Canadian Immigrant - October 2016

OCTOBER 2016 | FREE

ARRIVE. SUCCEED. INSPIRE.

THE CHANGING

FACE BUSINESS OF

Sharifa Khan

Publications mail agreement number 40011993

and other experts on the growing diversity of doing business in Canada

LIVE IN CALGARY OR EDMONTON?

Don’t miss the Career, Education & Settlement Immigrant Fair coming to your city

CONTENTS 4

8

FUSION

PROFILE: Branding whiz Shahid Wazed CANADIANA: Land of pumpkins NATIONAL BRIEFS

COVER STORY

The face of Canadian business is evolving because of growing diversity

8

14 SUCCESS STORY

Life, career and leadership coach Miroslav Reljic can help you unlock your potential

16 CAREERS & EDUCATION

Career, Education and Settlement Immigrant Fairs this October CAREER COACH: Be camera ready JOB SEARCH STRATEGIES: Social ‘netiquette’ Winners of the Lilian To Bursaries for Immigrants

22 IMMIGRANT SETTLEMENT GUIDE 23 MONEY & BUSINESS

Small business fair in Surrey

25 CULTURE

Diversity on TV with new show Shoot the Messenger

above Sharifa Khan, president and CEO of Balmoral Multicultural, is a trailblazer in ethnic marketing.

26

29 30

SETTLEMENT

IMMIGRATION LAW: Lost your status?

PARENTING: Get involved in your kids’ school

DRIVING

8 driving tips every newcomer should know

BACK PAGE

HUMOUR BY HEMETERIO NATION OF IMMIGRANTS: A visual storytelling series

“Canada was built by citizen immigrants, people who come here permanently with their families to become Canadians.”

- Hon. John McCallum, MP

Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

Regulated Immigration Consultant Program Available Online

For more information, contact an admissions officer at (604) 628-5784 or 1(844) 628-5784 or apply online today.

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canadianimmigrant.ca

October 2016

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FUSION

People. News. Information.

VOLUME 13, ISSUE 10 OCTOBER 2016 Group Publishers Gautam Datt Sharma Sanjay Agnihotri

profile

Editor Margaret Jetelina mjetelina@metroland.com Senior Editor Baisakhi Roy broy@metroland.com

Shahid

Wazed

Editorial Design Terry Lankstead, Anne Nawrocka Courtland Shakespeare Digital Media Developer Kamil Mytnik

Branding whiz

Advertising Sales Sr. Ad Manager (B.C. and Alberta) Alla Gordeeva alla@canadianimmigrant.ca Tel: 778 558 3397 Sr. Ad Manager (Toronto) Ricky (Kawaljit) Bajaj rbajaj@metroland.com Tel: 905 273 8170 National Sales Manager Varun Munjal vmunjal@metroland.com Tel: 905 273 8169 Sales, Events & Marketing Coordinator Laura Jackman ljackman@metroland.com General Inquiries: info@canadianimmigrant.ca Circulation/Distribution Inquiries: ljackman@metroland.com ISSN 1910-4146

Subscription rate in Canada: $47.99 plus HST for 12 issues Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher

Publications mail agreement number: 40065097 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: 3145 Wolfedale Road Mississauga, Ontario, L5C 3A9 Printed on recycled paper.

Toronto Circulation 50,000 copies Vancouver Circulation 30,000 copies Calgary Circulation 3,000 copies Canadian Immigrant is published monthly and distributed free throughout Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto. Canadian Immigrant welcomes submissions, but is not responsiblefor unsolicited material.

Canadian Immigrant is a publication of Metroland Media Group, a division of Toronto Star Newspapers Limited.

Entire contents property of Canadian Immigrant.

canadianimmigrant.ca TORONTO 3145 Wolfedale Road, Mississauga Ontario, L5C 3A9 Tel: 905 273 8111, Fax: 905 277 9917

By Margaret Jetelina

I

t was just 13 years ago that a young Shahid Wazed came to Canada from Malaysia. He studied for his master’s degree in electronic commerce at Dalhousie University in Halifax, where he mastered internet marketing for recruiting top talent.

Wazed has been in Edmonton now for four years, and has established himself as a go-to expert on recruitment, personal branding and social media. In addition to working with the City of Edmonton, he’s a soughtafter speaker and the founder of the Personal Branding Summit coming up on May 26, 2017, in Toronto.

What has your immigrant experience been like?

Mixed. There are a lot of good people in Canada, which is great.

Also, there is discrimination. To move past discrimination, I had to establish myself as an expert in my field and that helped me get the opportunities that I get today.

What’s your role with the City of Edmonton?

My role is around developing strategies to recruit top talent from various social media platforms. I also take care of recruit-

above Shahid Wazed will share his expertise as keynote speaker at the Career, Education and Settlement Immigrant Fair in Edmonton, Oct. 19, 2016, at the Shaw Conference Centre. ment advertising channels and various recruitment projects that are often the first of their kind in Canada, such as mobile apply and hiring manager podcasts.

How did you become an expert in social media so to speak?

By learning the use of social media for a defined purpose since 2010 and that involves countless hours of reading, going to multiple conferences, and putting the knowledge learned into practice every day.

What excites you about it?

People engagement and the speed. One’s career can literally change within a few seconds because someone (i.e., a recruiter or a business partner) reached out through social media.

What is the future of social media? Will it become more and more important?

The world of social media will become noisier. On the other hand, in-person engagement will become more and more important with social media serving as a vehicle to create those inperson moments. For example, use social media to set up a cof-

fee meeting with a recruiter or a hiring manager or even an influencer in your city!

What is the best social media tool for professionals?

LinkedIn is still the most popular social media platform for professionals to connect with each other to create opportunities.

How can professionals make the most of it?

Pick your topic, work on becoming an expert on that topic and then amplify your expertise through the use of social media.

Go create some noise — but only after you know what you’re talking about!

Becoming a paid speaker is something that many people dream of. How did you do it?

Picking a topic, becoming an expert in that topic, and then speaking for free when starting out. Once I became known for my topic, I then started charging for my time on the stage.

I speak throughout Canada and the U.S.A. And most recently I travelled to Australia for a speaking engagement, which was great!

Register to hear Shahid Wazed speak at canadianimmigrant.ca/careerfair/edmonton.

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B.C.—ISSofBC in partnership with the Province of British Columbia have created an online Refugee Readiness Hub: refugeehub.issbc.org. The hub’s aim is to assist and empower individuals and refugee-serving organizations to help in the resettlement process.

Canadiana

Alberta —Despite the economic downturn in this province, more rural areas of Alberta are struggling with finding workers

Land of the great pumpkin There’s more to pumpkin season than pumpkin spice lattes! Pumpkins are said to have originated in North America, and, historically, Aboriginal people used them as a food source long before the arrival of European explorers. Today, they are a symbol of autumn, including October’s two main holidays: Thanksgiving and Halloween.

Throughout the month of October, you can even tour a pumpkin patch — a great place to spend an afternoon with your children. Pumpkin patches often feature hay rides and corn mazes, but the highlight is choosing your perfect pumpkin to carve as a jack-o-lantern for Halloween, or simply to eat (pumpkin pie and roasted pumpkin seeds are Canadian seasonal favourites). One tip: wear rubber boots!

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October 2016

Ontario—Ontario has launched a new online application process for the Entrepreneur stream of its Immigrant Nominee Program. Applicants can now register an expression of interest (EOI) via the Ontario provincial government website.

Canada a leader in refugee crisis Communities across Canada will be welcoming more Syrian refugees this fall. Approximately 6,000 more governmentsupported Syrian refugees will arrive by the end of December 2016, along with privately sponsored refugees whose cases have been fi nalized.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister John McCallum was in New York in September at the time of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), for meetings focused on the global refugee and migrant crisis. Minister McCallum delivered the plenary address for Canada in the High-Level Meeting on Refugees and Migrants and participated in a roundtable

discussion on how nations can work together on this issue.

“The world is currently facing a serious refugee crisis — so many people are in need of protection, and so many countries are affected by the situation,” said McCallum. “These meetings in New York have reinforced the need for leaders to act quickly, to fully understand the causes of the crises and to work together on a sustainable response.”

On the margins of UNGA, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development launched the International Migration Outlook 2016, which cites Canada as a global leader in refugee resettlement.

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and have called for more immigration, including for temporary workers, in recent consultations with federal Minister of Immigration John McCallum.

This country didn’t happen by accident.

And it won’t continue without effort.

When we think about [immigrant] integration and success, we can’t be overly impatient.”

— Prime Minister Justin Trudeau facebook.com/canimmigrant

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COVER STORY

The

of

Canadian

BUSINESS

By Baisakhi Roy

T

he changing (read diverse) face of the Canadian population has made it imperative for companies, big and small, to pay attention to ethnic markets, diverse work environments and an inclusive method of getting things done. Canadian Immigrant spoke to top influencers, including Balmoral Multicultural’s Sharifa Khan, about why diversity is good for business, and how corporate Canada needs to walk the talk when it comes to inclusion.

Ethnic marketing trailblazer “You are a woman and you are in the minority.” These words resonated deeply with Khan, Balmoral Multicultural’s president and CEO. The Hong Kong-born trailblazer in the field of ethnic marketing was an ambitious 20-something working with the Ontario Editorial Bureau (OEB) in Toronto when her boss told her she would have to work harder and smarter to make it in the marketing and public relations field. He advised her to work while pursuing her university degree so that she could go up the corporate ladder faster.

“It was the best decision I made,” says Khan, an RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant (2013). “At that time, you could count on your fi ngers the number of high-level marketing professionals and they were all white and male. It took me six years to complete a fouryear degree, but I worked hard at my job and by the end of the 10th year at OEB, I was a shareholder there,” says Khan with her characteristic ebullience.

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Khan went on to set up Balmoral in 1989, originally a PR firm that today has become one of the top full-service integrated multicultural marketing firms in the country. Balmoral assists big-name clients like Clorox, Chatr and Fido, among others, to capture the growing ethnic markets in Canada. Khan had a catchy motto to guide Balmoral’s efforts, “Pulse on the beat and feet on the street” and that’s exactly how she fostered her company’s evolution into an ethnic marketing powerhouse. “I literally went knocking on the doors of ethnic newspapers, seeking an audience with them, learning about the market and trying to tap into the great potential that this market holds,” she says.

Building the business case Khan first recognized the business potential of ethnic markets during the wave of Chinese and South Asian immigrants to Canada in the 1980s. She not only introduced the concept of ethnic marketing at OEB, at a time when it was practically unheard of, but was also up for any challenges that came her way. “I was fearless. I saw the potential in this market,” she says.

Today, the statistics prove her right. Statistics Canada forecasts that 63 per cent of the population in Toronto and 59 per cent in Vancouver will belong to a visible minority group by 2031. And, according to a Neilsen study, while mainstream growth has remained flat, ethnic consumers have grown — it is estimated >>

facebook.com/canimmigrant

above Sharifa Khan, president and CEO of Balmoral Multicultural, is a trailblazer in ethnic marketing.

Photo by Saajid Motala

Canada’s population is increasingly diverse, and the business world is adapting its marketing and staffing strategies — slowly perhaps, but surely twitter.com/@canimmigrant

canadianimmigrant.ca

October 2016

9

COVER STORY

Photo by Darren Greenwood left Chandran Fernando, CEO, Matrix Search Group in Toronto, champions inclusion in recruitment. right Christians Izquierdo, CEO of DevFacto Technologies, will be speaking at the Career, Education and Settlement Immigrant Fair in Edmonton on Oct. 19, 2016. << that ethnic consumers will bring in an annual consumption of $42 billion in Canada.

“Statistics have proven that companies can no longer ignore this group,” says Khan. “[As marketers], we have to service our clients well, educate them about what the consumer needs and wants, show them results in terms of returns and revenue, build a business case for clients, and have enough information and stats to convince them to spend their budgets wisely,” Khan says.

Balmoral’s strategy and Khan’s vision have led to some pretty path-breaking work. “To give you an example: cleaning products. A lot of people who come to Canada are not accustomed to cleaning their homes by themselves because they have help. But, here, since they have to do everything by themselves, from cleaning the oven top to waxing their wooden floors, the challenge is to educate the consumer about these products and also educate the client on how best to market their products to a certain group of people. Our association with Clorox is an example of creating a successful relationship between ethnic consumers and ‘mainstream’ products,” she says.

Khan feels that there’s still a long road ahead, however. “Someone at the top has to be confident in taking this step forward; they have to think that tapping into ethnic markets will bring in more business,” says Khan. “It’s ultimately good for business … But if you don’t have champions in large corporations who see the light, then it gets difficult,” says Khan.

Championing inclusion This viewpoint is echoed by Chandran Fernando, CEO and founder of Matrix Search Group, a top recruitment firm, specializing in real estate and property management, based in Toronto. Beyond sim-

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ply marketing to ethnic communities, the South Asian immigrant says the conversation at the top needs to be about inclusion in staffing. After all, diverse staff can help give companies new ideas and perspectives on how to reach diverse clientele.

“We need to stop being politically correct and actually discuss the issue of inclusion. We need to ask ourselves, ‘Am I comfortable with an ethnic minority?’ ‘Am I making an effort to understand the cultural nuances of my employees?’ Corporate boardrooms need to make an effort to understand these subtleties,” says Fernando, an RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant (2016).

“Frankly, though, I haven’t seen much change in the corporate boardroom in the past decade. You may see some diversity in entrylevel and middle-management positions, but senior and executive positions are still dominated by white males.”

Diversity at the top has certainly benefited Edmonton’s DevFacto Technologies, one of Western Canada’s leaders for process integration on Microsoft and Apple platforms for the government, energy, mining and construction industries. Cuban-born Christians Izquierdo set up the company after immigrating to Canada in 1999. Along with his co-founder, Canadian-born David Cronin, Izquierdo learned an early lesson in diversity when they quickly realized that their different backgrounds (and, in turn, vision, opinion and perspective) gave DevFacto a business and a creative advantage in the IT sector.

“Companies risk being left behind and being blocked from accessing the best talent available in the market if they continue to suffer from the ‘Middle-age White Male Syndrome’ and don’t quickly embrace diversity. It is imperative for businesses to focus on creating a diverse and inclusive company that everyone can feel a part of and, more importantly, that everyone can feel they belong to,” says >> facebook.com/canimmigrant

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COVER STORY

<< Izquierdo, an RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant (2016), who will be speaking on success in business and Canada at the Career, Education and Settlement Immigrant Fair in Edmonton on Oct. 19, 2016, at the Shaw Conference Centre.

“About 60 per cent of our employees were born outside of Canada.

Our industry is employee-driven and a successful business is the one that can attract and hold on to its highly skilled and trained team members. Thus, it is of utmost importance to build a happy, engaging and exciting workplace that will attract talent from around the world.”

Evolving ideas Big and small companies alike are certainly waking up to the importance of diversity and are looking to marketing experts like Khan and recruitment experts like Fernando to move away from cookie-cutter strategies when it comes to reaching and employing the ethnic market.

Our business performance grows when our people are valued and engaged.”

— Sayma Hai According to a Deloitte study from 2014, Diversity and Inclusion in Canada — The Current State, more than 40 per cent of Canadian companies have begun to “understand the value of a diverse workforce, and has taken initial steps to engage diverse employees in talent and business initiatives; employees feel like diverse opinions are valued.”

This is an encouraging statistic, but the percentage of companies that believes that diversity is a problem is in double digits (24 per cent), indicating that Canadian companies still have a long way to go in becoming truly diverse.

“Building an inclusive workplace where employees feel comfortable to bring their whole self to work is now table stakes,” says Sayma Hai, diversity and engagement manager for PepsiCo Foods Canada, which was named one of Canada’s best diversity employers of 2016 for incorporating diversity and engagement training into several of its HR procedures. “Our business performance grows when our people are valued and engaged. Our people are our best competitive advantage.”

Bangladeshi-born Hai adds: “We have chosen to set ourselves apart by focusing on being a company that values individual and collective rights, freedoms and the unique strengths and abilities of our key stakeholders — our employees, customers and the [diverse] communities we live in.”

Sharifa Khan agrees: “Customer service is definitely enhanced when the employees are diverse — they understand different cultures and ways of thinking about the company’s products or services.”

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C

CAREER

EDUCATION & SETTLEMENT

FAIR IMMIGRANT

CALGARY October 17, 2016 Calgary Telus Convention Centre 120 9 Ave. SW

EDMONTON October 19, 2016 Shaw Conference Centre 9797 Jasper Ave

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EDMONTON HIGHLIGHTS SHAHID WAZED How to Build Yourself to Brand Yourself

MIROSLAV RELJIC A.C.T. for Success

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Want to take part in our fairs as an exhibitor or sponsor? Contact us!

Pre-register for our fairs today at:

Toronto, Halifax Ricky Bajaj Tel: 905-273-8170 Email: rbajaj@metroland.com

www.canadianimmigrant.ca/careerfair

Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton & Winnipeg Alla Gordeeva Tel: 778-558-3397 Email: alla@canadianimmigrant.ca

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

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SUCCESS STORY

UNLOCK YOUR

By Margaret Jetelina

Photo by Jose Soriano

W

hat inspires Miroslav Reljic to want to empower people as CEO of his own leadership coaching business, Reljic Coached, in Calgary? It could be a result of being raised by a schoolteacher in Croatia who taught him about compassion and helping others. Add to that the experience of surviving a brutal civil war. “I had a great childhood. My parents never talked about us being Serbs. It didn’t really matter,” says Reljic. But when the war broke out in 1991, his life changed fast. “Families were separated, and best friends became their worst enemies.”

On Aug. 5, 1995, at 5 o’clock in the morning, Reljic’s family and 200,000 other Serbian people were forced to leave Croatia. “The only possessions I had when I left Croatia were flip flops, a T-shirt, shorts and the family album,” he says. “We lost everything, but we were grateful that we survived.”

By 1995, Reljic was studying economics at university first in Kosovo, then in Serbia. “I excelled in my studies and I won the prestigious Serbian National Railway scholarship that paid for my tuition and living expenses.”

While working hard at his studies until 1999 in an era of continuing unrest, Reljic also worked diligently at something else: trying to migrate to Canada, where his sister had moved in 1996.

“Once a week, I would mail an application to the Canadian embassy in Belgrade, which over four years amounted to more than 200 letters,” he says.

“My persistence paid off when in June 1999 I was accepted as a refugee into Canada,” he says. His Canadian destination was Calgary where his sister lived. But when he first landed in Montreal on June 14, 1999, a jet-lagged Reljic mistakenly boarded a connecting flight to Halifax.

“Minutes before the takeoff, I said to a fellow passenger with a big smile: ‘Calgary?’ and he replied with surprise: ‘No, Halifax!’ I took my carry-on and I ran as quickly as I could to catch the flight to Calgary.”

His sister helped him in his initial settlement, and referred him to Calgary Catholic Immigration Society and Immigrant Services Calgary for help. “I spoke limited English, a few words such as ‘Hi’ and ‘Bye.’ It was frustrating because I couldn’t express myself. However, I was adamant to learn English and go back to school and finish my economics studies.”

He found a couple of survival jobs, including one cleaning offices.

“I remember cleaning offices on the 26th floor at the Bow Valley Square downtown and I told myself that within five years I will be working in an office like this.”

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That’s Miroslav Reljic’s mission His prediction was almost spot on. After graduating with a bachelor’s in economics in 2004 from the University of Calgary, he got his fi rst office job in 2005. For a dozen years, he worked as a business analyst, trainer and management consultant for oil and gas companies, before he turned to coaching full time, helping other professionals who are transitioning in their careers or are dealing with leadership challenges. “In my work, I learned that if there is one thing that is certain, it is that there will always be change,” he says. “And the people best-equipped to respond to change, particularly in an economic downturn like we currently have in Alberta, are the ones who continually update and diversify their relevant skills and think ahead of others.”

Reljic himself updated his own skills with a diploma in coaching through the University of Cambridge in the U.K. “Education is an important personal investment that has helped me open facebook.com/canimmigrant

POTENTIAL

as a life, career and leadership coach in Calgary many doors over the years,” he says.

Today, in his leadership and career workshops, and one-onone coaching, he encourages his clients to build their resilience.

“Building your resilience in a market like this is very important and that’s achieved by reflecting and understanding your own strengths and weaknesses.”

He shares this message with other newcomers as well, volunteering at organizations like Immigrant Services Calgary that had helped him upon his arrival. “For many newcomers, immigrating to Canada was their long-term goal. However, once they arrive, they sometimes overlook creating new long-term goals and fall into a trap of just surviving,” he says. “It is important to write down your

new long-term goals and make them measurable with a set of shortterm goals. Then celebrate your achievements, but also be ready to learn from your failures.”

Reljic is clearly passionate about coaching others, be it recent arrivals or high-level global executives. “My life purpose is to help others unlock their full potential so they can reach their goals and increase their performance at the individual, team and organizational level,” he says.

“My personal goal is to become Canada’s top leadership and career coach within the next five years and for my coaching company Reljic Coached to become a recognized brand in life, leadership and career coaching.”

Miroslav Reljic is the keynote speaker at the Career, Education and Settlement Immigrant Fair in Calgary on Oct. 17, 2016. Register for the free fair at canadianimmigrant.ca/careerfair/calgary. twitter.com/@canimmigrant

canadianimmigrant.ca

October 2016

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CAREERS & EDUCATION

Learn, connect and engage Don’t miss the free Career, Education and Settlement Immigrant Fair coming to Calgary and Edmonton

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hat makes our Career, Education and Settlement Immigrant Fair so powerful for newcomers to Canada? We not only have a diversity of exhibitors on our tradeshow floor, but also a hands-on Resumé Clinic and an inspirational speakers’ program with top-notch experts sharing their strategies for success in Canada. Free admission for all!

Here’s a peek at our Alberta fairs this October. Register today via canadianimmigrant.ca/ careerfair.

CALGARY Our third annual Calgary Career, Education and Settlement Immigrant Fair is coming back to the Telus Convention Centre (South Building, MacLeod Hall, 120 9th Ave SE) on Monday, Oct. 17, 2016, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The tradeshow will be in the main hall, with two rooms of workshops, plus a Citizenship Ceremony onsite!

Speakers’ workshops include: • Prepare Better with Road to IELTS by Dr. Kristjan Seferaj • Keynote: A.C.T. for Success

by Miroslav Reljic (see his “Success Story” on page 14) • How to Become a CPA in Canada by Sonya von Heyking, University of Lethbridge CPA

bridging program • Economic Immigration and Express Entry by Dean Jorgensen of IRCC • English Pronunciation for Success by Catherine Steele • Start a Small Business Q & A Panel with Irfanali Moledina, Ghalib Abdulla • “Work Your Elevator Speech” Networking Session facilitated with help from Toastmasters Calgary

EDMONTON Our fi rst annual Edmonton Career, Education and Settlement Immigrant Fair is coming to the Shaw Conference Centre (9797 Jasper Ave.) on Wednesday, Oct.19, 2016, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Speakers’ workshops include: • The Freedom to Succeed on Your Own Terms with Christians Izquierdo, CEO of DevFacto Technologies • How to Build Yourself to Brand Yourself with Shahid Wazed (see his “Profi le” on page 4) • Economic Immigration and Express Entry with Dean Jorgensen of IRCC • English Pronunciation for Success with Catherine Steele • “Work Your Elevator Speech” Networking Session with Manwar Khan

See details about our speakers’ lineup for our Vancouver fair on Nov. 16 at canadianimmigrant.ca/ careerfair/Vancouver/sessions. facebook.com/canimmigrant

CAREERS & EDUCATION CAREER COACH

Camera ready 8 effective ways to master the video interview Tips: • Put adequate lights in front of you to brighten your face.

• Also, put extra lights behind you for backlighting to avoid a flattened look or dark shadows behind your head.

M

ore and more organizations are using video services like Skype, Google Hangouts and JoinMe not only for business meetings, but also to interview job candidates. This allows them to save time and screen candidates faster versus bringing them in for a face-to-face interview.

Now, in addition to all the normal preparation you would do for an in-person interview, you also must prepare for being on camera, which has its own etiquette and pitfalls. Doing well in video interviews will take some extra effort and understanding of the platform.

Here are eight important suggestions and tips to impress a potential employer while in front of a camera.

1

Be comfortable

Pick the device you are at ease with. It could be your laptop, tablet or even your smartphone. If you’re unsure, do some mock interviews beforehand to check each out.

Tips: • To avoid technical difficulties on the day of the interview, make sure that you set up the device beforehand.

• When the interview is over, make sure you end the call.

2

Be focused

Frame your face so you make direct eye contact. Check your image on the desktop, laptop, tablet or smart phone. Ensure that your face is centered on the screen with a straight sight line between your eyes and the camera.

Tips: • Look directly into the camera, not the screen, as you talk.

• When others talk, it’s fine to look at them on your screen.

• Move your video chat window near your camera on your computer so you can look at both together.

3

Be calm

4

Be bright

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Select a simple, quiet and tidy setting, and avoid all distractions.

Tips: • Make sure the desk in front of you or behind is organized.

• If sitting in an open area, ensure there is no movement around.

• Typing during the meeting could be disruptive so it is better to keep a pen and paper handy to jot down notes.

Set up a bright scene with good, plentiful lighting. This can be more important than you realize. You can even test your setup with someone before the video interview.

October 2016

5

Be sharp

6

Be succinct

7

Be relaxed

8

Be yourself

Always dress for success. Take the time to dress as if you were meeting in person.

Tips: • Dress appropriately and professionally from head to toe.

• Wear clothes or suits in solid colours; avoid busy designs and patterns.

• Minimize accessories and portray a natural look that stays consistent to the company culture.

Stay to the point, speak in a friendly voice and try to have a conversation as you would in an in-person interview. Keep in mind that you need to get both right in a video interview — how you look and what you say.

Tips: • Timing is everything. Avoid talking over your interviewer especially if there’s a slight time lag because of the online connection.

• Wait until you’re sure they have finished speaking. And take it slowly; don’t rush your words.

If you aren’t used to being on camera, it can be a little overwhelming in the beginning, so just stay relaxed. Nothing can be more endearing and engaging that watching a person speak honestly and authentically about what he or she is passionate about.

Tips: • If you are in a group interview, just focus on the one person interviewing you.

• If you find it overwhelming, don’t hesitate to ask for a time out. If you find yourself with a case of serious nerves, take a moment and ask for a break to collect yourself.

It’s OK if you slip up; don’t let one mistake throw you off. If you started off responding to an interview question and would like to correct yourself, do so and restate your answer. They will appreciate your honesty and willingness to admit your error.

Tips: • Do your research and practise often. Feeling assured on-screen requires practice.

• Switch on your camera and watch yourself talk the talk.

• Have a glass of water ready — speaking is thirsty work.

• Be yourself. Who else are you going to be?

Murali Murthy is an acclaimed public speaker, mentor and best-selling author of the ACE Books — The ACE Principle, The ACE Awakening and The ACE Abundance.

He is also chairperson of CAMP Networking Canada.

Learn more at ACEWorldFoundation.com. facebook.com/canimmigrant

CAREERS & EDUCATION J O B S E A R C H S T R AT E G I E S

Social ‘netiquette’

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Be mindful of what, how and where you post on social media

here are many reasons why learning how to use social media properly may enhance your career potential. It can help land you a job. Social media co-ordinator is now a job in itself! And it is increasingly part of your expected functions in jobs such as office assistant, IT support, marketing specialist or even manager!

Indeed, it is unusual to find a company or organization these days that doesn’t have a website, Facebook page or Twitter account. Someone has to keep these things going, and having an employee who can do this is an asset for any business.

Rules of netiquette Using social media properly is not always easy, however. Knowing what to post, when and where, and choosing the right words, pictures or videos, is a valuable online skill — and it all needs to be guided by a good sense of “netiquette,” manners for the digital age.

Whatever social media tool you are using, here are some basic rules: • Use proper grammar, spelling and casing (UPPERCASE IMPLIES YELLING!).

• Learn about copyright, and use images, videos, quotes and links properly.

• Do not use social media to vent your anger or controversial opinions.

• Do not badmouth others.

• Avoid engaging in social media “fights” or arguments.

• Respect people’s time, privacy and confidentiality (including yours); don’t share names, contact information, photos or any private details from anyone’s life.

• Use language and images that you wouldn’t feel embarrassed to see on the front page of a newspaper; everything you post has the potential to be shared and made public.

• Never post anything in the heat of the moment. Stop and consider the repercussions before you click “post.”

Backlash for breaking the rules If you don’t use social media with care, it can backfire and hurt your reputation, risk your potential job, or even get you fired! Some employers have strict rules about social media use, even outside your working hours.

Argentine-born Silvia Di Blasio is a certified career counsellor and an immigrant herself. With a passion for sustainability, food security and resilient communities, she shares her time and skills through diverse projects including writing, blogging, facilitating workshops, coaching and consulting.

YOUR SKILLS. VOS COMPÉTENCES. YOUR CAREER. VOTRE CARRIÈRE. YOUR FUTURE. VOTRE AVENIR. DISCOVER A CAREER IN CANADA’S MINING INDUSTRY OBTENEZ UN EMPLOI AU SEIN DE L’INDUSTRIE MINIÈRE CANADIENNE

Funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Foreign Credential Recognition program / Projet financé en partie par le gouvernement du Canada, par l’entremise du Programme de reconnaissance des titres de compétences étrangers

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LEARN MORE AT: www.mihr.ca/careers/quiz POUR EN SAVOIR PLUS : www.mihr.ca/fr/carrieres/quiz canadianimmigrant.ca

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CAREERS & EDUCATION

Bursary winners Ashton College has selected four winners for this year’s Lilian To Bursaries for Immigrants

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he recipients of this year’s full-time tuition immigrant bursaries at Vancouver-based Ashton College have been

announced. Elena Todorova, Majid Sajady, Sophia Mata and Mahnoor Nadeem are the four lucky winners of the Lilian To

Bursaries for Immigrants, sponsored by Canadian Immigrant magazine. Here are their stories.

Elena Todorova Elena Todorova came to Canada from Bulgaria with a master’s degree in international economic relations and finance and several years of experience in the banking and accounting sphere. “Both my parents and my brother are accountants, and I always wanted to work in the field,” she says.

Currently, Todorova is working as a bookkeeper, but she realized that she wanted more education in order to stay competitive in the Canadian market. “Bookkeeping in Canada is a little different than in my home country, and I want to better understand how it works.”

When she heard that she was one of the Lilian To bursary winners and she could use it toward Ashton College’s Certificate in Bookkeeping, Todorova was thrilled. “I could not believe it was true! I am very grateful that I was chosen.” above Bursary winner Elena Todorova.

Majid Sajady

above Bursary winner Majid Sajady.

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Majid Sajady, a notary public from Iran with almost 20 years of experience, had a tougher time than Todorova in finding work in his field after immigrating to Canada four years ago.

Unfortunately, coming to Canada meant that he would have to start his career from scratch.

“Because of the difference in the legal system in Iran and Canada, I would have to go through a lengthy re-certification process. So when I heard about the immigration consulting program at Ashton College, I was determined to apply,” he says.

Winning a bursary for his tuition became the ticket to a new life. “I now have an opportunity to learn more about the immigration process in Canada and help other people successfully settle here in the future.”

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Join the Booming Healthcare Industry

above Bursary winner Sophia Mata.

Sophia Mata Like Sajady, Sophia Mata faced starting her career over from scratch. A medical doctor in the Philippines, Mata decided not to pursue the lengthy recertification process in Canada. Instead, she decided to start working with her husband, Giovanni, in his immigration consultancy practice in Vancouver. “Giovanni was actually a Lilian To bursary winner in 2014, and he now has his own immigration practice. So I made a decision to support him in his business, and applied to Ashton College myself to study human resources and help him grow his practice,” she says. “It is amazing that I was also able to win the bursary and jumpstart my career in the HR field.”

          

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Mahnoor Nadeem



Finally, Mahnoor Nadeem will be pursuing a diploma in international business. “Education plays an essential role in the life of a person. My mother’s efforts in making her kids’ lives better brought us to Canada. I want to prove to myself and her that all her hard work paid off,” sayas Nadeem.

Downtown 647.931.5838

Ashton College, in partnership with Canadian Immigrant magazine, has been offering this bursary program for newcomers, named in honour of immigrant settlement crusader Lilian To, since 2005.

“I often hear that Canada is a land of opportunities, and I believe it to be true,” Sajady says.

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North York 647.360.6985

andersoncollege.com Financial Assistance May Be Available to Those Who Qualify Medical Professionals May Qualify for Credits for Prior Learning Robetech Institute Inc. o/a Anderson College of Health, Business and Technology is a Registered Career College under the PCC Act 2005 Not All Programs Are Available At All Campuses

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October 2016

21

Immigrant SETTLEMENT GUIDE For getting your listing included, please call Ricky Bajaj at 416-856-6304 or Johnny Zhang at 416-803-3931

2016

Agency

General Services and Specialty Programs

Brampton Multicultural Centre (BMC)

Not for profit, registered charity providing multilingual and culturally appropriate programs and services for free to help clients enhance their community engagement and social capital while integrating into the Canadian society. Programs: Programs and services include Settlement support , employment readiness workshops, enhancing immigrant community connections through schools and libraries, advocacy and solution-focused counselling, interpretation and translation, volunteer and placement opportunities, mental health support services, seniors and women abuse and engagement services. A unique portfolio of youth programming is also available such as: Youth leadership development, life skills coaching, client-centred counselling, paid internships at various workplaces, gang prevention workshops, one-on-one intervention meetings based on individualized work plans.

Email: services@bmccentre.org www.bmccentre.org

• • • • • •

Find out how to: get the skills you need to find work, including: work experience, resume help, interview techniques, entrepreneurial options and more. We offer: Job Search Workshops Program, Job Find Club for Internationally Trained Individuals, Bridge to HR, Practice Firm, SelfEmployment Pathways for Newcomer and Employment Ontario Employment Services.

Email: info@jobskills.org www.jobskills.org

• English

RISE Program: provide community based, client-centred and holistic supports; mobile case management services for newcomers with mental health challenges within the city of Toronto area; assistance with navigating through the health care, housing, financial, education and employment systems for newcomers with special needs. Specialty Programs: Individual case management support; Information sessions on settlement and mental health related topics; Social recreation activities; Volunteer opportunities; English conversation café; Computer classes; Preparation for citizenship test classes.

Email: rise@madisoncs.org madisoncs.org

• • • •

English Arabic Farsi Amharic

Settlement Services, LINC Classes (level 1-6) with child minding, Counseling, Job search, Citizenship & Immigration, Groups for Youth, Seniors & Women and Volunteering. Specialty Programs: Bridge Training Program for International Mental Health Professionals, Community Engagement Program, Community Mental health Program and Anger management.

Additional locations at Scarborough and Toronto.

Email: northyork@mnlct.org www.mnlct.org

• • • • •

English Spanish Mandarin Bengali Turkish

General services and specialty program: Help small and medium business from starting business with business plans for success: business registration; business planning; corporate problem solving; corporate culture tutoring; legal, politics and social requirements service and assistance for government funding application.

Specialty program: business guide in Canada and Asia countries;enterprise assistant program; free tax services for new comers and seniors.

Email: info@sbsccanada.org www.sbsccanada.org

• English

Community services for cultural and recreational activities, including classic poetry recitation events and Chinese traditional music concerts, with funds collected from its own members; supports for seniors groups for cultural and recreational activities; promotions for cultural exchange with the main stream society and many minorities’ cultural groups.

Email: thomas@nahst.org www.nahst.org

• English • Mandarin • Cantonese

Settlement Services: assist immigrants to integrate and become established and contributing members of Canadian society. English Language Classes are instructor-led, and supported by a computer lab. Job-specific, advanced-level Enhanced Language Training available. Supports to assist in developing the skills needed to find work: resumé/cover letter preparation, interview readiness and information about accreditation, workplace practices, Canadian employer expectations. Other services available.

Email: info@welcomecentre.ca www.welcomecentre.ca

• English

197 County Court Blvd.

Suite 303 Brampton ON L6W 4P6 Phone: 905-790-8482 Fax: 905-874-6100

Job Skills Employment & Business Programs & Supports Locations in Markham, Brampton, Keswick and Newmarket Phone: 1-866-592-6278 Madison Community Services Recovery during Immigration & Settlement (RISE) Program – funded by CIC. 400-210 Dundas St. W Toronto, On M5G 2E8 Phone: 416-977-1333 x 119 madisoncs.org/programsservices/cic-rise-program/ Mennonite New Life Centre of Toronto 2737 Keele Street North York ON M3M 2E9 Phone: 647-776-2057 Multinational Small & Medium Business Community Center (MSMBCC) 211 Consumers Road, Suite 300, North York, M2J 4G8 Phone: 647-343-8288 The National Association of Humanity Science and Technology (NAHST) 4675 Steeles Ave. E Unit 2D22 Toronto On M1V 4S5 Or: 3-2375 Brimley Rd. Unit 351 Toronto ON M1S 3L6 Welcome Centre Immigrant Services 7 Locations in York and Durham Regions Phone: 1-877-761-1155

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Languages

English • Arabic Farsi • French Gujarati • Hindi Punjabi • Spanish Tamil • Urdu Tagalog (Filipino)

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MONEY & BUSINESS

Immigrants in business Upcoming entrepreneur fair in Surrey, B.C., aims to help business-minded newcomers

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anzanian-born Shelina Mawani, owner of Nana’s Kitchen in Surrey, B.C., comes from an immigrant family who struggled with their first years of settling in Canada. “I remember leaving Africa with the hope and promise of a better life for me and my family,” she says. Fast forward to today, Mawani’s successful business, Nana’s Kitchen, produces comfort foods with a global taste, serving flavourful, ready-to-eat items for food service and grocery retail customers across Canada and the U.S.A. Many immigrants turn to entrepreneurship after immigrating to Canada, and the upcoming Immigrant Entrepreneur and Small Business Fair on Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016, hosted by DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society, is meant to support such aspiring immigrant and refugee entrepreneurs.

There can be many barriers as an immigrant entrepreneur. Without the proper network and support, a business idea will only be that — an idea.

For an immigrant, it’s important to do the research, figure out the financials and know the right people. Mawani lays out three tips that can increase your chance of success in business in Canada.

Tip 1: Embrace Canada as your home. This country has provided opportunities and experiences that we are privileged to receive.

Although our heritage is global, our hearts and minds must become Canadian.

Tip 2: Remember your past, but focus on your new identity. Reach

for new foods, new friends, new values and new experiences that can help you to grow.

Tip 3: Expand your circle of influence. Don’t isolate yourself in

communities that only speak your home language or share a common view of the past. Speak many languages, try on many other cultures and respectfully use English as your first language wherever possible.

Mawani will be sharing more insights on Oct. 19, 2016, at the DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society’s annual Immigrant Entrepreneur and Small Business Fair at SFU Surrey (Mezzanine), from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. This free event brings together knowledgeable business professionals like Mawani as they share their challenges, triumphs and tips of starting a business in Canada. Participate in the featured dialogue and gain valuable feedback in business growth, trends in the economy and keys to success as an immigrant business owner.

For more information about the fair, contact John Suyte at jsuyte@ dcrs.ca or visit dcrs.ca/jobs.

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Visit www.accesemployment.ca or call us at 416-921-1800. twitter.com/@canimmigrant

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AMBITION

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CULTURE

Diversity comes to TV With new Canadian drama series Shoot the Messenger “My Shoot the Messenger character, Kevin Lutz, is a complex man.

The role attracted me because it allowed me to show the intricacies of an intimate relationship complicated by professional conflict,” says Bent, who moved to Canada when he was five years old, and has appeared in Rookie Blue, Book of Negroes and Sutherland and Holness’ fi lm Home Again.

“As an immigrant actor, my initial roles were somewhat stereotypical and so I am always eager to participate in a project that presents real characters who will appeal to a diverse audience.”

Somalian-born Canadian actress Shadia Ali also appears in Shoot the Messenger. She plays Xannan Suleman, a 19-year-old Somali girl pulled into a dangerous web by the bonds of family and love.

“Xannan is a smart and fiercely loyal character who is striving for a better future. The role provides a unique and an authentic voice for a young immigrant woman who is trying to create a future for herself in a new country,” says Ali. “I can relate to Xannan as a character personally because we share a similar experience of coming to Canada with your family and all the struggles of adjusting to a new culture.

“As an immigrant actor in Canada, I’m constantly fighting against stereotypes and other people’s image or expectation of what I am.

Through those challenges I learned what I am capable of, the undeniable inner strength and persistence it takes as a refugee to overcome it all to follow your dreams. I am thankful to have an opportunity to do my part in reflecting Canada’s diversity [on television].”

above Jamaican-born Lyriq Bent and Elyse Levesque in a scene from Shoot the Messenger.

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ward-winning executive producers Sudz Sutherland and Jennifer Holness, the Jamaican-born husband-and-wife team behind fi lms like Home Again and Operation Red Dog: Bayou of Pigs, have a new drama series, Shoot the Messenger, premiering on Oct. 10 on CBC. Known for tackling cross-cultural subjects, Sutherland and Holness’ newest creation, set in Toronto, features a diverse cast and complex themes — immigrants finding space within the larger Canadian society an underlying one.

“My experience as an immigrant has made me more passionate about telling diverse stories,” says Holness, although she started school in Canada in Grade 1 and today doesn’t usually think of herself as an immigrant. “[But] I’d like to think it’s made me more sensitive toward writing diverse characters that are authentic, fully developed and believable, whether good or evil to the bone! ” Shoot the Messenger follows Daisy Channing (played by Elyse Levesque), a reporter who witnesses a murder she thinks is gangrelated, only to find herself slowly drawn into an interconnected web of criminal and illicit activity that reaches into the corridors of corporate and political power.

Daisy, her editor, co-worker and lead homicide detective Frank Lutz (played by Jamaican-born Lyriq Bent) pull at the threads of a cover up that becomes more complicated the more they unravel.

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SETTLEMENT I M M I G R AT I O N L AW

Lost your status?

How to restore it if you’re still in Canada after your temporary visa or permit expires

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here are many ways that people who come to Canada legally can suddenly find themselves here without valid status. Some may simply forget to submit applications to extend their status prior to the end of the period of their authorized stay. Others may submit their extension applications on time only to have Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) later refuse or reject their applications for being incomplete, leaving them without status.

While Canadian immigration law provides some options to regain valid temporary resident status in Canada, it is important that foreign nationals understand the risks associated with each.

Leaving Canada and re-entering The first, and arguably the riskiest, way that a foreign national can regain legal status in Canada is to exit Canada and re-enter under a new application. Anyone who does this will need to satisfy the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) that they will leave Canada by the end of their authorized stay, which can be tricky if the person has previously overstayed. As well, if the foreign national wants to work or study, then they will need to demonstrate to CBSA that they are eligible to do so.

Restoration of status For many, exiting Canada and re-entering is simply too risky or too expensive. Luckily, Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations provide that if a visitor, worker or student loses their status in Canada, they can apply to restore their status within 90 days of their status expiring.

Restoration applications must be submitted either online or by mail to IRCC. Restoration applications cannot be submitted while entering Canada at a Canadian port of entry.

It is vital that foreign nationals submit their restoration applications within the 90-day period after their temporary resident status expires. Failing to do so will automatically result in it being refused.

For those who lose status because IRCC refused their temporary residence extension application, the 90-day window to apply for restoration starts on the date that IRCC refuses the extension application, rather than the day that the applicant receives the decision. Although this may seem unfair to those who lose time due to postage delays, the Federal Court has held that this rule even applies where there is a 90-day delay between IRCC refusing an application and the applicant receiving the decision.

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info@ccnm.edu www.ccnm.edu

Continuing your medical career in Canada

The Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine Educating naturopathic doctors for almost 40 years

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SETTLEMENT

Finally, it is important to note that students cannot study during the restoration period, and foreign workers cannot work.

Removal and restoration Many people are under the mistaken assumption that the 90-day restoration window provides a grace period from removal. Th is is not the case, as highlighted by a July 2016 Federal Court decision called Ouedraogo v. Canada. There, the court explicitly determined that removal and restoration can operate in parallel, and that there was nothing prohibiting the CBSA from removing people during the 90-day restoration window if they had not yet applied for restoration.

The issue of whether CBSA can remove people from Canada after they have applied for restoration is more contentious. Practically speaking, once a restoration application is submitted, it is very rare for CBSA to issue a removal order against a foreign national despite them being in Canada without status. Where they have done so, the Federal Court has typically quashed the removal order and declared it invalid.

In any event, people who wish to apply for restoration of status need to do so with the understanding that at any point during the 90-day window to apply for restoration, or even possibly when their restoration is in process, the possibility exists that they can still be removed from Canada.

Temporary resident permits It is difficult for people who have remained in Canada for more than 90 days beyond the expiry of their temporary resident permits and visas to regain legal status. Such individuals may apply for permanent residence either by being sponsored by a Canadian through the spouse or common-law partner in Canada class, or by submitting an application for permanent residence on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.

It is even more difficult to regain temporary resident status. The situation must be exceptional, and simply remaining in Canada for more than 90 days beyond the expiry of temporary resident status will not automatically lead to such a permit being granted.

Best option Of course, the best option is to simply not lose temporary resident status in the first place. As such, it is important to keep track of when permits expire, to ensure that extension applications are complete, and to proactively move toward being eligible for any extensions. The most common reason why people fall out of status is because they start the process too late.

Steven Meurrens is an immigration lawyer with Larlee Rosenberg in Vancouver. Contact him at 604-681-9887, by email at steven.meurrens@larlee.com or visit his blog at smeurrens.com.

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780-424-8171 ext 2235 tony.kwan@sunlife.com www.sunlife.ca/tony.kwan 10303 Jasper Avenue, Suite 2928 Edmonton, AB T5J 3N6

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SETTLEMENT PARENTING

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he idea of getting involved in your children’s school can seem daunting for many immigrant parents. However, there are many benefits when parents take a more active role in their children’s education.

Barriers and benefits For those who are new to Canada, however, the concept of school involvement might seem like a foreign concept. Be it cultural differences, inability to communicate in English, unfamiliarity with the Canadian school system or negative past experiences, many newcomers feel uncomfortable with approaching teachers and school staff.

Many also worry that they might not be welcomed by the school or may face negativity and criticism. Further, many families say that they are just too busy or have conflicting work schedules to help out.

Studies have shown that parents have the greatest and most

Head to class Newcomer parents should not fear getting involved at their children’s school reduces student absenteeism, improves academic achievement and encourages them to make better life choices.

Ways to participate

influential role in their children’s success. Parental involvement

Taking an active role in your children’s schooling does not necessarily require much time, effort or money. Start small and be creative about how to get involved in ways that work for your availability and comfort level.

Cheryl Song, an immigrant from Malaysia, has more than 10 years’ experience of working in childhood education and family programs.

Start at home, by regularly helping your child with their homework and monitoring their progress. But understand that report cards are not the only measure of children’s achievement. Find out about their overall school experience, including their friends, classmates and teachers. Most importantly, keep an open line of communication between yourself, your kids and their teachers, be it in the form of in-person communication, written notes or emails.

Find ways to be an active parent in school. Attend school meetings and events, and consider volunteering at the school.

Some possibilities include joining the parent advisory council, helping organize school events or fundraising, or volunteering for hot lunch day or field trips.

Keep in mind that there are settlement or multicultural workers and translators in school to support immigrant families, so don’t hesitate to reach out to them when you need.

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DRIVING

Canadian driving tips 8 things newcomers need to know that leads to injury or death, you could even be charged criminally. So, if you are going to drink (or take any narcotics), find alternate transportation. Have a designated driver.

Take a taxi or bus. Walk.

5

Don’t text! These days, texting and cell phone use while driving are causing a lot of problems and accidents on the road.

If caught by a police officer, you will get a ticket. Hands-free calling is allowed, but it can still be distracting while driving, so be careful! Best to leave your chat for later.

6

Stay in the right lane. In most cases, especially on highways, the left lane is for passing only. Stay in the right lane while driving, unless you want to pass or are turning left at the next intersection.

7

Slow down in construction, school and playground zones. Watch for signs to warn you of these upcoming slowdown areas (usually 30 kilometres per hour).

If you speed through, you could get a ticket or cause an accident.

8 Every country has its own cultural expectations, and driving culture is no different. For many newcomers, driving in Canada may be a very different experience than driving in your home country. Here are some of the expectations on Canadian roads.

1

Keep your eyes on the road. Be aware of your surroundings and what’s coming up ahead, including signs, cars and pedestrians. And don’t let things going on inside your car distract you. If your children need assistance or someone is calling you, pull over when safe to deal with the situation.

2

Wear your seat belts. It’s the law. You can get a ticket for not wearing a seat belt. That goes for the driver and all passengers.

3

Secure your children in appropriate car seats. It can be confusing to know what type of car seat to buy and even

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more confusing to know how to install it.

Generally speaking, infants must be secured snugly in an infant carseat, facing backwards. Babies should stay rear-facing for as long as possible, even after moving to the next-size-up car seat. Make sure the car seat is anchored securely, and that your child fits the weight and height limits for the model you are buying. Never hold a child or baby in your lap.

Make sure you understand all the rules of the road. Learn about proper procedures for four-way stops, roundabouts, merging, yielding for crosswalks and pedestrians, parking and more. Don’t tailgate; leave enough space in front of you so you’re prepared for a sudden stop. Be courteous: use your signal when turning and let others in when changing lanes. And, of course, stay safe and follow the speed limit.

4

Never drink and drive. If you are caught with a blood alcohol level above the limit, not only will you face a fine to pay, you could end up having your driver’s licence suspended or having your vehicle impounded. And, if you cause an accident canadianimmigrant.ca

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BACK PAGE

above Canadian Immigrant has launched a new visual storytelling series to celebrate the contribution of immigrants from across this great nation, from the Atlantic to the West Coast. Our goal? To reach 150 immigrants by July 1, 2017, the 150th anniversary of Canada.

Learn more at canadianimmigrant.ca/nation-ofimmigrants.

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Enter the workforce quickly with experienced instructors, a hands-on approach to learning and flexible class schedules.

Learn more at bcit.ca/business

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1 Ad Name: School of Business 2 Media: Canadian Immigrant Magazine 3 PO#: A2015-0189A

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EXPERIENCE THE NEW BUICK WITH A

Available to newcomers to Canada with a valid Permanent Resident Card or Temporary Work Permit.

Offer applies to eligible new immigrants living in Canada with a valid Permanent Resident Card with an arrival date of 2014, 2015 or 2016 or Temporary Foreign Workers with a valid temporary work permit. $1,000 credit is a manufacturer-to-consumer (tax inclusive) available on eligible 2016, 2017 Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac vehicles (excluding Spark, Volt, Colorado 2SA, Malibu L, Corvette, Suburban 3500HD, Canyon 2SA, Escalade, ATS-V and CTS-V). Offer valid Jan. 5, 2016 to Jan. 4, 2017. As part of the transaction, dealer may request documentation to verify eligibility. This offer may not be redeemed for cash and may not be combined with certain other consumer incentives. Certain limitations and conditions appl apply. Void where prohibited. GMCL reserves the right to amend or terminate this offer for any reason, in whole or in part, at any time without prior notice.

This plan has all the talking and texting.

Plus, join now and save. Offer ends soon.

• Unlimited Canada-wide talk • Unlimited Canada/U.S. text • Unlimited Canada/U.S. picture/ video texting • Voicemail+ • Call Control (Caller ID, Missed Call Alerts, Conference Calling, Call Forwarding, Call Waiting)

$20 for 6 months

windmobile.ca

$25

/mo

/mo

true mobile freedom

Albion Mall

Islington Village

Bloor West Village

Leslieville

Clarington Centre

Charlotte Mews

1530 Albion Rd, Unit 94 Etobicoke ON (416) 749-6798

4947 Dundas St. W Etobicoke ON (647) 702-3722

2258 Bloor St. W Toronto ON (416) 760-7778

750 Queen St. E Toronto ON (416) 463-2345

2377 Highway #2, Unit 120 Bowmanville ON (905) 697-9000

203 Simcoe St., Unit B Peterborough ON (705) 808-5621

Rowntree Plaza

Kipling Queensway Mall

Parkdale

Kingsway Village

Lansdowne Place

2687 Kipling Ave, Unit 6 Etobicoke ON (647) 342-1990

1255 The Queensway Unit 14A Etobicoke ON (416) 259-9926

1454 Queen St. W Toronto ON (647) 772-5948

1300 King St. E, Unit 28 Oshawa ON (289) 600-0760

645 Lansdowne St. W Peterborough ON (705) 749-1489

Learn more at windmobile.ca. Offer valid for a limited time and is subject to change or cancellation without notice. To be eligible for the $30 service credit, you must activate a new Pay Before or Pay After line on the Talk & Text 25 plan.

A $5 monthly credit will be applied to your account for up to 6 months to a maximum of $30. For Pay Before customers, the credits will be applied to your account, as a top-up before tax, on the 17th of the month, prior to your third top-up date. For Pay After customers the credits will start to be applied directly to your account in the second billing cycle after activation, as a bill adjustment before tax. May not be combined with any other in-market offer, with some exceptions. Additional terms and conditions apply. WIND and WIND MOBILE are trademarks of Wind Telecomunicazioni S.p.A and are used under licence in Canada by WIND Mobile Corp. © 2016 WIND Mobile.