Employment

I was excited to move to Newfoundland Canada and settle down here after living in Michigan for 8 years on TD visa. It is visa that allows spouses of Canadian citizens to stay legally in the USA but wouldn’t allow them to work. So, I spent 8 years of my life in the USA learning and perfecting English. I was ready to get back to the workforce and start my career. I received a masters in Law from my home country and I was working as a lawyer for the Ukrainian Fiscal office for 2 years. Naturally I wanted to continue my career in same direction in a new country.

First of all I went to a local employment office and I was hoping that they will help me and direct me in the right directions. They suggested that I need to contact the Associations for New Canadians and the Newfoundland Law society. I was trying to find out if it is possible for me to practice Law in Newfoundland with my law degree from Ukraine. In the beginning I was getting mixed information. When I contacted the Newfoundland Law society they said that I can practice law in Newfoundland. I was very excited and happy. Unfortunately, when I contacted an evaluation centre I found out that in order for me to become a lawyer in Canada I have to go to a Law school and start from the beginning. At that moment my dreams were crushed. It took me a while to understand what do I need and want to do next.

I registered with the Associations and they gave me good tips and tools about job search. They helped me to create my resume and taught me how to write cover letters. Also, I learned how to search for jobs, make a profile on Linkedin and how to make business connections. They taught me how important it is to become a part of your community as a volunteer for my future life.

Finally, I was lucky to be qualified for a new pilot program for new Canadians. I was selected for the interview and passed it very successfully. The idea of that program is to let new Canadians to have an opportunity of Canadian work experience. The internship will last for 3 months in the Federal government offices.

While I was waiting for the Federal government to contact me I had to take a job at Tim Horton’s. My volunteer experience as a cashier for a gift shop helped me a lot in terms of having Canadian work experience and Canadian references.

Nowadays I am waiting for the government to finish my Security clearance. I am excited to start my internship with Services Canada. I very happy for this opportunity and hopefully I would be able to get a permanent position after this training.