Settlement challenges for immigrants in Canada

Relocating is Not for Everyone

Relocating is not for everyone. Just ask Prateek Padakannaya. After moving to Peel in 2009, with dreams of a better life in Canada, Prateek decided it wasn’t the right choice for his family after all.

Prateek had spent years trying to make that dream come true. With relatives in Peel Region, it seemed a sensible place for a new home. He was also confident his 29 years of engineering experience in India would help him find a good job in Canada.

In 2002, he applied for Canadian immigration status. It took longer than he anticipated but his dreams of a new life didn’t waver.

Immigration Web Portal offers good information

Finding information to settle into his new home was easy thanks to the Immigration Web Portal. Prateek relied on the information he found on the site which he said was quite useful. “As a newcomer, it gave me precise information in one place,” he says.

But once in Peel, the Padakannaya family realized the grass was not as green as they once thought. Prateek had difficulty finding a job equal to his work in India. In fact, he found his experience was not recognized in Canada and, in the midst of a recession, the job opportunities were just not there.

Tough Decisions

His wife faced the same dilemma but the bigger issue was their daughter’s education. As a student in Dental Sciences in Bangalore, she hoped to complete her degree in Canada. But it meant starting in first year of the Dental Sciences program and losing three years of her education in India. It just wasn’t worth it, so she decided to stay in Bangalore to complete her degree.

Being apart from his daughter didn’t sit well with Prateek or his wife. They realized their move to Canada wasn’t the right choice at that time in their life.

After only a month, the family made a final decision to return to Bangalore. Prateek said the experience has taught him to appreciate his home in India much more and made him realize that relocating is definitely a personal choice.

Words of Advice for Newcomers

He has a few words of advice for newcomers, saying it’s important to be realistic about career opportunities. “Your experience and education will not carry the same level of importance as they do back home,” he explains.

Prateek recommends newcomers who are interested in moving take responsibility for their own futures by doing their homework before moving to Ontario or immigrating to Canada.

“Ensure you are sourcing credible information and not relying on friends or anecdotes. Be prepared to support yourself during your employment search, which may take much longer than you anticipate.

He highly recommends using the Peel Immigration Web Portal before they leave home so they are prepared to move in the right direction to achieve their dreams.

Today, the Padakannaya family is happy back in Bangalore and is more grateful than ever for their home. Although they chose not to make Canada their home, they would never have known, had they not tried.