“I’m Bryan, from the Philippines. My wife, Jona, and I arrived in Winnipeg last November.” He says this with a warm smile, reflecting a mixture of pride and relief - he and his wife have come a long way in a year, “If I hadn’t found the Welcome to Canada app, my life right now would look very different - and not in a good way.”
As they approach their first anniversary being in Canada, we had the chance to hear about Bryan’s journey: the dreams, the challenges, and the surprising resources that helped him find a new life here. Bryan is one of over 100,000 people who have made use of our Welcome to Canada platform, which offers resources to help newcomers adjust and build their lives in Canada. Bryan’s story shows just how powerful these resources can be.
Back in the Philippines, Bryan was a mechanical engineer with a promising career. His wife, Jona, with a vision for their future, was the catalyst for their Canadian dream. She saw the potential for growth, both for herself and for Bryan, and believed Canada could be their path to a better life. For Bryan, however, the decision wasn’t easy.
“It was hard to leave behind my family, friends, and the career I had worked so hard for,” Bryan recalls. But Jona’s belief in their future together in Canada won him over, and soon they were packing up for Winnipeg, Manitoba - a city they chose for its affordable cost of living, less competitive job market and reputable educational institutions.
They took the student pathway, with Jona enrolling in an accounting program. The transition came with a mix of excitement and trepidation, and Bryan arrived feeling, in his words, “nervous, anxious, and hopeful.”
Shortly after settling in Winnipeg, Bryan felt the pressure of building their new life almost immediately. As soon as they arrived, he jumped into the job hunt, determined to re-establish his engineering career as soon as possible. But in those first weeks, he faced rejection after rejection. “All I received were auto-replies: ‘Thank you for your application, we regret to inform you...’ It was frustrating,” he shared.
Some people told him: “You won’t be able to do what you did back in the Philippines. You’ll have to start from scratch.” These words weighed on him, deepening his worries. To reassure his wife, he made her a promise: “I gave myself two months to try to find work in my field. If I couldn’t, I’d take any job I could find” he says. It was a difficult agreement, but a necessary one.
Days passed, and the struggle took an emotional toll on both of them. "There were days that Jona would just cry," Bryan recalled. "To tell you the truth, I wanted to break down, but I couldn't, because if I did, we wouldn't have any progress with our life here, right? So I had to be the strong one for both of us."
Amid the challenges, Bryan downloaded several apps to help them adjust to their new life. That’s when he discovered Welcome to Canada, which turned out to be transformative. “I found the Manitoba section and was really impressed by how user-friendly and comprehensive the resources were. Under ‘Things to Do Right Away,’ we found everything we needed to take care of - like applying for a SIN number and opening a bank account.” They began working through the checklist, feeling a sense of progress that kept them motivated.
Still, they knew they couldn’t make it long without income. “Everything we bought was coming from our life savings. We didn’t know how long it would last”. With the pressure mounting, he continued his job search, using every available resource.
Through Welcome to Canada, Bryan discovered Manitoba Start, a local newcomer service provider organization. Determined to make the most of every opportunity, he attended video conferences, online seminars, and training sessions. These programs introduced him to Canadian workplace culture and taught him how to craft a Canadian-style resume that showcased his skills. Each day, Bryan applied himself fully, balancing hope with the pressing two-month deadline he’d set to find a role in his field.
His efforts paid off. Within those two months, he received an offer for a position as a design drafter, a role he earned through a referral from his career advisor - a turning point he describes as both a relief and a validation. With his career now on track, he finally felt hope for the first time since arriving. “I was able to find a job, and one that matched my field and experience from the Philippines. I don’t think I’d be able to smile at my wife now if Welcome to Canada didn’t exist.”
Securing the job was only part of the journey, though. To apply for permanent residency, he needed the right NOC code - a process that could be tricky without guidance. But the Welcome to Canada app had him covered: “I entered my position in the NOC Code Finder and was able to find the right code quickly,” he shares. “Without this tool, I would have had to navigate the government website, which can be a bit of a mess. The NOC Code Finder made it so much easier for our PR application.”
This opportunity also helped him gain eligibility for work experience needed to apply for Permanent Residency, supported his financial stability, and gave him a renewed sense of stability and assurance in Canada. Bryan shared how finding Welcome to Canada and the Virtual Career Coach “changed our path for the better”.
With his job secured, Bryan and Jona are looking forward to what’s next. “My wife will graduate in April, and I believe your AI career tools will really help her find a dream job,” Bryan says. He adds with a smile, “We still count as newcomers, right? If there’s anything I’m not familiar with, I know I’ll find answers on Welcome to Canada.”
Reflecting on his experience, Bryan shared that when meeting other newcomers or friends back home who plan to come to Canada, he’d tell them about Welcome to Canada and the Virtual Career Coach without hesitation. “This is the one that helped me. You don’t have to start from scratch. This app will really help you start a new life here in Canada,” he says.
Bryan's story is a testament to the power of perseverance, the importance of accessible resources, and the transformative impact of digital solutions on the newcomer experience. By sharing his story, we hope it lights the way for other newcomers to take their own first steps in Canada. For anyone dreaming of a new beginning, Bryan and Jona stand as proof that with the right tools, perseverance, and support, building a life in Canada is more than possible - it’s within reach.
Learn more about Welcome to Canada and Virtual Career Coach
Visuals credit: Juan Correa and Diego Franco
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