"We love the sense of freedom and security. We really enjoy trying out new food and traveling to different places in Canada. It’s a great country if you love the outdoors. "
Manish Mohan works at Boeing Canada as senior software developer
Manroop Kaur works at Westland Insurance as senior financial accountant
Norah and Krisha are 9 and 6 years old
We both took different paths on our journey to Canada. We were already living in Canada when we were introduced to each other through mutual friends. We got married in 2006, and lived in Ottawa for a year, where I worked for the federal government and Manroop worked for a telecom company. Manroop always wanted to move back to Western Canada and so we decided to move to Edmonton for the prospect of a good career and still be close to Vancouver. We always loved Vancouver too much and finally in 2019, we moved and settled in Vancouver. This is home sweet home for us.
Why did you decide to migrate to Canada?
Manish: I moved to Alberta in 2000 to go to University for my education in computing sciences. By the time I was close to finishing my studies, I was already working for my University and Canada felt like home. Staying here and applying for residency was an obvious choice.
Manroop: When I first landed in Vancouver with my family in March of 1997, it was raining outside. Wet streets, cherry blossoms, and lush green grass made the new beginning even more beautiful. The friendly nature of people in Vancouver gave me comfort and made it easier to adjust. Having family here definitely helped us settle down much quicker.
Where did you stay when you reached Canada?
We both had families in Canada when we arrived and had a good support system in place. We stayed with our respective families upon our arrival.
How did you manage to get used to the people, weather, and your new surroundings in Canada?
Manroop: Getting used to people was easy. Everyone is so friendly here and having a family support in place makes it that much easier. Edmonton weather is a lot different, so it took a little bit of time for Manish to get used to the frigid weather in Edmonton.For me, Vancouver was a perfect place in terms of weather and the beautiful mountains.
What were your first impressions of Canada?
Canada is a great county in terms of being truly multi-ethnic and multi-cultural. A true cultural mosaic. We both loved the natural beauty and friendly people here. A great place to live, raise family and to call home.
What challenges did you face when you moved here?
One of the main challenges was initial job searches, which can take a bit of time. Having family here has its benefits and it wasn’t too challenging to settle down here.
How do you see your future in Canada?
We see an amazing and happy life for us. We see it as full of opportunities to raise our family and provide the best support to our kids, while we grow and continue to explore this vast country.
How has your overall journey in Canada been so far?
It’s been great so far. We managed to have good careers, a great family and a fulfilling life. It keeps getting better as we go along. We have made some really good friends and also have close family that is always there to support us. We cherish every moment that we have spent here and wouldn’t want to change anything.
What do you like/dislike about Canada?
We love the sense of freedom and security. We really enjoy trying out new food and traveling to different places in Canada. It’s a great country if you love the outdoors. There are no dislikes.
Any advice for future immigrants?
As a new immigrant there is a lot to learn from all different cultures, and share your culture with others. We would advice new immigrants to travel around Canada whenever they get an opportunity. There are a lot of amazing places to see and some great people to meet.
What do you miss about your homeland?
We do miss the amazing food and festivities from India. It is always very heartwarming to visit the homeland and our friends and family there.