Be prepared to take up any type of work initially to get established in the new country. Take courses through night school to advance one’s choice of skills. I encourage others to volunteer to stay active in mind and body, make connections and continue to learn. Work hard and try not to get discouraged as Canada is a wonderful country and an opportunity to move forward.
It was work that brought Praveen Kumar Vijaykumar and his wife Reshmi Vishwanath to Canada in 2012.
Like most immigrants, the Bhans faced two major challenges on moving here – dealing with the weather and finding a job.
It’s been 20 years in Canada for the Nairs and they describe is at being “absolutely wonderful.” Reminiscing on their journey, Domani believes they have come a long way since 1996. “We have no regrets moving here. We were able to sponsor my parents here from Bangalore [now Bengaluru] in 2000 and having them live with us was of great help when our daughters were born.”
The family’s initial impression on moving to Toronto was unpleasant. The extremely cold weather de-motivated them to explore the city. It was their move to British Columbia a few weeks later that lifted their spirits. “I fell in love with this place immediately. The weather was perfect and this place felt more like home,” Sanjay recalls.
Before moving to Canada, the couple did some research on the country and the opportunities it provides to new immigrants. “My husband worked with US and Canadian clients in India and was aware of the demand of Healthcare IT professionals in North America,” recalls Navjot