Our Top 2023 Highlights & Five Most Read Blogs of the Year

Get ready to say goodbye to 2023 and embrace the new year with open arms! If you’re embarking on a journey to Canada, why not set some resolutions to kickstart your year, whether it’s landing a dream job or smoothly transitioning to your new life in Canada, pre-arrival programs are here to help you!

Before we look ahead, let’s celebrate the wonderful things that happened at SOPA this year! We’re grateful for all our clients who trusted us and arrived in Canada ready to start their new lives. Thank you to our dedicated SOPA teams located across Canada for providing unwavering, personalized support at every turn.

Come and celebrate the highlights of 2023 with us, and take a closer look at the year’s five top blog posts!

Our Top Highlights and 5 Posts That Resonated Most With Our Audience This Year

• In July on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Citizenship, Refugees and Immigration, Andy Fillmore, Member of Parliament for Halifax, visited the Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia to announce an investment of nearly $6.8 million‬ to help us deliver important pre-arrival services to new immigrants. This funding is part of overall settlement funding extensions that were announced on May 11, 2023.
• In September we were offered an opportunity to spend a few days in Saskatoon. During our visit, SOPA had the chance to collaborate with Planning for Canada / Planifier Pour le Canada and other pre-arrival service providers from across Canada to discuss strategies for improving pre-arrival services.
• In November, SOPA celebrated its 8th anniversary, marking a significant milestone in our commitment to supporting new immigrants and refugees. Over these eight years, we have had the privilege of serving more than 10,000 clients, assisting them in their preparations before arriving in Canada. As we move ahead, we remain dedicated to providing valuable support to newcomers on their journey to successful job search and employment in Canada.
• We are pleased to announce the addition of a new role within our program—the Foreign Credential Recognition (FCR) Navigator. This dedicated role aims to deliver employment-related services to pre-arrival immigrants employed in regulated professions. The FCR Navigator will support individuals seeking to have their foreign licenses and certificates recognized in Canada, facilitating a smoother transition into the Canadian workforce.
• Did you know that our teams across Canada organize ‘Employer Connection’ webinars? These webinars primarily focus on facilitating connections between participants and employers across diverse fields. During these webinars, participants can engage directly with employers by asking questions and actively participating in activities designed to enhance networking and collaboration.
• We are excited to introduce a new webinar series exclusively tailored for our registered clients that is going to start next year. This series will feature sector-specific webinars, and presentations by guest speakers, providing insights into each sector, followed by networking opportunities with people in the same field. Stay tuned!
• The SOPA program offers a comprehensive range of courses and services designed to assist immigrants and refugees before they arrive in Canada. To enhance your understanding of our services and online courses, we have developed a series of professional videos. These videos explore the details of the SOPA program as a whole and our specific courses, services, and initiatives, showing our commitment to helping immigrants and refugees before they land in Canada. Head to our YouTube channel to learn about the Employer Connection initiative and the support we provide to prospective immigrants.

Do you want to learn how we help our clients before they arrive in Canada?

Do you want to learn how we help connect our clients with prospective employers?

Our top 5 most-read client stories on the blog!

Ayomide’s story made it to the number 1 most popular blog post. This is followed by our insightful blog from Martin Blumrich about small talk in the Canadian workplace. Number 3 is a story by Gem Buruz sharing his story of moving from Turkey to Alberta. Alison’s best tips for post-arrival in Canada and last but not least are 3 heartwarming stories of newcomers to Vancouver, BC. If you missed these stories, catch up by clicking on the links below!

Thank you for visiting and reading our post. We hope it has been informative and inspiring, offering you new information about our pre-arrival program and new stories to be inspired by. We are looking forward to sharing more meaningful content and more client stories with you in 2024.

Are you approved to immigrate to Canada? Don’t delay and register today!

Post Prepared by Albina Ziatdinova, Online Community and Social Media Monitor with SOPA

Albina Ziatdinova experienced in communications, digital marketing, and digital content creation has a degree in economics and has worked with SOPA for over 8 years. She is based at the Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS) in Halifax, Nova Scotia and currently monitors all 4 SOPA’s self-guided courses across all of the provinces where the SOPA program is offered. She also creates, curates and coordinates SOPA’s blog and all main social media channels. Albina is an immigrant herself and she knows just how important is to get timely and reliable information. Albina is passionate about helping clients arrive better prepared.