by Kristen Lipscombe, Nova Scotia Health Authority. All recent arrivals to Canada from countries including Ethiopia, Sudan and Syria, the curious students also got an inside look at the hospital’s emergency department, from triage to exam room. The tutorial and tour were part of October’s focus on health for Immigration … Read more
ISANS is thrilled to announce a new partnership with the J & W Murphy Foundation that will provide funding for the next three years to re-establish our very successful English as an Additional Language (EAL) Volunteer Tutor Program. The EAL Volunteer Tutor Program will link newcomers and volunteers, both within … Read more
News Release – March 9, 2016—Halifax, NS – Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister John McCallum today congratulated the Prince George Hotel as one of the winners of the 2016 Employer Awards for Refugee Employment for their outstanding efforts to help refugees settle in Canada by finding jobs and obtaining employment … Read more
by Dave Stephens, Light House Now, 9 December 2015. Most of us need no further convincing that it’s important for Nova Scotia to do its part to welcome refugees fleeing the disaster that Syria has become. Not everyone agrees with that. People worry that we’re bringing terrorists into our midst, … Read more
Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has produced a video entitled Language Training for Canada. It is intended to raise newcomer awareness on the importance of official language skills for settlement in Canada. The video is aligned with the content in their settlement guide, Welcome to Canada, and is intended for … Read more
Did you know that 87% of employers insist on a “high level of proficiency” in language? We all need exceptional communication skills and proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing in the workplace. So you may not be surprised to know that employers have identified a lack of English language … Read more
Nova Scotians are outgoing and friendly and love to make small talk at work, but what if you come from a country where this isn’t the norm? What about technical jargon and expressions that you don’t understand? You feel like a fish out of water!
Choosing to move and then adapting to life in a new country is challenging. Finding employment, housing, and establishing yourself in a community are just a few of the first big considerations you face upon arrival. When you find work, there are more challenges still – you need to adapt to a new business culture, learn the workplace etiquette, and adjust to the job specific language.
Language issues and misunderstanding social cues can affect your self confidence – even if you have years of experience in your field. Support is essential to all immigrants, regardless of their language abilities. In fact, most of the time language is not the major stumbling block…
Kesabi Dhungana Bhujel came to Canada from Nepal with her husband and two children; Hari 9 years old and Broad 6 months old. She left her home country of Bhutan with her parents when she was five years old and lived in a refugee camp in Nepal for 18 years … Read more
Please note: We have decided to make the move from using the term ESL (English as a Second Language) to EAL (English as an Additional Language). We are doing this for the following reasons:
Dr. Massoud Shahin is enthusiastic about and grateful for the programs he has accessed through Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia. Dr. Shahin says English for Internationally Educated Healthcare Professionals opened up a new world for him in terms of improving his language, especially in communicating with patients, making professional … Read more
When you arrive in your new country, one of the first things you do is register at the local ESL school to improve your language skills. But what if you never had the opportunity for education in your home country? If you don’t read or write in your first language, … Read more
The Language Line is a free telephone interpretation service for family physicians that are practicing within the Capital Health Regional Health Authority district. The Language Line provides telephone interpretation services in over 170 languages. Physicians can access this service instantly when calling this Line and do no need to book the service prior to an appointment.