Posts by Albina Ziatdinova
Success Stories from Alberta
What is a success story? Finding job in your field soon after immigrating to Canada? Certainly, finding job after arriving in Canada is a huge success. However, at SOPA, we think that finding job, retaining your job and integrating into your new workplace are parts of your bigger success story in Canada.
Read MoreWhat to Expect When You Move to Canada
My family and I were very excited when we received the news that our immigrant visa to Canada had been approved. My husband and I were excited, and at the same time very anxious about our new life once we move to Canada. We did have relatives in Winnipeg, Manitoba who would definitely help with…
Read MoreBefore Boarding a Plane to Canada
“Before arriving in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on October 1st, 2016, my wife and I went through the SOPA program. We heard of the SOPA program through a SOPA client, who had recently arrived in Canada. I am so grateful to have listened to her recommendations about this program! Because our settling in Saskatoon wasn’t difficult, as…
Read MoreFour Thousand Miles – A Banking Professional’s Journey from Russia (Part 2)
After arriving in Canada, Natalya decided to enjoy the first few months learning about Ontario before starting her job search. She really wanted to explore this new country that she would now call home. Natalya is from Novosibirsk, where the population is almost twice as small as Toronto. So, she was amazed by the unique…
Read MoreFour Thousand Miles – A Banking Professional’s Journey from Russia (Part 1)
Natalya is a highly experienced banking professional from Novosibirsk, Russia. She worked as an Account Manager in commercial banking for over six years. She was responsible for performing all kinds of banking operations with large companies in the region. Natalya considers herself a generalist which isn’t typical for the highly specialized Canadian job market. This…
Read MoreArrive Prepared in Manitoba
Watch how our clients arrived prepared in Manitoba. Are you immigrating to Canada? Sign up before arriving to learn about Canadian Job Search Strategies and Workplace Culture Communication. “You don’t just go to a place where you’ve never lived, where you never interacted with people before, where you probably don’t even have family members, so…
Read MoreSmall Talk Works!
One day, shortly after arriving in Edmonton from The Philippines, Ria and her son insisted on taking the bus to a museum instead of waiting for her uncle to drive them. She wanted to be more independent in getting around the city after-all. While at the bus stop, she asked a gentleman if they were…
Read MoreJob Search Strategies = Success
Vivek and Manisha decided to move to Canada and chose British Columbia for its beauty, opportunities, and ethnic diversity. They heard about SOPA from Planning For Canada and decided to explore further by starting with the Job Search Strategies course. They discovered various methods of job search strategies from SOPA and, as their facilitator, I…
Read MoreElla’s First Job in Canada
It didn’t take long for Ella Oteze to gain employment after landing in Regina. Ella is an industrious and outgoing career Mathematician from Nigeria with over ten years of experience in the finance and banking field. This experience, paired with new skills developed with SOPA’s pre-arrival courses, provided her the confidence that led to her…
Read MoreBe Better Prepared for Your New Life with Next Stop Canada
On April 1st, 2016, the YMCA of Greater Toronto’s Immigrant Services launched their pre-arrival program Next Stop Canada. Funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the program’s primary objective is to provide quality settlement services to new immigrants before they arrive in Canada. The staff at Next Stop Canada, being immigrants themselves, have firsthand…
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