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New Canadians

Rainbow Immigrant and Refugee Services

Spectrum welcomes newcomers and immigrants! Rainbow newcomers looking for support may be interested in our Rainbow Newcomers Connect group.

Spectrum is occasionally able to provide a letter of support for refugees applying for landed immigrant status on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

In order to be considered for a letter of support, you need to have at least attended several Spectrum events or group meetings. The facilitators of our Rainbow Newcomers Connect group will need to get to know you before they can provide a letter. This means that you will need to begin getting involved with Spectrum several months before you might need a letter of support.

Download our Toolkit for 2SLGBTQIA+ Newcomers

Rainbow Newcomers Connect:

Rainbow Newcomers Connect is a gathering hosted by Spectrum on the 2nd Sunday afternoon (3–5pm) of the month. The main purpose of these social gatherings is for us to learn from each other as a diverse community. We are not only 2SLGBTQ+ people but we also come from a variety of cultural backgrounds.

We have activities and discussions that allow us to get to know one another, learn from each another and share about our experiences. It is our hope that this time will not only be educational, but that it will also build friendships and connections within the community.

Visit the Calendar for Details

Spectrum is occasionally able to provide a letter of support for refugees applying for landed immigrant status on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

In order to be considered for a letter of support, you need to have at least attended several Spectrum events or group meetings. The facilitators of our Rainbow Newcomers Connect group will need to get to know you before they can provide a letter. This means that you will need to begin getting involved with Spectrum several months before you might need a letter of support.

You will also need to provide us with information about your situation in writing by downloading and completing this fillable PDF and sending it to us by email. 

Spectrum does not offer legal advice and doesn't work in immigration or with refugee sponsorship. 

If an individual is overseas and looking for a way to get here they need to get in touch with an organization that works with sponsorship or visa applications. One useful organization is Rainbow Refugee. 

These other resources might be helpful for you as well:

You might also connect with the Solidarity Alliance, a working subgroup of the Rainbow Community Council (RCC) that formed in recognition of gaps in services and essential resources for 2SLGBTQ+ newcomers/refugees/immigrants to Waterloo Region.