Our History

Supporting newcomers’ settlement and economic success since 1988

Immigrants Working Centre (originally Immigrant Women’s Centre) was founded in Hamilton in 1988 with the support of grassroots refugee groups and the Sisters of St. Joseph of Hamilton. This initiative was an informal response to the needs of hundreds of refugees arriving from Central America during the 1980s. At the time,

As IWC grew, the reach of our grassroots, community-based organization evolved into a multi-ethnic and multi-service organization, focusing on the specific needs of immigrants and refugees.

Now, our services are designed to support the settlement and advancement of newcomers in the areas of employment, education, skills training, and the growth and development of their children.

From our origins as a grassroots group addressing the need for local social services to a non-profit organization serving people from all corners of our community, our focus has always been to enable refugees and immigrants to achieve social and economic success as essential partners of Hamilton’s prosperity.