What Immigrant and Multicultural Services Society of Prince George does

The Immigrant and Multicultural Services Society (IMSS) of Prince George is a non-profit settlement and integration agency founded in 1976 by Baljit Sethi to serve immigrants, permanent residents, refugees, temporary foreign workers, international students, and newcomer youth and families in Prince George and the broader northern British Columbia region of Canada. The organization is headquartered at 1270 2nd Avenue, Prince George, BC, and operates approximately 10 staff across settlement practitioners, LINC English language instructors, employment counselors, SWIS school-based workers, child-minding staff, and intake workers, governed by an elected board representing ethnic organizations across the community.

IMSS's core product is a free, wraparound suite of settlement services: Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) provides free English training across four levels with on-site child minding; the BC Newcomer Services Program offers needs assessment, one-on-one consultation, Express Entry and BCPNP pathway information, and employment counseling; Community Connections links newcomers with public institutions and social networks through mentoring and events; the Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS) Program, launched in April 2016 in partnership with School District 57, embeds settlement support directly inside schools; and supplementary offerings include basic computer training, child-minding support (up to 24 units), and information/orientation services. The organization also runs community events such as the A Day of Cultures festival, Northern Badminton Smash, Celebrating Asian Heritage, and past programs including Skills Connect for Immigrants (with ASPECT) and Organizing Against Racism and Hate (OARH). All services are delivered in-person at the Prince George office or through community outreach, Monday to Friday 9:00am to 4:30pm.

IMSS's business model is fully grant-funded and client-free: all services are provided at no cost to eligible clients, with revenue derived from contribution agreements with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), Citizenship and Immigration Canada, the Province of British Columbia, and other government sources. There is no commercial pricing, no product revenue, and no equity funding. Distribution is direct and regional — in-person at the headquarters office, via the SWIS channel inside School District 57, and through community outreach and mobile service across northern BC. The organization has no technology platform, no API or app, and no AI/ML capability; service delivery is fundamentally human-intensive. Notable recognition includes the 2020 International Peace Award for Promoting Diversity and Multiculturalism.

Name

Immigrant and Multicultural Services Society of Prince George

Legal name

Immigrant and Multicultural Services Society of Prince George

Website

https://imss.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

IMSS is a Prince George, British Columbia-based non-profit founded in 1976 that delivers free settlement and integration services — including LINC English training, the SWIS school-based program, employment counseling, and community connections — to immigrants, refugees, and newcomers across northern British Columbia, funded primarily by IRCC and the Province of BC.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Immigrant Settlement and Integration Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

General ESL Programs (Multi-level Adult ESL) (EDAAACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Immigrant/Integration Language Programs (ESL/ESOL, Civics-Integrated) (EDAMAFAK), Newcomer & Refugee Student Support Programs (EDAJAGAH), English for Citizenship (ESL/Civics Integrated) (EDAAADAC)

Keywords

• Settlement services
• Language training
• Immigration assistance
• Community integration
• Newcomer support

Headquarters

HQ city

Prince George

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

IMSS is a non-profit community-serving agency that provides free settlement and integration services to immigrants, refugees, and newcomers throughout Prince George and northern British Columbia. Core offerings include Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC), needs assessment and referrals, employment counseling, community connections programs, the SWIS school-based settlement program, and multicultural community events.

Product overview

IMSS is a non-profit community organization providing settlement and integration services to immigrants and refugees throughout Prince George and northern British Columbia. The organization offers a unified suite of free services organized around core settlement needs: Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) provides English training; the BC Newcomer Services Program offers immigration assistance, employment counseling, and needs assessment; Community Connections facilitates social integration; and specialized support services include child-minding and computer training. The SWIS program extends services into schools. The organization also runs cultural events (A Day of Cultures, Asian Heritage celebrations, Northern Badminton Smash) and past programs addressing anti-racism, seniors' support, women's empowerment, and immigrant employment skills. All services are provided free of charge.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) Free English language training program for adult newcomers to Canada, offering levels 1-4 from low beginner to medium beginner, with classes held Monday to Friday mornings and free on-site child care available.
• Community Connections Program connecting newcomer clients and their families to public institutions, social networks, and geographic environments through community events, visits, needs-driven matching, mentoring, and networking workshops.
• Needs Assessment and Referrals Formal needs assessment and appropriate referrals to community services enabling clients to pursue a defined plan for integration into Canadian life.
• Information and Orientation Information and orientation services to help newcomers settle in the community and prepare for entry into the Canadian labour market.
• BC Newcomer Services Program Comprehensive settlement services including needs assessment, one-on-one consultation, immigration application information, Express Entry and BCPNP pathway assistance, and employment counseling for newcomers to BC.
• Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS) Program Settlement services delivered in partnership with School District 57, offering direct professional assistance to newcomer students and families to adapt and integrate into Canadian life and education within schools.
• Child Minding Support Service Free on-site child-minding for pre-school age children (birth to 5 years) of eligible LINC students during class hours, supporting up to 24 child-minding units.
• Computer Training Support Service Basic computer training offered to eligible newcomer clients to build digital literacy skills.

Quantifiable outcome

• 80% of Skills Connect program participants found meaningful employment
• +1 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• School District 57coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2016Partnership with School District 57 to provide the Settlement Workers in Schools Program (SWIS), initiated in April 2016. Settlement workers provide direct professional assistance to newcomer students and their families adapt and integrate to Canadian life and education.
• Lheidli T'enneh First NationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organized the Heatwave 2019 festival alongside multiple community partners to celebrate cultural diversity in Prince George.
• Le Cercle des Canadiens Français (CCFPG)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organized the Heatwave 2019 festival alongside multiple community partners to celebrate cultural diversity in Prince George.
• Prince George Folkfest Society (PGFFS)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organized the Heatwave 2019 festival alongside multiple community partners to celebrate cultural diversity in Prince George.
• ASPECTminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with ASPECT to deliver the Skills Connect for Immigrants Program, providing employment support services to immigrants who may not have high school education or work experience as well as those with higher levels of education.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/imss.ca
• Instagraminstagram.com/imss.pg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/immigrant-and-multicultural-services-society-of-prince-george

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 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 and Multicultural Services Society of Prince George