New to Canada in Langley: your first appointments, in order

Welcome to Langley. The first few weeks in a new country are a long list of appointments, and they’re run by different people: the federal government, the Province, the school district and local agencies. Here’s the order that works for most families, and who to call for each.

1. Book a free settlement appointment

Your first call should be the Langley Community Services Society. Its settlement workers sit down with you, work out what you need and connect you with the right services. Consultations are free, in person, online or by phone, and its permanent-resident outreach service works in English, Spanish and Korean. A health care navigator can also help you understand the health system and look for a family doctor.

LCSS has two locations, and both are open Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm:

Who qualifies?

• Permanent residents can use federally funded settlement services. Since April 1, 2026, economic-class permanent residents (and the spouse and children on the same application) have six years from the day they became permanent residents. IRCC lists no such time limit for other permanent residents, resettled refugees and protected persons.
• The BC Newcomer Services Program covers people the federal program doesn’t, including eligible temporary workers, naturalized citizens, provincial nominees and refugee claimants. International post-secondary students qualify if their school doesn’t offer these services. LCSS delivers this program in both Langleys.

More about LCSS is on our Langley Community Services Society page.

2. Get your Social Insurance Number

You need a SIN to work in Canada and to get government programs and benefits. Applying is free, online, by mail or in person.

• Permanent residents: bring your PR card, or your Confirmation of Permanent Residence if it’s less than a year old.
• Temporary residents: your document has to show you’re allowed to work, as Service Canada requires.
• In person, bring originals; online, upload clear copies.

The Langley Service Canada Centre is at Suite 102, 8747 204 Street, Monday to Friday 8:30 am to 4 pm, with free parking.

Your PR card usually arrives by itself: IRCC mails most first cards automatically once it has your Canadian mailing address and photo within 180 days of becoming a permanent resident.

3. Apply for MSP the week you arrive

BC’s Medical Services Plan has a waiting period: the rest of the month you arrive, plus two more months. That’s exactly why the Province tells new residents to apply as soon as they get here. Each family member’s wait is counted from their own arrival date. The online application also covers Fair PharmaCare and Supplementary Benefits.

Adult citizens and permanent residents then finish MSP enrolment by getting a photo BC Services Card at an ICBC driver licensing office. Bring two accepted IDs, including one primary ID. The card on its own is free.

4. Join the Health Connect Registry

Having MSP doesn’t give you a family doctor. To get matched with one, sign up for the Health Connect Registry with your Personal Health Number, address, email and phone. Need help? Call 8-1-1, with interpretation in more than 130 languages. Our family doctor guide has more ways to find care in the meantime.

5. Register your children for school

The Langley School District has its own Newcomers Welcome Centre at the School Board Office, 4875 222 Street, 604-534-7891. Don’t mix it up with the LCSS Welcome Centre on 201 Street: they’re different offices.

• Permanent-resident and refugee families register in person. Bring proof of your child’s age, your immigration status, guardianship, and where you live: a housing document plus one more accepted document with your BC address.
• Work- and study-permit families first send documents through the district’s online application. The district says the review takes five to ten business days.

Once school starts, Settlement Workers in Schools can connect your family with school programs, adult English classes and community services. More on the district is on our school district page.

6. Start English classes

New Directions English Language School runs LINC: free English classes for eligible newcomers. Call 604-530-0535 to book a registration appointment. A language assessment places you in the right class (it’s for placement only, not proof of language for citizenship). Confirm which classroom you’ll be in when you book. For high school upgrading and other adult classes, see adult and continuing education.

7. Exchange your driver’s licence

You generally have 90 days after becoming a BC resident to switch a valid foreign licence to a BC one, with some exemptions for students and others. Whether you can exchange it without tests depends on where your licence is from; otherwise you’ll need knowledge and road tests. Road tests and in-person knowledge tests need an appointment.

8. Look for work

WorkBC Centre – Langley (110 – 19925 Willowbrook Drive, 604-360-4196) has a resource room anyone in BC can use for job searching, plus Career Coach appointments if you qualify. It’s open evenings on Wednesday and Thursday and on Saturdays, which helps around other appointments. Our finding work guide has the full picture, including LCSS’s mentoring program for newcomers.

9. Open a bank account and apply for benefits

You don’t have to be a citizen to open a Canadian bank account. Bring original ID; one accepted combination is a document with your name and address plus one with your name and date of birth.

You can also apply for CRA benefit and credit payments before you file your first Canadian tax return. CRA may ask for your arrival date, immigration status, family details and income from before you arrived. (The old GST/HST credit is now called the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit.)

10. Get a library card

It’s free. Bring ID with your current mailing address to any Langley library. The library is also a good, quiet place to work through all of the above.

Related

• Government paperwork in Langley: which office handles what
• Renting in Langley
• Having a baby in Langley

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