New Canadians

Amar Desai moved from India to Canada in June 2020. “My family and I landed during the pandemic, but we were prepared, nonetheless. The Planning for Canada team equipped us with lots of information and contacts of agencies in Toronto that supported us from Day 1. In no time, I had a job, too,” says […]

As Canada continues the fight against the pandemic, immigration remains critical to economic recovery by addressing labour shortages and adding growth to the workforce. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced a new pathway to permanent residency for over 90,000 essential temporary workers and international graduates who are actively contributing to Canada’s economy. The focus […]

After living in the Philippines and Dubai, Jennifer Pacquing immigrated to Canada in 2020. Before the big move, she signed up for Planning for Canada‘s pre-arrival services and is “grateful for all the assistance, information and resources” she received. In this interview, Jennifer shares how Planning for Canada helped her create and follow a personalized […]

Holly Skelton, director of Planning for Canada, tells you all about its offerings for immigrants. In the immigration journey of a newcomer to Canada, the phase between getting a visa and moving to the country is crucial in shaping their eventual settlement and integration experience. Pre-arrival services play a huge role here. But what do […]

Interested in improving your English or French? The Language Assessment and Referral Centre at the YMCA of Greater Toronto offers free English and French language assessments to immigrants to Canada. The assessments are based on the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLBs) (PDF) and the Niveaux de Competence Linguistique Canadiens (BTC-NCLC), the nationally recognized standard that measures […]

Hoping to give her family a better life, Peju travelled over 11,000 kilometres to start a new life. However, not having a Canadian internal auditor certification made it challenging to get a job. Read more on Peju’s journey and how she kickstarted her professional career with a loan from Windmill Microlending. In the summer of […]

If you are immigrating to Canada, you are most likely researching and planning to prepare for employment. However, the employment journey isn’t always easy or predictable. In this blog, we learn from mentors of Next Stop Canada, a reputed pre-arrival service, funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and delivered by the YMCA of […]

There are several programs and services in Canada that help newcomers settle in their new home, find jobs and integrate successfully. For those who seek a fulfilling career in the Canadian hotel industry, the Destination Employment program can help them discover more about the hospitality sector and the opportunities available. Participants get to learn from […]

There are so many “answers” on the internet about life in Canada. You can find them on social media, forums, or websites. But how do you know you can trust the information you find from these sources? When you choose a reputed pre-arrival settlement service such as Next Stop Canada, you can be confident that […]

Networking is a long-term investment in your career strategy, says Professional Networking Advisor Brent Edwards. Whether you’re connecting with someone in person or virtually – especially during these COVID times – the way you introduce yourself and make the conversation meaningful for both parties can make all the difference. Here, Brent shares some best practices […]