a need for the immigrant. These workshops allow one to create new landmarks, to orient oneself towards different practices and to adopt and to socialize with our semblances. These trainings focus on the different needs identified with transitioning and facilitate a better understanding of the customs and practices of Quebec society. These workshops also allow the immigrant to become familiar with the laws and freedoms of citizens concerning both Canada and Quebec.

A wide range of workshops is offered throughout the year: personal finance, gender-appropriate services, volunteer participation as an integration vehicle, etc. Find out more by checking the monthly schedule of activities or by contacting the ICI team directly. Here are two recurring workshops:


Integration Goal
These sessions are designed to help and prepare an immigrant for issues they may encounter during their journey of integration in Quebec into the workforce. These sessions focus on an approach based on alternating presentations, discussions, role-playing exercises, and case studies. Active participation is therefore an important element for progression and for learning.

Each session is interactive with tangible practical cases. These sessions provide the newly arrived immigrant with cues that will allow them to save time along the way and throughout their integration. The certificate of participation and learning of Quebec values and values expressed by the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms, which will be obtained by all immigrants attending the Objective Integration session, is one of the conditions to be met in order to be selected to participate in one of Quebec's economic immigration programs.


Parents' Space
These workshops are designed to help parents thrive in their parenting roles while juggling the ups and downs of transitioning into a new life. The “Parents' Space” workshops provide an opportunity to discuss the challenges of parenting in an immigration context. Although aimed for recent arrivals, all immigrant parents can benefit. These workshops cater to the needs of parents without any particular difficulty. They aim to support immigrants in their parenting roles and to strengthen their coping skills so that they can fully support their children.


A tour of the world without leaving the region!

Look at our calendar of activities to learn more about planned fun, cultural, and social events.

  • "Window open to the world" is a kiosk at Quebec's National Day, where you can enjoy a wide variety of dishes and savor flavors from around the world.
  • The "Porte ouverte sur le monde" is an open house day during Quebec's Intercultural Encounter Week.
  • A few times a year lCI organizes intercultural evenings, coffee-meetings, Christmas around the world, etc.


Volunteering as a vehicle for integration and civic participation
ICI values and encourages volunteering as part of its language, social, and intercultural outreach activities. Volunteering and openness to others encourage the participation of ethno-cultural communities and the host society. Volunteering enables these actors to actively participate in community and a democratic life within ICI. Services of a voluntary nature expand the offer of support for the integration of newly arrived immigrants in the region. Through conversation and activities in French, the practice of the common language and networking are nourished. In addition, the bonds of mutual friendship and solidarity break the isolation by developing a beautiful openness on both sides that ensures a healthy sense of belonging and citizen participation. When you become a volunteer, the organization expects you to be respectful to your commitments and certain criteria which are essential to the smooth running of activities and the creation of trust.

If you would like to volunteer to help with: the improvement of French, homework assistance, [social, educational and/or cultural activities], or support tailored to the needs of immigrant families among others, please contact us by phone: 418 338-2050 or by email: