Nigar’s New Home

I am an administrative professional with over 15 years of experience. I worked for a private engineering company in the oil and gas industry. I moved with my son to Nova Scotia in August 2018 from Baku, Azerbaijan. I am a single mother and didn’t have friends or family in Canada; I didn’t know anyone, except for my Settlement Online Pre-Arrival facilitators.

One of the most important steps in the immigration process is to get prepared for a new life. I heard about the benefits of the SOPA pre-arrival program from one of ISANS’ clients. I registered for the program and took the online pre-arrival course Job Search Strategies (JSS). The course was very useful.

Firstly, I wanted to get familiar with the place that I was going to call my “new home” soon. My Intake Counsellor was Mary Morrison, an extremely professional, lovely person who prepared a detailed action plan, organized webinars and gave me valuable advice. Secondly, it is very important for a new immigrant to find a job and successfully integrate into a new society. I completed JSS and the course is very informative and detailed. There are practice videos, course tips, quizzes, and exercises.

I would like to emphasize the individualized approach of the course facilitator, Ania Swiatoniowski. Ania was an expert in what she does and very attentive to details. I do appreciate her for all her support with my JSS course. Thanks to the JSS course, my resume and cover letter were redesigned in the Canadian format and ready to be targeted for new opportunities, my Linkedin profile was up to date, and my elevator pitch was well-prepared.

I was hired for my first job ten days after arriving in Canada! I was and still am employed by Dalhousie University, one of the top 15 universities in Canada. I got my first job in Canada, a permanent contract and a promotion – all within the first year. Nothing is impossible!

SOPA is a program that supports newcomers. So, why not use this opportunity to meet new people, do networking, learn about Canadian career requirements and prepare for your new life?

I do recommend all newcomers to benefit from the JSS course. It’s definitely worth it. Good luck to all newcomers who want to make their dreams come true!

Best wishes,

Nigar