Adapting to a New World: The Meneses Ramirez Family Story
Before Jorge Meneses and Irma Ramirez ever set foot in Halifax, they were already getting ready for it.
After receiving approval to immigrate to Canada, they didn’t wait to start preparing. Jorge, a civil engineer with 19 years of international experience in construction and project management, and Irma, a licensed veterinarian and entrepreneur, both knew that their credentials and experience alone wouldn’t be enough — they needed to understand a new labour market, a new workplace culture, and a new way of life. So they registered with SOPA, ISANS‘s federally funded pre-arrival program, and began their journey before they even packed a bag.
Starting Before They Arrived
SOPA is one of several programs offered by ISANS — the Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia — and it’s specifically designed to support newcomers in the months before they land in Canada. Through SOPA’s online courses, Jorge and Irma learned about Canadian résumé and cover letter writing, interview preparation, job search strategies, workplace culture, and the value of networking. They used the Skills First tool to adapt their professional profiles to Canadian standards, and they connected with Intake Counsellors who helped them start thinking about practical settlement questions — schools for their children, neighborhoods, community resources.
By the time their flight landed in Halifax, they weren’t starting from scratch. They had a foundation.
Continuing the Journey at ISANS
One of the things that makes pre-arrival preparation through SOPA so powerful is what happens next. Because SOPA is part of ISANS, the transition from pre-arrival support to post-arrival programming is designed to be seamless. When Jorge and Irma arrived and registered with ISANS, their intake counsellors already had context about their backgrounds, their goals, and the work they had done. They didn’t have to re-tell their story from the beginning. They could build on it.
From there, they moved into ISANS’s broader range of employment programs and services. They participated in employment counselling, the Job Search Strategies course, soft skills workshops, and practice interview sessions. These programs deepened and expanded what SOPA had started — helping them apply what they’d learned pre-arrival to real opportunities in Nova Scotia.
“We began our journey of settling into the Canadian environment several months before moving to this country. SOPA courses helped us understand how to prepare effectively for a job search in advance, as well as what to expect from the local labour culture. As a result, we were able to save valuable time in securing our first jobs.”
Jorge
And Irma:
“SOPA provided my family and me with the guidance, clarity, and confidence we needed before moving to Canada. Through the Soft Skills and Job Search Strategies courses, I learned the importance of collaboration, empathy, and intercultural awareness in the Canadian workplace. Beyond employment, SOPA helped us understand daily life in Canada, including social norms, diversity, and community resources. Our Intake Counsellors supported us in finding a school for our children, searching for our first home, and navigating Halifax’s multicultural environment. They helped us feel welcomed and grounded.”
Real Outcomes, Real People
That preparation — and the continued support from ISANS after arrival — made a measurable difference.
Jorge secured a position as Project Coordinator with Lindsay Construction, a role that aligns directly with his civil engineering background and project management experience. He is now also participating in the ISANS Bridging Program for Internationally Trained Engineers, working toward his Nova Scotia civil engineering certification.
Irma’s path took a turn that is perhaps the most meaningful measure of all. She explored how her skills as a veterinarian and entrepreneur could translate into a new career in Canada, participated in ISANS’s Visible Minority Newcomer Women at Work program — which she completed feeling empowered and confident — and ultimately secured a position as a Program Assistant with the SOPA team at ISANS. She is now supporting other newcomers through the same program that helped her family prepare for life in Canada.
Irma’s words capture something that resonates deeply with so many people who make the decision to immigrate to Canada. That fear of starting over, of leaving behind everything you have built, everything you know yourself to be, is something countless newcomers carry with them on that journey. The worry that in order to succeed in a new country, you might have to let go of who you are, however, it doesn’t have to be that way:
“SOPA helped me recognize that my roots, experiences, and professional background are strengths — not obstacles. I realized I could succeed in Canada without compromising my identity or values.”
One Organization, One Continuous Journey
SOPA is an ISANS program. It’s the pre-arrival chapter of a journey that continues through ISANS’s settlement, employment, and language programs after landing. The collaboration between SOPA intake counsellors and ISANS employment teams — the sharing of information, the continuity of support — is what allows clients to arrive not just ready, but ahead.
Irma said it best before she even landed in Halifax: “Halifax is a growing multicultural city.”
Now, she and Jorge are part of that growth. They contribute to their community, support other newcomers navigating the same path they once walked, and show every day what’s possible when the right support meets the right moment.
Together, we grow.
SOPA (Settlement Online Pre-Arrival) is one of ISANS’s programs, funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). It is delivered pre-arrival across Canada through ISANS and a national network of partner organizations in provinces including Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia.