SAFE HAVEN Refugee Claimant Support Services

Archway’s SAFE HAVEN Refugee Claimant Support Services program supports the complex needs of refugee claimants and other humanitarian newcomers in the Fraser Valley. We welcome individuals of all backgrounds, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and genders. Our team is trauma informed and LGBTQIA+ friendly.

We are generously funded through the Government of British Columbia.

People We Help

We help people living in the Fraser Valley (Abbotsford, Langley, Mission, and Chilliwack) who are:

• Asylum Seekers (People who are already in Canada and intend to submit a claim for refugee protection)
• Refugee Claimants
• Refugees (Counselling only)
• Ukrainians under CUAET (Counselling only)

Services Available

Settlement Support

Our Settlement Workers can help you with:

• Navigating the refugee claim process
• Accessing government services like MSP, income assistance, and Social Insurance Number
• Referrals to Legal Aid BC
• Connections to community resources and support services
• Registering children for school
• Referrals to support to find housing and shelter
• And more

Eligibility: Refugee Claimants and Asylum Seekers

Customized Employment Support

Our Employment Specialists can help you with:

• Resume and cover letter writing
• Interview preparation
• Job search support
• Free certification trainings
• Connections to local employers
• Job fairs
• Information on workplace rights and safety
• And more

Eligibility: Refugee Claimants

Trauma & Mental Health Counselling

Our Registered Clinical Counsellors provide free, confidential one-on-one and group mental wellbeing services in a variety of languages.

Eligibility: Refugee Claimants, Refugees, Ukrainian CUAET holders, and certain other humanitarian newcomers

English Classes

We offer formal English classes for Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) levels 1-7.

Eligibility: Refugee Claimants

Services Provided in the Following Languages

• Punjabi
• English
• Spanish
• Dari/Farsi
• Arabic
• Other languages may be available upon request

To access Refugee Claimants Support Services

• If you reside in Chilliwack or Abbotsford: Set up an appointment via e-mail at refugeeclaimants@archway.ca or phone call at 778.344.5415
• If you reside in Mission: Set up an appointment via email at settlement@missionmcss.com or phone call at 604.826.3634 (SAF HAVN services in Mission are provided by Mission Community Services Society in partnership with Archway)
• If you reside in Langley: Set up an appointment via email at refugeeclaimants@archway.ca or phone call at 604.897.9191

We partner with the following organizations to provide BC SAF HAVN services in the Fraser Valley:

• Inasmuch Community Society
• Mission Community Services Society
• Chilliwack Community Services
• Langley Community Services Society
• VAST (Vancouver Association for Survivors of Torture)