A handy list of the numerous acronyms used in the sector.

It’s hard to ignore the fact that this sector uses a lot of acronyms! It can be confusing, but don’t worry – we’re here to help! To make things easier for you, we’ve compiled a list of all the common acronyms you might encounter. Just keep it handy, and you’ll be an expert in no time!

0-9
2SLGBTQI+
Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and additional people who identify as part of sexual and gender diverse communities – Acronym adopted by the Government of Canada.
A
AAISA
Alberta Association of Immigrant Service Organisations – Alberta umbrella organization
ACOA
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency – Governmental body working “to create opportunities for economic growth in Atlantic Canada.” (Source: acoa-apeca.gc.ca). A partnership between IRCC, the Atlantic provinces, employers and SPOs. “[…] a pathway to permanent residence for skilled foreign workers and international graduates from a Canadian institution who want to work and live in 1 of Canada’s 4 Atlantic provinces—New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island or Newfoundland and Labrador.” (Source: canada.ca)
AIP
Atlantic Immigration Program
AMSSA
Affiliation of Multicultural Societies and Service Agencies of BC – British Columbia umbrella organization
APPR
Annual Project Performance Report – Report that IRCC-funded SPOs have to annually submit to IRCC
ARAISA
Atlantic Region Association of Immigrant Serving Agencies – Atlantic umbrella organization
B
BVOR
Blended Visa Office-Referred Program Program that “matches refugees identified for resettlement by the UNHCR with private sponsors in Canada.”
C
CBSA
Canada Border Services Agency – Governmental body “facilitating the flow of legitimate travellers and trade.” (Source: cbsa-asfc.gc.ca)
CCLB
Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks – “Centre of expertise in support of the national standards in English and French for describing, measuring and recognizing second language proficiency of adult immigrants and prospective immigrants for living and working in Canada.” (Source: language.ca)
CCR
Canadian Council for Refugees – “A national non-profit umbrella organization committed to the rights and protection of refugees and other vulnerable migrants in Canada and around the world and to the settlement of refugees and immigrants in Canada.” ARAISA is a member of the CCR (Source: ccrweb.ca)
CG
Constituent Group – “A group authorized by a SAH to sponsor refugees under the Sponsorship Agreement.” (Source: canada.ca)
CIO
Centralized Intake Office – “Receives and triages all paper-based applications submitted under the PNP, the start- up business class, the self-employed persons class and the AIP.” (Source: canada.ca)
CISSA-ACSEI
Canadian Immigrant Settlement Sector Alliance – “It is the voice of the settlement and integration sector, on a national level. 6 members: AMSSA, AAISA, ARAISA, MANSO, SAISIA and the Multicultural Centre of the Yukon”
CLB
Canadian Language Benchmarks – “A descriptive scale of language ability in English as a Second Language, written as 12 benchmarks or reference points along a continuum from basic to advanced.” (Source: language.ca)
CLB-LPT
Canadian Language Benchmarks Literacy Placement Test – Measures ability to read and write in English or French
CLBPT
Canadian Language Benchmarks Placement Test – A test used to determine the language program an adult learners should be placed in
CMHC
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation – An organization whose goal is to make housing affordable
CS
Community Sponsors – A group (organizations, association or corporation) who sponsor refugees to come to Canada
D
DMP
Designated Medical Professional Or ‘Panel Physician’. – IRCC approved physicians can conduct the immigration medical exam
DMR
Destination Matching Request – “The process used for visa offices to request and/or confirm the final destination in Canada where Government-Assisted Refugees (GARs) will be resettled.” (Source: canada.ca)
E
EAL
English as an Additional Language
EAP
English for Academic Purposes
ECA
Educational Credential Assessment – An evaluation of a foreign education.
ESDC
Employment and Social Development Canada – Governmental body working “to improve the standard of living and quality of life for all Canadians, […] by promoting a labour force that is highly skilled.” (Source: canada.ca)
F
FCR
Foreign Credential Recognition (Or Foreign Qualification Recognition) – “Newcomers to Canada must have their foreign licences and certificates recognized to work in some Canadian jobs.” (Source: canada.ca)
FMC
Francophone Minority Community – Francophone community outside of Quebec
FPT
Federal-Provincial/Territorial – “The federal, provincial and territorial governments meet to plan and consult each other on immigration issues. In addition, IRCC has agreements with provinces and territories on how they share responsibility for immigration.” (Source: canada.ca)
FQR
Foreign Qualification Recognition – See FCR
G
G & C
Grants & Contributions – Funding opportunities
G5
Group of Five – “Five or more Canadian citizens or permanent residents who have arranged to sponsor a refugee living abroad to come to Canada.” (Source: canada.ca)
GARs
Government-assisted refugees – “Resettled refugees from abroad who are supported through the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP).”
(Source: canada.ca)
GBA Plus
Gender-Based Analysis Plus – “[…] an analytical tool used to support the development of responsive and inclusive policies, programs, and other initiatives. GBA Plus is a process for understanding who is impacted by the issue or opportunity being addressed by the initiative; identifying how the initiative could be tailored to meet diverse needs of the people most impacted; and anticipating and mitigating any barriers to accessing or benefitting from the initiative.” (Source: women-gender-equality.canada.ca/)
GCMS
Global Case Management System – IRCC’s “single, integrated and worldwide system used internally to process applications for citizenship and immigration services.” (Source: canada.ca)
H
I
IEHP
Internationally Educated Healthcare Professional
IELTS
International English Language Testing System – “Measures the language proficiency of people who want to study or work where English is used as a language of communication.” (Source: ielts.org)
IEP
Internationally Educated Professionals – Newcomers professionals who studied in a foreign country
IFHP
Interim Federal Health Program – “This programs “covers certain pre-departure medical services for refugees coming to Canada for resettlement.” (Source: canada.ca)
IG
International Graduate – People who graduated outside Canada
IIDI
Island Investment Development Inc. – “It is a crown corporation in Prince Edward Island whose operating name is Office of Immigration. It is part of the Department of Economic Development and Tourism and is responsible for administering the PNP through an agreement with the federal government.” (Source: princeedwardisland.ca)
IMDB
Longitudinal Immigration Database – A Statistics Canada tool that gives information on the how immigration programs are doing and their impact
IMG
International Medical Graduate – Medical graduates who completed their studies outside Canada
IMP
International Mobility Program – A program that enables employer to hire a temporary foreign worker without a Labour Market Impact Assessment
IOM
International Organization for Migration – “An organization promoting humane and orderly migration and providing services and advice to governments and migrants.” (Source: iom.int)
IRCC
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada – Department
IRPA
Immigration and Refugee Protection Act
iCARE
Immigration – Contribution Agreement Reporting Environment – An online reporting tool that IRCC-funded SPOs are required to use
J
K
L
LASNS
Language Assessment Services of Nova Scotia – Or Learn English Nova Scotia. A licensed CLB testing centre.
LINC
Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada – Free language classes for permanent residents or protected persons.
LIP
Local Immigration Partnership – A partnership between diverse local organizations to help support settlement and integration of newcomers, on a local level. Many LIPs exist in Canada.
LMIA
Labour Market Impact Assessment – “A document that an employer in Canada may need to get before hiring a foreign worker […] to show that there is a need for a foreign worker to fill the job […and] that no Canadian worker is available to do the job.” (Source: cic.gc.ca)
M
MANSO
Manitoba Association of Newcomer Serving Organizations – Manitoba umbrella organization
N
NARS
Needs Assessments and Referrals – Evaluation of a newcomer’s needs. According to the identified needs, the immigrant is referred to the appropriate settlement service
NGO
Non-Governmental Organization
NHQ
National Headquarters
NLAB
Newcomer Language Advisory Body – A national group representing the settlement perspective of the language sector
NOC
National Occupational Classification – A system used by IRCC to categorize jobs according to type and levels
NSC
National Settlement Council – An alliance of Sector organizations, provincial and federal governments are joined in the NSC to work together on integration and settlement issues in Canada
NSOI
Nova Scotia Office of Immigration
O
OCASI
Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants – Ontario umbrella organization
OIM
Office of Immigration and Multiculturalism (Newfoundland and Labrador) – Provincial Department
OLMC
Official language minority communities – Francophone communities outside of Quebec and Anglophone communities in Quebec
OYW
One-year window of opportunity – It “facilitates the reunification of non- accompanying family members (spouses and children) with refugees who have been resettled in Canada as members of the Convention refugee abroad class or country of asylum class.” (Source: canada.ca)
P
P2P
Pathways to Prosperity – An alliance of university, community, and government partners dedicated to fostering welcoming communities and promoting the integration of immigrants and minorities across Canada
PA
Principal Applicant – “When a family applies together, one member must be the main or “principal” applicant.” (Source: canada.ca)
PBLA
Portfolio-Based Language Assessment – “A teaching and assessment model designed to enhance nationwide consistency and standards of quality in English as a Second Language (ESL) training for adult newcomers to Canada.” (Source: language.ca)
PETL
Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour – (New Brunswick) Provincial Department
PIP
Provincial Immigration Partnership (PEI) – “A province-wide, multi-sectoral partnership funded by IRCC through the Local Immigration Partnership Initiative.” (Source: peianc.com)
PNP
Provincial Nominee Program – An immigration program for workers who want to live in a specific province and who meet the requirements of this province or territory
PR
Permanent Resident
PSR
Privately Sponsored Refugee – One becomes a PSR “when a group of people in Canada volunteers to help [you] adjust to life here.” (Source: canada.ca)
Q
R
RAP
Resettlement Assistance Program – Program providing support to GARs
RIF
Réseau en immigration francophone – The Francophone equivalent for LIP
RSTP
Refugee Sponsorship Training Program – Program to support SAHs by providing resources and services through information and training resources
S
SAH
Sponsorship Agreement Holder – An incorporated organization that signed a sponsorship agreement with IRCC
SAISIA
Saskatchewan Association of Immigrant and Settlement and Integration Agencies – Saskatchewan umbrella organization
SPO
Service Provider Organization – Organization providing settlement services to newcomers
T
TCRI
Table de concertation des organismes au service des personnes réfugiées et immigrantes – Quebec umbrella organization
TESL Canada
Teachers of English as a Second Language Canada – Organization representing teachers of English as a second language across Canada
TFW
Temporary Foreign Worker
U
UNHCR
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees – “A humanitarian and non-political organization mandated to lead and coordinate international action for the world-wide protection of refugees and the resolution of refugee problems.” (Source: canada.ca)
V
W
X
Y
Z