What Immigrant Services Calgary does

Immigrant Services Calgary (ISC) is a registered Canadian charitable nonprofit founded in 1977 and headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, operating additional service centres in Lethbridge, Brooks, and Medicine Hat, plus an arrival centre at Calgary International Airport. The organization supports immigrants, refugees, and new Canadian citizens through settlement planning, free language assessment and referral (CLARC), employment counseling, legal clinics, family and seniors programs (Healthy Start Calgary; CISP), and the 27-year-old Immigrants of Distinction Awards.

Its core operational technology is Gateway (gatewayconnects.ca), a collaborative platform introduced in 2021 that connects newcomers to 2,000+ programs and services across 90+ partner organizations, supported by personalized newcomer planning sessions with Gateway Planners. Supplementary technology assets include a Calgary Language Assessment and Referral Centre (CLARC) registry, an online citizenship study quiz, a community job board, the K-Hub research partnership with the University of Calgary Faculty of Social Work, and an Interpretation and Translation Centre offering certified translation and interpretation in 85+ languages plus authorized CILISAT interpreter training and testing in Alberta.

ISC's revenue model is dominated by federal, provincial (Government of Alberta, Alberta Health Services), and municipal (City of Calgary FCSS) government grants, supplemented by foundation support (United Way, Calgary Foundation), corporate sponsorships (BMO, Cenovus, Rogers, Accenture, TELUS), individual donations (with Rogers Birdies for Kids matching), and fee-for-service translation/interpretation and interpreter training (CIT and MKTT at $510, CILISAT at $300+$40). Core newcomer services are free to qualifying newcomers; fee-based translation and training serve individuals, corporations, and government agencies. The organization is led by CEO Kate Price (appointed July 2025) and a volunteer board, has 130+ staff and volunteers, and serves 10,000+ newcomers annually (178,410 cumulative 2016-2024).

Name

Immigrant Services Calgary

Legal name

Immigrant Services Calgary

Website

https://immigrantservicescalgary.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Immigrant Services Calgary is a registered Canadian nonprofit founded in 1977 that supports immigrants and refugees in Southern Alberta through Gateway, a collaborative newcomer-planning platform, free language assessment, translation/interpretation services, and family, seniors, and employment programs, serving over 10,000 newcomers annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Newcomer Settlement and Integration Services

NAICS

Translation and Interpretation Services (541930), Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Integration & Inclusion Services (Housing, Education, Employment) (BPADAHAI), Immigrant & Refugee Workforce Integration Programs (EDAAAOAJ), Immigrant & Refugee Community Education (Integration/Navigation) (EDAAAFAH), Refugee & Humanitarian Newcomer Orientation (Resettlement Support) (EDAAADAI), Migrant & Refugee Legal Aid and Documentation Services (BPADAHAE)

Keywords

• Newcomer settlement services
• Immigrant integration support
• Language assessment testing
• Translation interpretation services
• Refugee resettlement programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Calgary

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: Primary revenue from federal, provincial, and municipal government grants and contracts. Funded by Government of Canada, Government of Alberta, City of Calgary, Family and Community Support Services, Alberta Health Services, and others.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Registered charitable organization (11882 3640 RR0001) accepting donations from individuals and corporations. Tax-deductible receipts issued for donations over $25. Rogers Birdies for Kids matching program provides additional donor funding.
3. Translation and Interpretation Services: Fee-for-service translation and interpretation services in over 85 languages. Pricing varies by document type; quotes provided before work begins. Rush service available.
4. Interpreter Training Programs: Revenue from professional interpreter training courses (Community Interpreter Training $510, Medical Knowledge Terminology Training $510) and CILISAT certification testing ($300 + $40 certificate fee).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Immigrant Services Calgary is a registered charitable nonprofit that delivers comprehensive settlement, integration, and language services to immigrants and refugees in Calgary and Southern Alberta. Its core offering is the Gateway collaborative newcomer planning platform connecting clients to 2,000+ programs and services through 90+ partner organizations, supplemented by language assessment, translation and interpretation in 85+ languages, employment support, family programs, and senior newcomer services.

Product overview

Immigrant Services Calgary operates as a service organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs rather than a traditional tech product. The core service is Gateway, a collaborative newcomer planning platform that connects clients to over 2,000 programs and services through 90+ partners. Supporting services include the Interpretation and Translation Centre (85+ languages), Calgary Language Assessment and Referral Centre (language testing), Healthy Start Calgary (family support), Legal Advice Clinics, Community Initiatives for Immigrant Seniors Program, and Community Job Board. Additional offerings include the Immigrants of Distinction Awards program, Newcomer Knowledge Hub research initiative, Citizenship Study Quiz, Calgary Newcomers Collaborative, and Professional Interpreter Training. The organization serves over 10,000 newcomers annually across Calgary and Southern Alberta through multiple office locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Interpretation and Translation Centre: Provides translation services in over 85 languages and interpretation services for appointments and corporate clients.
• Calgary Language Assessment and Referral Centre (CLARC)
• Healthy Start Calgary
• Community Initiatives for Immigrant Seniors Program (CISP)
• Immigrants of Distinction Awards (IDA)
• Newcomer Knowledge Hub (K-Hub)

Products and services

• Gateway A collaborative newcomer planning platform that connects immigrants and refugees to over 2,000 programs and services through 90+ partner organizations. Clients receive personalized plans developed with Gateway Planners based on their goals, skills, and priorities, with follow-up tracking to ensure goals are met.
• Interpretation and Translation Centre Certified translation and interpretation services in over 85 languages for newcomers, businesses, and government agencies. Includes document translation accepted by IRCC, IQAS, and WES Canada, plus interpretation for appointments and corporate multilingual communication.
• Calgary Language Assessment and Referral Centre (CLARC) Free language assessment and referral services including CLBPA, ELTPA, and CLB-LPT testing for Permanent Residents, Convention Refugees, and Canadian citizens across Calgary, Brooks, Lethbridge, and Medicine Hat.
• Healthy Start Calgary A free program supporting newcomer families during pregnancy and early childhood (0-6 years) through personalized assessments, group workshops, and connections to healthcare, nutrition, and community resources.
• Community Initiatives for Immigrant Seniors Program (CISP) Free life-skills classes, computer classes, fitness programs, and social activities for immigrant seniors aged 55 and over, with first-language supportive counselling.
• Citizenship Study Quiz An online practice quiz with 20 questions to help newcomers prepare for the Canadian citizenship test, offering a 30-minute timed format.
• Immigrants of Distinction Awards (IDA) Annual awards ceremony recognizing the remarkable contributions immigrants and refugees have made to Calgary and Canada, with categories including Achievement Under 35, Community Service, Entrepreneurship & Innovation, and STEM.
• Newcomer Knowledge Hub (K-Hub) A partnership between Immigrant Services Calgary and the University of Calgary Faculty of Social Work, focused on improving newcomer services through data sharing, collaborative research, and sector capacity development.
• Calgary Newcomers Collaborative (CNC) A group of newcomer-serving and social service agencies working together to respond to immigrant and refugee needs in Calgary, including the Immigrant Arrival Centre at Calgary International Airport.
• Legal Advice Clinics Monthly free legal clinics in partnership with Calgary Legal Guidance, connecting low-income permanent residents and refugees with free legal advice on family and immigration issues.
• Community Job Board Job board connecting newcomers with employment opportunities from local agencies and organizations, part of employment support services.
• Professional Interpreter Training Authorized testing centre for CILISAT (Community Interpreter Language and Interpreting Skills Assessment Tool) offering online training courses including Community Interpreter Training (CIT) at $510 and Medical Knowledge and Terminology Training (MKTT) at $510.

Quantifiable outcome

• 178,410 newcomers helped to build thriving lives (2016-2024)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Gateway (90+ Partner Organizations)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Gateway is a collaborative of over 90 partner organizations working together to connect newcomers to the best-fit services in the community. Each newcomer receives a unique plan based on their dreams, goals, skills, and priorities, connecting them to 2,000+ programs and services.
• University of Calgary Faculty of Social WorkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNewcomer Knowledge Hub (K-Hub) partnership for research, data sharing, and practice improvement. Goal is to improve settlement system by developing ways to translate data into knowledge for policymakers, researchers, and service providers.
• Calgary Legal GuidancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegal advice clinics connecting low-income permanent residents and refugees with free legal advice from professional volunteer lawyers. Monthly clinics offer personal consultation on family and immigration issues.
• Calgary Airport AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerImmigrant Arrival Centre at Calgary International Airport providing immediate support to arriving newcomers. Prompted by Ukrainian evacuee influx but designed to support all newcomers.
• London DrugsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWelcomeWell community events providing newcomer families with healthcare access support, pharmacist Q&A sessions, and introduction to pharmacy services in Canada.
• Calgary Newcomers Collaborative (CNC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration of newcomer-serving and broad-based social service agencies working together to respond to needs of immigrants and refugees. Includes ISC, The Immigrant Education Society, Calgary Bridge Foundation for Youth, and Centre for Newcomers.
• Global CalgaryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia Sponsor for 2024 Immigrants of Distinction Awards.
• CBC CalgaryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia Sponsor for 2024 Immigrants of Distinction Awards.
• Cultural Interpretation Services for Our Communities (CISOC)coreTechnology or IntegrationAffiliation for professional interpreter training and CILISAT testing. ISC is authorized testing centre for Community Interpreter Language and Interpreting Skills Assessment Tool in Alberta.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Centre for Newcomers: Calgary-based nonprofit providing settlement, language, employment, and integration services to immigrants and refugees. Explicitly named as a co-member of the Calgary Newcomers Collaborative and the Gateway partner network, making it the most direct comparable to ISC in the same geography and service mix.
• The Immigrant Education Society (TIES): Calgary-based nonprofit offering language training, settlement, and employment services for newcomers. Co-partner in the Calgary Newcomers Collaborative and Gateway, directly competing with ISC for the same government settlement funding pool and overlapping client base in Southern Alberta.
• Calgary Bridge Foundation for Youth: Calgary nonprofit supporting immigrant and refugee youth and their families through settlement and integration programs. Listed alongside ISC as a co-member of the Calgary Newcomers Collaborative; serves an overlapping client population with similar settlement, language, and mentorship services.

Regional players

• COSTI Immigrant Services: One of the largest immigrant-serving agencies in Canada, headquartered in the Greater Toronto Area. Provides settlement, language training, employment, and refugee services comparable to ISC's core offering, but operates in Ontario rather than Alberta, making it a strong regional analogue.
• MOSAIC: Vancouver-based nonprofit serving immigrants and refugees with settlement, language, employment, and translation services. Highly comparable to ISC in scope (interpretation/translation, language assessment, employment support) but serves British Columbia rather than Alberta.
• Catholic Crosscultural Services (CCS): Toronto-area nonprofit providing settlement, language training, and refugee resettlement services. Comparable in mission and service mix to ISC, but geographically focused on Ontario and serving a different catchment population.
• CultureLink Settlement Services: Toronto-based nonprofit providing settlement, language, employment, and community connection services for newcomers. Closely matches ISC's Gateway-style holistic settlement model but operates in the GTA rather than Calgary.

Broad incumbents

• YMCA of Greater Toronto - Newcomer Services: National/regional YMCA branches offer settlement, language, and immigrant integration services that overlap with ISC's portfolio. The YMCA is a much larger, multi-service incumbent whose newcomer services are one of many program lines, in contrast to ISC's specialization.
• LanguageLine Solutions: Large commercial provider of interpretation and translation services, including in 200+ languages. Directly comparable to ISC's Interpretation and Translation Centre as a revenue-generating service line, but operates at a vastly larger commercial scale with a for-profit model.
• International Rescue Committee (IRC): Global humanitarian organization providing refugee resettlement, employment, and integration services in multiple U.S. and global locations. Comparable in mission and refugee-support service mix, but operates internationally and at a much larger scale than ISC.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights8 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/HowtoandSmartTipsImmigrantServicesCalgary/playlists
• Xx.com/ISCyyc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Immigrant Services Calgary