Saamis Immigration Services Association

What Saamis Immigration Services Association does

Saamis Immigration Services Association (SISA) is a non-profit settlement organization headquartered at 221 4 Ave SE in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1988, the organization delivers coordinated settlement and integration services to immigrants and refugees arriving in the Medicine Hat area, operating through four core programs: RAP & SS (Refugee Assistance Program & Settlement Services), LINC (Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada), CC (Community Connections), and SWIS (Settlement Workers in Schools). Service delivery is in-person and community-based, supplemented by a volunteer-driven language bank of approximately 150 interpreters covering 61 languages and dialects.

The organization operates with a 24-person staff team and a significant volunteer complement, providing services free of charge to clients. Funding flows through government and community support programs typical of the Canadian immigrant-serving sector, including contributions supporting language instruction and refugee resettlement. The product portfolio is human-delivered and process-based rather than technology-based; there is no proprietary platform, no API, and no app. Distribution is direct: clients access services at the Medicine Hat office or through school- and community-based outreach.

The business model is that of a publicly funded non-profit rather than a commercial venture. The 'customers' in a service-delivery sense are newcomers requiring settlement support, while the paying counterparties are government funders and community grantmakers. The geographic footprint is limited to Medicine Hat and surrounding Alberta region, with no evidence of expansion beyond this single market. The organization has been continuously operating for over 35 years, with recent (2024) community engagement activity including Intercultural Leadership workshops and outreach to Ukrainian newcomers.

Name

Saamis Immigration Services Association

Legal name

Saamis Immigration Services Association

Website

https://saamisimmigration.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Saamis Immigration Services Association (SISA) is a non-profit founded in 1988 in Medicine Hat, Alberta, that delivers settlement, language instruction, and community integration services to immigrants and refugees through funded programs (RAP & SS, LINC, CC, SWIS) and a volunteer interpreter network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Immigration and Settlement Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Educational Support Services (611710), Social Assistance (624)

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), Migration, Refugees & Forced Displacement Assistance (BPADABAL), Refugee & Humanitarian Newcomer Orientation (Resettlement Support) (EDAAADAI)

Keywords

• Immigration settlement services
• Refugee assistance programs
• Language instruction newcomers
• Community integration support
• Interpretation translation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Medicine Hat

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funded Programs: Organization likely operates as a non-profit receiving government funding to deliver settlement and integration services to immigrants and refugees.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Saamis Immigration Services Association is a non-profit organization providing settlement, language, and integration services to immigrants and refugees in Medicine Hat, Alberta. Its core offerings include the Refugee Assistance Program & Settlement Services (RAP & SS), Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC), Community Connections (CC), Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS), Program Opportunities, and a volunteer language bank of approximately 150 interpreters covering about 61 languages and dialects. All services are delivered free of charge and funded through government and community grants.

Product overview

Saaris Immigration Services Association is a non-profit organization offering a coordinated portfolio of settlement and integration services for immigrants and refugees in Medicine Hat, Alberta. The core offerings include the RAP & SS program for refugee settlement support, LINC for English language instruction, CC (Community Connections) for volunteer-based social integration, SWIS for school-based settlement services, and a language bank with over 150 volunteer interpreters covering 61 languages. These services work together to provide comprehensive support from initial arrival through successful integration into the Canadian community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• RAP & SS (Refugee Assistance Program & Settlement Services) Provides settlement support and assistance for refugees and immigrants arriving in Canada, helping newcomers adapt to life in Medicine Hat.
• LINC (Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada) Government-funded English language instruction program designed to help newcomers learn and improve their English skills for daily life and integration in Canada.
• CC (Community Connections) Program connecting newcomers with volunteers and community resources to facilitate social integration and cultural exchange in Medicine Hat.
• SWIS (Settlement Workers in Schools) Provides settlement support services directly in schools to assist immigrant children and their families with integration into the Canadian education system.
• Program Opportunities Various program opportunities for newcomers to engage with the community, learn skills, and build connections in Medicine Hat.
• Volunteer Services Volunteer-based support including Life Skills Coaching, Shopping Buddies, Bus Buddies, English Language Coaching, and Language Interpretation/Translation services delivered through a network of approximately 150 volunteers covering about 61 languages and dialects.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• MOSAIC (Vancouver): One of Canada's largest immigrant-serving NGOs, delivering LINC, RAP, settlement, and interpretation services across BC. Closely comparable service mix but at significantly larger scale.
• COSTI Immigrant Services: Toronto-based non-profit providing refugee resettlement, language training, and community settlement services. Comparable in program portfolio and funding model, though serving a much larger urban catchment.
• FCJ Refugee Centre: Toronto-based refugee-serving non-profit providing settlement support, advocacy, and community programming for newcomers. Comparable mission and target population, though with an additional advocacy orientation.
• Catholic Social Services (Edmonton): Edmonton-based settlement and refugee services agency operating LINC, RAP-equivalent, and community connection programs. Comparable in mission, funding model, and program mix to Saamis.
• Immigrant Services Calgary (ISC): Calgary non-profit offering settlement, language, and employment services for newcomers. Comparable as a same-province IRCC-funded peer delivering RAP, LINC, and community connections programming.
• Calgary Catholic Immigration Society (CCIS): Major Alberta-based non-profit providing refugee settlement, language training, and resettlement services to newcomers. Directly comparable to Saamis as a same-province IRCC-funded settlement agency with a broader service portfolio.
• YMCA Newcomer Services (various Canadian cities): National YMCA branches operate settlement, language, and refugee assistance programs under IRCC contracts. Comparable in service delivery model and target population to Saamis.

Others

• OCASI (Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants): Provincial umbrella organization supporting immigrant-serving agencies in Ontario; comparable as a sector coordinator and capacity builder rather than a direct service competitor.
• IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada): Federal department that funds and oversees the settlement programs (RAP, LINC, CC, SWIS) delivered by Saamis. The funder and policy-maker for the entire settlement sector in which Saamis operates.

Regional players

• ASSIST Community Services Centre: Calgary-based immigrant-serving agency operating in Alberta with similar LINC and settlement programming; comparable in service mix but does not directly compete in Medicine Hat's geography.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/facebook
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/saamis-immigration-services-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Saamis Immigration Services Association