The New to Canada Podcast

Immigrants. Are. Awesome. We are adventurous, adaptable, ambitious, community-driven, and naturally entrepreneurial. As the Harvard Business Review wrote in one of their articles, the immigrant mindset is one to STRIVE for in order to advance your career. This episode’s guest exhibits all of these qualities and more. In 2013, Alena met a stranger on a train in Moscow who introduced her to the idea of moving to Canada. Not long after that, she was packing her bags in search of a new challenge and has not looked back since. Together, we chat about Russia and its people, share some career and immigration tips for international students, and dish out a serious dose of that immigrant inspiration.

You don’t want to miss:

• Everything you need to know about Russia: From vodka and high heels to superstitions and architecture...
• Alena’s new start: Being introduced to Canada by a stranger on a Moscow train, following her gut, and making the big move in pursuit of a new challenge.
• 9 Years Later: How her “temporary adventure” turned into a successful Canadian marriage, family, and career.
• Some simple reminders to prepare for the cultural and emotional shocks of moving to a new country.
• Career and immigration tips for international students.
• The Immigrant Mindset: More than 40% of Fortune 500 companies are founded by immigrants or their children! A discussion about the various strengths exhibited by immigrants and why we should be inspired by each other.

PLUS, a Russian’s experience with the smiling and pleasantries of Western culture: Why simply adding “please” to an email doesn’t necessarily make your message “polite” in Canada...

Links & Resources:

• Read the Harvard Business Review article: “Adopt an Immigrant Mindset to Advance Your Career” - Click here
• Follow Alena on Instagram: @alenasharma.ca or Tiktok: @alenasharma.ca
• Connect with Alena on LinkedIn: Alena Khabibullina
• Download my 50 free tips from newcomers to Canada: What they wish they knew before they moved! thenewcomercollective.com/canada-tips/
• Follow me on Instagram: @TheNewcomerCollective
• For more about us and what we do, check out our website: TheNewcomerCollective.com

A positive mindset and a productive plan of action can make or break your move abroad. This week’s guest is Progressholic podcast host, Devesh Tilokani. He is an international student who moved solo from Dubai to London ON, 3 years ago when he was only 18 years old. In this episode, Devesh shares his passion for personal growth and the different tactics he uses to bounce back when feeling low, in a rut or demotivated. We chat about his experience growing up in Dubai, bust some popular myths about UAE and bond over our love of podcast hosting.

You don’t want to miss:

• Why growing up in Dubai allowed Devesh to move to Canada without any culture shock.
• Dubai myth-busting: Asking the awkward questions about popular UAE stereotypes.
• Sick family members overseas: How Devesh coped when he received the news about his Dad’s heart attack and was unable to rush home.
• Mindset: The simple ways to ‘snap out’ of those energy lulls and start building consistent positive habits.
• The best meditation tip for when your mind won’t shut off!!
• Productivity: Batching and the 80/20 Rule! How to make the most of your time abroad and boost your efficiency.

PLUS, how Devesh got the infamous nickname “the Oil Prince” at Canadian parties...

Links & Resources:

• Connect with Devesh on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Devesh’s podcast: progressholic.com
• Download my 50 free tips from newcomers to Canada: What they wish they knew before they moved! thenewcomercollective.com/canada-tips/
• Follow me on Instagram: @TheNewcomerCollective
• For more about us and what we do, check out our website: TheNewcomerCollective.com

Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any of our inspiring interviews and valuable ‘life in Canada’ lessons.

And, if you enjoyed this episode, please let us know by leaving a review - Until next week!

If you’ve ever worked in the United Kingdom (no matter what nationality you are), you have paid into the UK State Pension.

Once you move away, say to Canada, you might think that those payments are simply lost, or like me, you’re unsure what can even be done from overseas...

Good news is, I’m joined in this episode by Ian Andexser, a fellow Brit in Canada and chairman of the Canadian Alliance of British Pensioners (CABP).

He’s here to shed light on how you can “buy back” missing years of contributions since moving abroad and still receive a good payout when you reach pension age - Despite no longer living in the UK!

Ian also discusses the ongoing “frozen” pension issue, a problem that is costing pensioners in Canada hundreds of thousands of pounds, as well as the ways that CABP is lobbying the UK government for change.

You don’t want to miss:

• Ian’s story of hitch-hiking across Canada as a tourist in the 1970s and then falling in love with his Canadian wife of 46 years.
• His life today in Nanaimo, Vancouver Island.
• The basics: What is a UK State Pension, who qualifies for one and how do you get one.
• How to “buy back” missing years that you haven’t paid into the UK pension scheme since moving to Canada.
• Ian’s real-life example: How he retroactively paid $3,000 to now get $10,500 per year from the British government.

PLUS, the fight against non-indexation of pension payments based on a pensioner’s country of residence - and an optimistic look to the future.

Links & Resources:

• Join the Canadian Alliance of British Pensioners & learn how you can manage your pension: britishpensions.com/
• Check your State Pension age: https://www.gov.uk/state-pension-age
• Sign the Change.org petition here to support the fight against frozen pensions.
• Join the New to Canada Academy: Learn more
• Download my 50 free tips from newcomers to Canada: What they wish they knew before they moved! https://thenewcomercollective.com/canada-tips/
• Follow me on Instagram: @TheNewcomerCollective
• For more about us and what we do, check out our website: TheNewcomerCollective.com

If you’re inspired by “money mindset” podcasts, this is the episode for you!

There comes a time in your immigration journey when you’ll start looking to the future and thinking about how to build your wealth in Canada long-term.

This episode’s guest, Tomisin Salam, is originally from Lagos, Nigeria, and moved to Canada in 2011 to pursue his entrepreneurial dreams.

Together, we chat about the art of taking educated risks and grabbing the endless opportunities that Canada has to offer.

Tomisin talks us through his journey from selling clothes out of the trunk of his car to now being the CEO of his own FinTech company, FiatMatch - (An initiative that helps immigrants navigate the financial challenges of living in a new country) - and how you can start to build additional revenue streams too.

You don’t want to miss:

• All about growing up in Lagos, Nigeria - The cultural, financial, entertainment capital of Africa.
• His journey to entrepreneurship in Canada: Starting with building a payroll accounting system in Nigeria and taking the idea to Canada in 2011.
• Knowing when to “change” your dreams and pivot your goals when better opportunities arise.
• Where to start when you have an idea for a business and the importance of connection and mentorship.
• The financial struggles that Tomisin sees newcomers face again and again and why “credit” offered to newcomers may not be the best thing.
• Untapped opportunities: How to make additional income in Canada, from investments to side hustles.

PLUS, the common scams and financial fraud that you should watch out for in Canada...

Links & Resources:

• Follow Tomisin on LinkedIn: Click here
• Learn more about FiatMatch - The international money transfer marketplace: fiatmatch.com
• Check out the Immigrant Library: immigrantlibrary.com
• Join the New to Canada Academy: Learn more
• Download my 50 free tips from newcomers to Canada: What they wish they knew before they moved! https://thenewcomercollective.com/canada-tips/
• Follow me on Instagram: @TheNewcomerCollective
• For more about us and what we do, check out our website: TheNewcomerCollective.com

Managing your personal finances abroad is one of those huge and often daunting tasks. Newcomers often watch their savings dwindle as they struggle to find a job. They battle with higher living costs than they’re used to and have to build a Canadian credit score from scratch. This episode’s guest is Jodi from Montego Bay, Jamaica: A self-confessed personal finance geek and the founder of the empowering financial blog, Abundance of Jo.

Jodi shares her story of moving from Jamaica to Vancouver in 2015 to pursue her MBA and tells us her best tips and tricks to get financially ahead as a Canadian newcomer so that we can all live an abundant life.

You don’t want to miss:

• All you need to know about growing up in Montego Bay, Jamaica: Reggae festivals, beaches, waterfalls and spicy food!
• Vancouver vs. Toronto and the go-to Jamaican restaurants to check out in each city.
• Jodi’s experience as an international student in Canada, adjusting to the West-coast rainy season(!) and appreciating the community that has supported her along the way.
• The programs for newcomers that you should be asking about when opening a bank account, applying for a credit card, buying a new car, and more.
• Some simple tips for building your Canadian credit score and how to order your free credit report.
• Top money-saving tips to help you adjust to higher Canadian living costs and how to effectively budget when you first arrive.

PLUS, which budget-friendly apps you should be downloading right now!!

Links & Resources:

• Add ‘Honey’ for free to your internet browser to automatically apply promo codes to your online shopping cart: bit.ly/joinhoneycanada
• Visit Jodi’s Blog and download her free “Know Your Money” guide: AbundanceofJo.com
• Tangerine’s No-Fee Cash-Back Credit Card: Learn More
• Comparison Sites: Jessica Moorhouse | Money After Graduation
• Requesting your credit report: Borrowell.com
• Download the Flipp app to access store flyers and coupons: Flipp.com
• Compare rental prices vs. area: Padmapper
• Download my 50 free tips from newcomers to Canada: What they wish they knew before they moved! thenewcomercollective.com/canada-tips/
• Follow me on Instagram: @TheNewcomerCollective
• For more about us and what we do, check out our website: TheNewcomerCollective.com

Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any of our inspiring interviews and valuable ‘life in Canada’ lessons. And, if you enjoyed this episode, please let us know by leaving a review - Until next week!