Immigration pilot program helps Nigerian family settle in Timmins

Everard Kasimanwuna always dreamed of living in Canada, and in April 2021 he made that dream a reality.

Kasimanwuna, who is originally from Nigeria, moved to Timmins with his family, where he started a job as a veterinary technician at Hard Rock Animal Hospital.

"It was always a country that I wanted my kids to grow in," he said about his new home. "Canada is peaceful and is a melting pot for all cultures."

Kasimanwuna said he was able to emigrate to Canada thanks to the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot program.

The program, which has been active in northern Ontario's largest cities since 2020, makes it easier for new immigrants with full-time job offers in Canada to successfully emigrate.

Kasimanwuna said he first applied to work at the Hard Rock Animal Hospital in 2018, when he had connected with the clinic through LinkedIn.

"Getting a work visa was difficult," he said. "I don't know why immigration refused to grant me the visa to come."

But through the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot program he was able to get a community recommendation in 2020, and made the move the next year.

Now that he is in Canada Kasimanwuna said he is working to get his veterinary certification so he can practice in Timmins. 

"It's a pretty long and expensive process," he said.  "A lot of bottlenecks, you know? So there are three exams you need to write,"

And while there are no guarantees he will obtain his licence, he said is committed to put in the time and money to complete the process.

Kasimanwuna said his three children have already started to adapt to life in Timmins, and have learned to love the snow.

A slow start

"We're always happy to have these kinds of programs that help promote the community and help with the economic stability of the community," said Lynn Michaud, the program's project coordinator with the Timmins Economic Development Corporation.

Michaud said that despite a slow start in 2020, the program has proven successful at attracting immigrants to the city.

In 2021, Timmins received more than 120 applications through the program and issued 106 community recommendations to candidates, which would help them emigrate to Canada.

In 2020, the city received 60 applications and issued 41 community recommendations.

Michaud said the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the numbers during the first year, and added the program was also not in operation for the full year.

Northeastern Ontario's four largest cities have participated in the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot program, and have said their experiences were similar to Timmins'. 

In Sudbury, 84 candidates received community recommendations through the program in 2021. 

"Including families, the amount totals 215 total newcomers that have come through the program just last year alone," said Alex Ross, a business development officer with the city.

"So it was a really great year."

As with Timmins, Ross said Sudbury faced challenges with the program the first year, due to the pandemic.

Eleven candidates received community recommendations in 2020.

North Bay said it tripled its numbers from 2020 to 2021.

The city issued 44 community recommendations in 2021 and was able to welcome 11 new permanent residents, along with their families.

"I think every city across northern Ontario has shown declines," said Peter Chirico, the president and CEO of the North Bay and District Chamber of Commerce.

"So anything that we can do and matching those employers with employees that are willing to work and willing to come to Canada, that's been the goal."