Free English Classes in Burnaby & Surrey 2026

If you live in Burnaby or Surrey, you don't need to commute to Vancouver for English classes. Both cities have multiple free LINC and ESL programs with multilingual support. Here's where to find them.

Free English Classes in Burnaby

MOSAIC — 5902 Kingsway, Burnaby

MOSAIC runs LINC classes from CLB 1-7 at their Kingsway office. Full-time and part-time schedules. Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, and Arabic-speaking staff. Free childcare for some programs. Near Metrotown. Register at mosaic.bc.ca or call 604-254-9626.

Burnaby School District Continuing Education — 5325 Kingsway

The school district offers free ESL classes for adults. Multiple levels, day and evening options. Located near the Edmonds area. These classes are open to all newcomers regardless of immigration status — one of the few programs that include work permit holders.

Burnaby Neighbourhood House — 4460 Beresford St

Free English conversation groups and basic literacy classes. Low-key, community-oriented. Good for practicing speaking if you're shy about formal classrooms. Near Edmonds SkyTrain station. No registration needed for conversation groups — just show up.

Burnaby Public Library

Free English conversation circles at Metrotown, McGill, and Bob Prittie branches. Check bpl.bc.ca for schedules. Also offers free one-on-one English tutoring through their literacy program.

Free English Classes in Surrey

DIVERSEcity — 13455 76 Ave, Surrey

One of Surrey's biggest settlement agencies. LINC classes from CLB 1-8. Full-time and part-time. Punjabi, Hindi, Arabic, Mandarin, and Dari-speaking staff. Free childcare. Located in Newton — easy parking. Register at dcrs.ca or call 604-597-0205.

Progressive Intercultural Community Services (PICS) — 210-12725 80th Ave

PICS runs LINC and ELSA programs with strong South Asian language support. Classes in Newton and Guildford locations. Full-time day programs and part-time evening classes for working adults. Call 604-596-7722.

Options Community Services — 13520 78 Ave, Surrey

LINC classes plus employment-focused English. Great if you need English specifically for job searching and workplace communication. Located in Newton. optionsbc.ca

Surrey Libraries

Free English conversation groups at City Centre, Guildford, and Newton branches. Check spl.surrey.bc.ca for schedules. Also offers free digital literacy classes (computers + English).

Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) — 12666 72 Ave, Surrey

KPU offers free LINC classes at higher levels (CLB 5-8). Good for newcomers who want to transition into college or workplace English. The Surrey campus is right in Newton.

How to Register

1. Get a language assessment — call the YMCA Language Assessment Centre at 604-974-0844 to book a free assessment. They'll test your reading, writing, listening, and speaking to determine your CLB level.
2. Choose a centre — with your assessment result, you can register at any LINC/ELSA provider
3. Start classes — most programs accept new students monthly

While you're improving your English, boost your immigration score with our CRS calculator — higher English scores mean more points.

Programs for Work Permit Holders

LINC is typically for PRs only, but some alternatives for work permit holders:

• Burnaby School District ESL (open to all residents)
• Library conversation circles (open to everyone)
• Settlement agencies sometimes have non-LINC English programs open to all newcomers — ask when you call

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better: MOSAIC in Burnaby or DIVERSEcity in Surrey?

Both are excellent. If you speak an East Asian language, MOSAIC's multilingual support is strong. If you speak a South Asian language, DIVERSEcity has better language support. Quality of teaching is comparable.

How many hours per week are LINC classes?

Full-time LINC is 25 hours/week (5 hours/day, Mon-Fri). Part-time is 10-15 hours/week, usually mornings or evenings. Choose based on your work schedule.

Can I get childcare while I attend classes?

MOSAIC, DIVERSEcity, and PICS all offer free childcare for LINC students at select locations. Spots are limited — mention childcare needs when you register. Children must be under school age.

References

[1] City of Vancouver, "Open Data Portal." https://opendata.vancouver.ca/

[2] Government of British Columbia, "BC Government Services." https://www2.gov.bc.ca/

[3] Government of Canada, "Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship." https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship.html

[4] IRCC, "Express Entry Program." https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry.html

Getting settled? Read our free tax clinic guide for Burnaby and Surrey — another great free service for newcomers.