Successfully settling into life in a new city, in a new country, can be challenging. But you don’t have to navigate the process alone. If you need support, there are community resources that can help you with every part of what it takes to settle in Saint John. Find the exact community supports you need below. For a customized list of available services visit the Saint John Services Navigator.
Saint John Region public schools offer education in English and French Immersion through Anglophone South School District, and French education through District Scolaire Francophone Sud. There are also private school options available within the Greater Saint John region. The Anglophone South School District has a Newcomer and International Student Welcome Centre to provide support for those registering their children to attend school in Canada. Students in elementary and middle school who are learning English as an Additional Language will receive support through English as an Additional Language programming as required. Support is determined following intake assessments within the first week of school.
The ARCf contributes to the well-being and quality of life of Francophones in the greater Saint John Region. They collaborate with all organizations in the region with the aim of improving services in French as well as ensuring the vitality of the French-speaking community.
Anchored in the Acadian and French-speaking community of New Brunswick, CAFi assists with the full integration of immigrants. CAFi supports newcomers in finding temporary or permanent housing, helps with administrative procedures, deliverables free workshops and tax clinics, arrival support to find language courses, validate a driving license, sporting or cultural activities, and network building.
CAM Institute of Design is the first Communication and Industrial design school in Atlantic Canada. They specialize in providing students practical experience through dynamic project-based learning in order to foster community development and create new opportunities. Their graduates will be confident, job-ready professionals who are fully prepared to apply their passion for design to improve the creative industry locally and internationally.
CCNB invites you to choose New Brunswick as your preferred destination for post-secondary studies in French in Canada. On its campuses, the CCNB offers more than 90 postsecondary technical and professional training programs in short courses that facilitate entry into the job market or the pursuit of university studies. They also offer online learning from the comfort of your home. The CCNB Language Assessment Centre is a licensed Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) and Niveaux de compétences linguistiques canadiens (NCLC) assessment centre. Our team of certified and experienced assessors provide services across the province of New Brunswick. In addition, we are the only provider of the French assessment (NCLC) in the Atlantic provinces.
ConnexionWorks is a not-for-profit organization founded in 2015 with the focus of providing an inclusive and collaborative environment to support the success of entrepreneurs and businesses in the Greater Saint John Region. In addition to programming, ConnexionWorks supports entrepreneurs and remote workers with temporary or permanent desks to work from, meeting and event space hosting, connection opportunities, and much more. ConnexionWorks is also home to Brilliant Labs, a maker space for individuals looking to get their hands on innovative technology such as 3D printers, robots, shirt printing machines, and more.
Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick (DMNB) is an expansion of the Faculty of Medicine, made possible by a partnership with the Government of New Brunswick, the University of New Brunswick (UNB) and Dalhousie’s Faculty of Medicine. Dalhousie Medical School admits 30 students into its Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick (DMNB) program each year, giving students the opportunity to study medicine in their home province at various teaching sites. As a Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick (DMNB) student, you follow the same curriculum as those in Halifax. At Dalhousie’s Medical School, the residency program provides opportunities for students to be placed in hospitals around New Brunswick.
Saint John Region public schools offer education in English and French Immersion through Anglophone South School District, and French education through District Scolaire Francophone Sud. There are also private school options available within the Greater Saint John region. The Francophone South School District covers a vast territory in the south-central part of the province of New Brunswick and is the largest French-speaking district in New Brunswick. There are more than 17,000 students, including more than 2,600 from diverse backgrounds.
Over the past thirty years, Eastern College has established its reputation as a leader in providing career-focused education that quickly prepares people just like you for a brighter, more rewarding future in some of today’s most in-demand fields. Their Saint John campus offers the instruction, hands-on training and equipment you need to develop your practical and technical skills. They constantly update their programs to reflect relevant and current employer needs and employment trends, so you graduate with the skills, hands-on training and practicum-based experience needed to kickstart a whole new career.
Envision Saint John is the regional economic development agency representing the City of Saint John, Quispamsis, Rothesay, Grand Bay-Westfield, Hampton, Fundy-St. Martins, and Fundy Rural District. Their role is to attract people, visitors, business, and investment to the Saint John Region. They also provide navigation support for those looking to open and operate a business, and new residents settling within the community. Be sure to visit their Service Navigation portal to find the right services for you.
If you're a volunteer looking to connect with peers, support a cause you believe in, meet new people, or grow your experience, the Greater Saint John Volunteer Connector database of volunteer positions and organizations can help you find the perfect fit. Volunteers are matched to volunteer positions based on their skills and interests, and can submit applications to any volunteer position available on their website.
The Horizon Health Network (Horizon) is proud of its dedicated team of health care professionals who are focused on delivering safe and quality care to patients, clients, families and communities. Horizon operates 12 hospitals and more than 100 medical facilities, clinics, and offices throughout New Brunswick. with several community health centres in the area, as well as Horizon’s Charlotte County Hospital, Grand Manan Hospital, Saint John Regional Hospital, St. Joseph’s Hospital, and Sussex Health Centre. NB Health Link is a new service that provides New Brunswickers with access to health care, while they wait for a permanent provider such as a family physician or nurse practitioner. For more information about the program, please visit the NB Health Link website NB Health Link website.
The New Brunswick Multicultural Council is working to enrich and grow our communities and enhance life in our province by enabling newcomers and members of the multicultural community to fully participate in society. They offer a number of programs such as The Bridge for newcomer youth, Represent NB, a bilingual program that equips individuals with the skills, training, and opportunities to meaningfully participate in decision-making tables, and Imagine NB, an intensive, bilingual intercultural leadership accelerator to support ideas, talents, passion of immigrant youth.
NBCC Saint John campus boasts full-time study programs, including in the fields of Administrative Professional, Business Administration, Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technology, Health, Information Technology, Mechanical and Industrial, Social Sciences as well as Trades. The Allied Health Education Centre attracts students from all over, offering the most diverse range of health courses in the province, while the new Engineering and Trades facilities also provide state-of-the-art learning in modern surroundings.
Opportunities New Brunswick (ONB) is accelerating growth by attracting global business, strengthening exports, and empowering local companies and entrepreneurs. A nimble, results-driven and client-centric organization, ONB is a Crown Corporation, strategically led by a private sector Board of Directors, made up of business leaders from New Brunswick companies and academia.
PRUDE Inc. is a charitable organization that focuses on the education of both newcomers and Canadian-born individuals, youth, communities, and businesses to foster welcoming and wonderful experiences for all by fostering community connections designed to welcome landed immigrants with the Canadian Way programs and workshops, community outreach to bridge cultural diversity through anti-racism programs, and training in-school education to enrich our regional cultures.
The Saint John Free Public Library offers welcoming spaces for everyone. Their sites include access to computers, free internet, photocopier and scanning services, a study room, meeting room rentals, family play arears, daily programming, and book rentals. With several locations throughout Saint John, the public library is open to all.
The Saint John Newcomers Centre settlement advisors guide individuals and families through the process of creating a settlement plan. Each customized plan is built according to the newcomer’s specific needs and immigration status. Their advisors will also recommend attending one of the Centre’s many programs and events that connect newcomers to the local community and foster positive integration into their new home.
Through various offerings, programs, and membership opportunities, the Saint John Region Chamber supports local businesses looking to grow and expand. Joining your local Chamber of Commerce can increase your business potential by helping you establish valuable contacts, build your network, gain valuable promotional exposure, stay better informed of new opportunities, and save money with member-to-member benefits.
The Saint John Region New Resident Guide is available for download and print. It is a valuable resource that you can bring with you as you settling into your new community. This guide includes information on settling in the Saint John Region and is available at several locations throughout the community. From housing and transportation, language services, education, employment, and even the weather and special events, we hope this guide will help you find what you are looking for.
Service New Brunswick (SNB) is the Government of New Brunswick’s chief provider of front-line services to the public, delivering more than 300 services to the public through a network of office locations, online services, and Service New Brunswick contact centres. They provide access and navigation support on many federal, provincial and municipal government services. They also assist with obtaining a driver's license, medicare inquiries, tenant and landlord relations, property assessments and much more.
The Learning Exchange is committed to empowering youth and adults in Saint John to reach their education and employment goals. For over 35 years, the Learning Exchange has pioneered innovative programs that meet the needs of the community by providing an alternative and progressive environment focused on individualized learning, employment, and personal development plans that meet the unique needs of everyone who walks through our doors.
The University of New Brunswick (UNB) Saint John offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in more than 60 disciplines, and continuing education in a variety of fields.. They offer world-class programs with a small-university experience. There is also the UNB Saint John College, the English-second-language training institute for the University of New Brunswick Saint John, welcoming thousands of international students over the past 25 years.
WorkingNB employment counsellors assist individuals with career decision-making, skills development, and job searches. They can help you explore your interests and skills to determine which career option is the best match for you, and identify the right training options for pursuing your career goal. They also provide job search assistance, and retirees secure short-term employment.
The YMCA of Southwest New Brunswick provides language assistance, information sessions to get to know your new community better, settlement advice and assistance, employment support, and an opportunity to build new connections.