From the beginning to the end of the road: I immigrated to Canada

In this article, I would like to share my experience with people who think about change of his current residence and who consider Canada as their new home.

I am from Russia, born and raised in Moscow, left a local Secondary school and decided to devote my life to the field of education. After graduating with honors from the school I entered the Pedagogical College, obtained College Diploma in Teaching and later continued my studies at Moscow State Pedagogical University named after V. I. Lenin, faculty of Foreign Languages. I obtained Bachelor degree in Linguistics and Intercultural communication. After “the iron curtain” was finally removed, I had the opportunity to visit many countries as a tourist and as a student, improving my English language skills. Apparently, these trips played an important role in choosing my profession of a Manager on education abroad. More than 4 years I have sent students to the ESL and academic programs to Europe and North America, assisted with the choice of a country, training programs, and preparation of documents for obtaining visas.

The most favorite stream in my work was the Canadian stream. Before recommending this or that educational institution to students, you must personally visit it. The company where I worked , arranged for me a familiarization trip to Canada in order I could visit the educational institutions recommended to our prospective students. I'm still inordinately grateful to the wonderful Director, the professional, which for many years was my mentor and inspiration!

Once in Canada in February, I was looking at frozen Niagara Falls, an icy wind blown, but for some reason I didn't want to go back. I fell in love with this country at first sight! I was surrounded by smiling faces, everyone tried to sincerely help me to find the right way and  deal with the local currency, I didn’t feel invisible in a foreign country. By visiting educational institutions, which I offered to my students in Moscow, I was convinced that they would be taken care about there. Gained positive emotions, I returned to Moscow to continue my work, as a professional who not only could show the video of the institution and read the description, but to give professional advice of a specialist who personally was there.

It is worth noting that people, who choose education in Canadian colleges and universities, are interested in the long-term prospects. I wanted to answer a question “What is next’? To get an answer I went to the Canadian Embassy on Starokonyushenny lane, Moscow. The Embassy conducted seminars on immigration, where the immigration officers talked in detail about all the types of immigration programs. After listening to a series of such seminars, I realized that I have important information and it will move the company where I worked to the upper level and it will bring us much more customers than before. But what is a theory with no practice?

And so, armed with instructions received at the Embassy, I decided to experience the immigration process entirely, thinking that skipping through all the stages myself, I'll be able to properly explain to people what and how to do it. I found my occupation in the list of NOC (National Occupation List) - this profession was Educational Counselor and began to collect documents under the Federal Skilled Worker program (before the Express Entry System was introduced). My education, experience, knowledge of English and age meet the requirements and I sent my PR application to IRCC (former CIC). The terms of consideration of applications in 2006-2007 ranged from 3 to 6 years. I decided that now received answers to all my questions I would be able to give comprehensive advice to my students and their parents not only about choosing a program of study at a Canadian University but also about PR applications.

Suddenly, fortune smiled on me, and my process of waiting for a decision on obtaining the status of PR was reduced from 3 years to 8 months. I received a work contract from my beloved language school ILAC, where most of my students studied English with further admission to Universities. I retained an Immigration consultant who correctly prepared a package of documents for obtaining a work permit from a Canadian employer that has allowed me to avoid long queues.

…Eight months later, I and my daughter came to Canada alone. We didn’t have relatives and friends in Canada. In spite of it we were not scared, but on the contrary, it gave us strength and confidence. I went to work on the third day after my arrival, my daughter went to language school to improve the language prior to the beginning of the school year. All people around us tried to help with adaptation. Canada became my home after 3 months.

I continue to work in the field of education but on the Canadian side. I graduated from Humber College, program Immigration consultant, received a license and can continue to assist all who wish to visit Canada as a tourist, student, and people who have intentions to move to this wonderful country.

My personal motto is "Better to do something and regret than not to do and then all my life to regret about missed opportunities". And I opened doors and for the last 8 years of my living in Canada, I have never regretted about the decision I took in 2008. Life and work in Canada with many wonderful people taught me to believe in myself. In 2015, I organized a company “Student Planet”, Ltd. in Belarus, and in summer 2016 I'm going back to Canada with a new brand Canadaopen. Actually, I re-opened the door to Canada as an entrepreneur once again, and I invite everybody who is searching for changes to follow me.