Calgary immigrants can now get help at the airport as soon as they land

Faces of native Canadians appear on a 'YYC' sign at Calgary International Airport in Calgary, Alta., Monday, Oct. 10, 2022. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh)

Immigrants arriving in Calgary through the Calgary International Airport can now head to a new booth as soon as they land for help getting settled.

The booth – called the Immigrant Arrival Centre – is a place where new immigrants and refugees can ask questions and seek support immediately upon their arrival.

While it will support all newcomers, the booth was created in response to the influx of Ukrainian nationals coming to Calgary and the surrounding area.

"We’re the first airport in Canada to host voluntary immigrant services in-terminal," said

Calgary Airport Authority spokesperson Chris Miles in a news release.

The Immigrant Arrival Centre, created in partnership with the airport authority and Calgary Newcomers Collaborative, will offer services from eight newcomer-serving organizations, including:

• Action Dignity;
• Calgary Bridge Foundation for Youth;
• Calgary Immigrant Women's Association;
• Centre for Newcomers;
• Immigrant Services Calgary;
• La Cité des Rocheuses;
• Portail De L'Immigrant Association; and
• The Immigrant Education Society.

"The Immigrant Arrival Centre allows us to respond to the needs of newcomers right at the point of their arrival and ensures they receive essential support at the beginning of their settlement process," said Anila Lee Yuen, Calgary Newcomers Collaborative chair and CEO for the Centre for Newcomers.

"This innovative approach decreases the chances of newcomers slipping through the cracks or missing important resources that could significantly benefit them."

The booth is located near Door 12 on the airport's arrivals level, between the international and domestic terminals.

It will be staffed every day from 2 p.m. – 10 p.m.