Moving2Canada team informs Immigration Minister about latest initiatives

Minister Hussen was invited as the keynote speaker on the opening morning of the Conference Board of Canada’s annual Canadian Immigration Summit, held in Ottawa May 8 and 9. Before delivering his address, my colleague Marcel and I managed to get a few moments with him on the sidelines of the event.

Minister Hussen, or simply Ahmed as he prefers, asked what Moving2Canada does and who Moving2Canada is. I explained that Moving2Canada is a community of people who enjoy a holistic online experience through our network, from exploring options and planning right through to landing, finding employment and settling long-term, and that as Editor, I am just one of hundreds of thousands of monthly users of our website and resources.

I invited Ahmed to check us out and join our community. After all, he is an immigrant himself, having first arrived in his teens as a refugee from Somalia before going on to obtain Canadian citizenship by naturalization. When Ahmed creates a Moving2Canada profile, he will get a free copy of our Getting Started Guide, a bundle of resume and cover letter templates (in case the election this October doesn’t work out . . .), newsletter updates and our welcome series of emails. Plus, he’ll get early access to the expanding range of tools and resources that will be built into the Moving2Canada profile over the coming months.

The Minister had to leave to make his way to the stage, but not before mentioning that he would check us out. Long-established immigrants to Canada like him can get just as much out of Moving2Canada as people around the world who are yet to set foot in Canada; post-arrival settlement is just as important to us — and you — as the initial effort it takes to get to Canada.

As for his address, the Immigration Minister outlined a vision for Canada’s future success based on the arrival and integration of individuals and families from around the world, re-affirming that ‘immigrants are vital to Canada’s present and future.’

By outlining the severity of labour shortages across Canada and in certain key sectors, including IT and manufacturing, the Minister lauded his department’s recent efforts to help the economy grow while integrating an ever-growing number of newcomers, while also acknowledging that there is much left to do to improve the system.

So, thanks Ahmed for taking the time to speak with the Moving2Canada team. We’re already looking forward to showing you and other IRCC staff more resources over the coming months, so don’t forget to create your Moving2Canada profile!