Settlement

When we talk about immigrating abroad, almost all people think about a better way of life. It was the first thought that I had, too. My curiosity drove me to explore how to become a successful immigrant. The first step was to prioritize and decide what kind of skills I had and what I needed to upgrade.

Being a tradesperson was not new to me; in fact, in college I worked as a welder to finance my studies. Three years after graduation I become a police officer in the Philippines. I got a great job and had a very supportive wife. I couldn’t think of any other job as I had a career that allowed me independent decision making. I thought it was my chosen occupation I would have for the rest of my life.

As there is no permanent thing in this world, in 2007 Canada was in need of more skilled workers including welders. In that year, a lot of Filipino workers were hired. It caught my attention and I started to evaluate my capabilities as a welder. I asked myself if I could survive tough competition and be hired, which was a key to becoming an immigrant here in Canada.

A year after I enrolled in Technical School to become a Certified Welder to boost my future application, I put up a small welding shop in my garage to practice and improve my technical skills and prepare myself for the job here. Five years ago, one of the companies I applied to set an interview and a trade test for me to showcase my skills. I got a job offer and signed the contract a week after. The process of being an immigrant had just begun. The other side of the process was up to the Immigration officer who was to review and approve the documentation. My family decided to accept whatever the outcome was. At least we tried the best we could.

In August 2015, I and my family arrived at the Vancouver International Airport as landed immigrants. The Canadian Border Security stamped our passport and the process was complete. At that very moment, our happiness was immeasurable.