Moving to a new country can be both exciting and challenging, especially for seniors. As a senior newcomer to Canada, you might have questions about what to expect, how to access resources, and what benefits are available to you. This guide offers practical tips to help you navigate your new life in Canada with ease and confidence.

Get to Know Your Community

One of the first things to do when you arrive in Canada is to familiarize yourself with your new community. Explore your neighborhood, find nearby parks, libraries, and community centers, and learn about local events. Organizations like Achēv hosts a wide variety of free events, workshops and support for seniors. Community centers often offer programs and activities specifically for seniors, such as fitness classes, social gatherings, and hobby groups. Participating in these activities can help you stay active, meet new people, and feel more connected to your community.

Tip: Many communities in Canada are multicultural, so you may find groups and events that celebrate your culture and language, making it easier to feel at home.

Access Health Care Services

Canada has a publicly funded healthcare system that provides essential medical services to all residents. As a senior newcomer, it’s important to apply for a provincial or territorial health card as soon as possible. This card allows you to access healthcare services, including doctor visits, hospital care, and certain prescription medications. Keep in mind that there may be a waiting period before you’re eligible for coverage, so consider getting private health insurance in the meantime.

Tip: Seniors are eligible for additional health benefits, such as free or discounted prescription medications, vision care, and dental services, depending on the province or territory you live in.

Learn About Senior Benefits and Programs

Canada offers a variety of benefits and programs for seniors, including financial assistance, housing support, and recreational activities. Some key benefits to explore include:

• Old Age Security (OAS): A monthly pension available to seniors aged 65 and older who meet certain residency requirements.
• Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS): Additional income support for low-income seniors receiving the OAS pension.
• Canada Pension Plan (CPP): A retirement benefit based on your contributions to the plan during your working years.

Make sure to apply for these benefits as soon as you’re eligible, as they can help provide financial stability in your retirement years.

Tip: Service Canada provides resources and guidance on applying for senior benefits. You can visit a Service Canada office or access information online.

Stay Connected with Family and Friends

Maintaining strong social connections is important for your mental and emotional well-being. If you have family or friends in Canada, stay in touch with them regularly. If you’re new to the country and don’t know many people, consider joining social groups or clubs where you can meet others with similar interests. Many communities offer programs specifically for seniors, such as coffee mornings, book clubs, or walking groups, which can be a great way to build new friendships.

Tip: Technology can also help you stay connected with loved ones back home. Learning to use video calling apps like Skype, Zoom, or WhatsApp can bridge the distance and keep you in touch with family and friends.

Explore Language Learning Resources

If English or French is not your first language, learning or improving your language skills can make daily life in Canada easier. Many communities offer language classes and conversation groups for seniors, often at no cost. These classes can help you build confidence in speaking, reading, and writing, making it easier to navigate public services, healthcare, and social situations.

Tip: Some organizations offer language programs tailored to seniors, focusing on practical language skills for everyday situations, such as shopping, using public transportation, and visiting the doctor.

Understand Your Rights and Responsibilities

As a resident of Canada, it’s important to be aware of your rights and responsibilities. Seniors have the right to be treated with dignity and respect, and there are laws in place to protect against age discrimination. Additionally, you have access to resources that can help you with legal matters, such as wills, power of attorney, and elder abuse prevention.

Tip: If you need legal advice, many community organizations offer free or low-cost legal services for seniors. It’s also a good idea to familiarize yourself with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Stay Active and Healthy

Staying physically and mentally active is key to enjoying a healthy and fulfilling life in Canada. Take advantage of the many recreational opportunities available, such as walking trails, fitness classes, and swimming pools. Engaging in regular physical activity can help you maintain your mobility, strength, and overall health. Additionally, staying mentally active through hobbies, learning new skills, or participating in social activities can keep your mind sharp and improve your quality of life.

Tip: Many community centers and senior organizations offer discounted or free memberships to fitness and wellness programs for seniors.

As a senior newcomer to Canada, there are many resources and programs available to help you settle into your new life. By getting to know your community, accessing healthcare services, applying for senior benefits, and staying socially and physically active, you can build a fulfilling life in Canada. 

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Achēv is proud to present this insightful blog post in collaboration with National Bank. Together, we are dedicated to empowering newcomers in Canada, ensuring they have the support needed to reach their full potential.

If you’re a Canadian newcomer who doesn’t speak English as your native language, improving your English skills is a great way to better adjust to life in Canada. Here are some suggestions for how a newcomer to Canada can improve their English language skills.

Watch TV in English

Watching English television programs is a great and fun way to begin picking up on different words and improving your overall vocabulary. As you watch TV, you’ll slowly find yourself understanding more of the discussions and improving your own English. Watching TV can also introduce you to unique phrases and jargon that you may not have learned yet.

Try An App

There is a wide variety of apps aimed at helping you learn and improve your English language skills. Apps such as Duolingo are excellent ways to take a curricular approach to learning languages. Additionally, many apps make practicing your English language skills into a game, which can make learning fun. This is a great way to dedicate just a few minutes a day to practice your English using methods proven to be successful.

Have Conversations with Others

The best way to become proficient in English is to have conversations with others. While this may be a bit intimidating at first, you’ll find that you’re rapidly improving your abilities in the English language. Consider finding a conversation partner and setting aside an hour to chat a few times a week. This can help you learn new phrases, practice your comprehension and rapidly improve your ability to interact using English.

Read Out Loud

There are many things you can read that will help you improve your English language skills. One of the best things to start with is a newspaper. Newspapers typically use simple sentences that make it easy for people of varying English skill levels to read them. Thus, newspapers are great things to practice with. Be sure to read aloud to yourself, as this will allow you to practice your reading comprehension and verbal communication skills. This is a great way to improve your confidence in using English.

Make a Word Notebook

One great way to improve your English language skills is to continually strengthen your vocabulary. Consider keeping a notebook where you write down new words and phrases that you learn. Make it a goal to learn a few new English words or phrases each day. Once a week, flip through your notebook and review some of the words or phrases you’ve learned. Use them in sentences. A great way to do this is to write down new words that you naturally encounter as you go about your day.

Consider Taking a Course

You don’t necessarily have to take an English course to improve your English language skills, although it’s certainly an idea to consider. However, taking any course that interests you, such as a cooking class or exercise class, will expose you to the English language and require you to interact with others. This is a fun way to practice your English. You can find courses at various places. Many community centers may even have free courses that you can try out. Take a look at the different resources in your area and find a class you are interested in taking.

Have a Positive Attitude

Understandably, newcomers to Canada may become frustrated when adjusting to communicating in English. However, trying to keep a positive attitude about learning will go a long way towards helping you to improve your English language skills. Try not to feel embarrassed or bad about making mistakes but rather find humor in the situation. After all, learning a language is a lengthy process, and no one is expected to be perfect. If you have a positive attitude about the process, you will likely find that you can get more enjoyment out of honing your skills.

Final Thoughts

For those who don’t speak English as their native language, improving their English language skills can help them adjust to life in Canada more quickly. Improving your English skills doesn’t have to feel frustrating or difficult. You can utilize fun strategies like these seven tips and incorporate them into your schedule when you have time. The more you practice, the more you’ll feel comfortable with the language.

At Achēv, our Employment Ontario Services offers a wide range of resources to support your career and employment needs. Our employment centres are located across the Greater Toronto Area, including Toronto, Brampton, Mississauga and North York. Contact us today to register for our free employment services.

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Achēv is proud to present this insightful blog post in collaboration with National Bank. Together, we are dedicated to empowering newcomers in Canada, ensuring they have the support needed to reach their full potential.

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Achēv is proud to present this insightful blog post in collaboration with National Bank. Together, we are dedicated to empowering newcomers in Canada, ensuring they have the support needed to reach their full potential.

At Achēv, we are proud of our ongoing partnership with Care4Nurses, an organization dedicated to helping internationally educated nurses (IENs) bridge the gap to meaningful employment in Canada. Together, we’re opening doors to opportunity through targeted workshops, mentorship, and job readiness support.

We’re thrilled to share the inspiring success story of Amybelle Gabino, who, thanks to the support from Achēv and Care4Nurses, secured a Registered Nurse position at Mount Sinai Hospital. Amybelle sought assistance from Achēv and Care4Nurses to enhance her nursing knowledge and skills after a 7-year break from her last nursing experience in the Philippines. Here’s what she had to say:

One workshop that really helped me land a job is the 3-day employment workshop that includes resume building and enhancing interview skills coupled with a mock interview. That opened my eyes to the job market here in Canada. Fortunately, a day after my interview, Mount Sinai Hospital asked for my reference list and a week after, I was given a job offer.”

Amybelle highlights the impact of personalized support and guidance she received – from boosting her confidence before interviews to receiving direct assistance from case managers like Natolina from Care4Nurses, who went above and beyond.

This is what partnership looks like: faster integration, confident job-seekers, and real employment outcomes. Thank you to our dedicated teams and incredible clients for making this possible. We remain committed to empowering more IENs to thrive and build successful careers in Canada.

If you are a Canadian newcomer, one of the things at the top of your mind may be how to get some work experience. After all, having work experience in Canada can help you become qualified for a wider array of jobs and help you establish yourself here. For many people, how to gain work experience is one of the first questions they ask. If you are a Canadian newcomer, here are six ways to gain work experience.

Job Shadowing

Job shadowing gives you the ability to watch someone else do a job. This experience can last a few hours or reoccur over a longer period of time. When you engage in job shadowing, you don’t get direct work experience but rather begin to get a better understanding of the ins and outs of a particular job.

A good way to approach job shadowing is to ask numerous questions to gain a deeper understanding of how to succeed in a particular role. While job shadowing itself is not as powerful of an experience as direct work experience, it’s still beneficial. It helps you learn about an occupation and shows that you took initiative to potential employers.

Internships

Completing an internship is a great way to get direct on-the-job experience. Many companies seek out interns as part of a mutual experience where the employer receives labor for a period of time while the intern learns and improves their skills. There are many different opportunities for internships, particularly at larger companies.

It is important to realize that some internships are paid while others are unpaid. However, even getting a part-time unpaid internship while working another job can get you direct experience to help you enter a particular industry. There are many places online to find internships. Asking connections about opportunities to intern at their company is also a good strategy.

Volunteer Work

Volunteer work is probably not the first thing that comes to your mind when you think about getting work experience as a Canadian newcomer. However, volunteer work is a valid way to begin making connections and gaining experience. There are usually lots of opportunities to volunteer for non-profit organizations.

When looking to leverage volunteering into work experience, it’s important to seek out volunteer opportunities that relate to the type of work you want to do. For example, if you want to go into marketing, volunteering to help with an organization’s social media accounts or other outreach initiatives can be very beneficial.

Connect with Professional Organizations

One way to find opportunities for work experience is to join a professional organization. If you are interested in a specific industry, seek out information about both national and local professional organizations. These can provide you with ways to grow your network and begin to get involved.

Additionally, it’s important to realize even many national professional organizations have local chapters where it’s easier to begin to get some experience. As you become more involved, you will surely find many opportunities to further build your experience.

Bridge Programs

Some programs allow Canadian newcomers to begin integrating their international training and experience into Canadian employment. Often these programs help connect newcomers to local mentors and professionals who can counsel them on getting started on a career in Canada.

These programs are typically sponsored by the government or by non-profit organizations. Depending on the organization, the bridge program will be organized and carried out differently. Be sure to check websites to find requirements on how to apply and what the program entails.

Temporary Employment

While it’s understandable that the ultimate goal of moving to Canada is obtaining full-time employment, taking advantage of temporary jobs is a great way to build initial work experience. Seeking part-time or temporary opportunities allows you to demonstrate your skills while also starting to build further connections.

Ideally, finding temporary employment in your industry of choice is ideal. However, temporary employment will help you build a good track record. Additionally, there’s often less competition for these roles. Be sure to check job boards and LinkedIn for opportunities you may be interested in.

Final Thoughts

Being a Canadian newcomer is exciting but also challenging. One of the things newcomers often wonder about is how to get work experience in Canada. Fortunately, there are many ways to obtain experience that you can put on your resume. Follow these six tips and be sure to keep your eye open for opportunities as you begin to seek out work experience as a Canadian newcomer.

At Achēv, our Employment Ontario Services offers a wide range of resources to support your career and employment needs. Our employment centres are located across the Greater Toronto Area, including Toronto, Brampton, Mississauga and North York. Contact us today to register for our free employment services.

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Achēv is proud to present this insightful blog post in collaboration with National Bank. Together, we are dedicated to empowering newcomers in Canada, ensuring they have the support needed to reach their full potential.

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Achēv is proud to present this insightful blog post in collaboration with National Bank. Together, we are dedicated to empowering newcomers in Canada, ensuring they have the support needed to reach their full potential.

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Achēv is proud to present this insightful blog post in collaboration with National Bank. Together, we are dedicated to empowering newcomers in Canada, ensuring they have the support needed to reach their full potential.