First Generation Canadian Immigrant

It’s that time of the year again! As we enter 2024, we have opened the call for nominations for the 16th annual Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards. As we embark on our journey, we’ve invited three of our top 25 award winners from 2023, Hénoc Muamba, Sobhana Jaya-Madhavan and Winston Sayson, with different backgrounds and experiences, to share their inspirational journeys and most importantly their winning advice for 2024! Their valuable tips and advice is sure to resonate with newcomers and immigrants alike. 

One of the biggest challenges many newcomers to Canada face is finding a job that utilizes their professional skills and work experience. How can they best equip themselves to break into the Canadian job market? What are some programs that can facilitate their path to career growth and success?  

Interested in visiting over 1,400 of Canada’s most exciting cultural and outdoor experiences from coast to coast for free?  Want to get travel discounts on VIA Rail and Air Canada tickets? In this conversation with Tarun Tripathi, learn how new citizens and permanent residents can access all this and more with the free downloadable app Canoo, a project of the Institute of Canadian Citizenship. 

In the process of making Canada home? Seeking a little inspiration for your journey? As we embark on the 15th year of the Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards, four of our past award winners share their lived experiences and perspectives and, most importantly, their inspirational advice for 2023! This episode is sure to resonate with newcomers and immigrants alike. 

The financial system in Canada is obviously very different from your home countries. What are concrete steps you can take to understand this new financial landscape? 
Where do you set up your first bank account? Is it easy to get your first credit card? Where do you start building your credit history and how do keep track of your credit score? That seems crucial, right? How can you make the money you bring with you last? Or wait: Should you invest in property at this time or is renting a better option? Or, perhaps, if you’re just heading here, how can you prepare yourself financially for this transition?  
In this conversation with Canadian Immigrant editor Ramya Ramanathan, personal finance expert and founder of savvynewcanadians.com Enoch Omololu shares his personal experiences as an immigrant and offers valuable advice and tips to newcomers. 
Information, resources, helpful tips and inspiration – find all this and more at Canadianimmigrant.ca/podcast.
*This is a bonus episode of the First Generation podcast 

Episode 8 of First Generation, the Canadian Immigrant podcast series features Tareq Hadhad's journey from arriving in Canada along with thousands of other refugees to becoming a successful entrepreneur and leader. 
In this inspiring conversation, Tareq speaks about going from asking: "What's Halifax?" to making the small town of Antigonish in Nova Scotia home and launching Peace by Chocolate there with the support of the community to finding ways to give back.  He shares various aspects of his journey as an immigrant, what his six years in Canada has looked like and how the country has shaped him. Hear Tareq's advice on building a life in Canada, making connections and the importance of sharing your story. 
Host Farah Mohamed also discusses helpful resources for those on the immigrant journey with Canadian Immigrant editor Ramya Ramanathan.   
Inspiration, information, helpful tools, tips and resources – find all this and more at canadianimmigrant.ca/podcast2021