There are many activities to prepare to move, and here are the top 8 things you need to know before you go to Canada.

Many newcomers land in cities in Canada where jobs are abundant. But, job opportunities are not only in Toronto and Vancouver.

To decide where to immigrate and to prepare for the Canadian job market, Maziar Taheri, an Iranian electrical engineer, made two short trips to Toronto before he moved to Canada with his family. During these trips, Taheri met with friends in Ontario to:

• talk to them about job opportunities in Canada
• ask how they managed their businesses
• spend time at their workplaces
• gather information about the standard of living in Canada.

He says the trips gave him a realistic view of the job market and saved him a lot of time, money, and struggle when he finally immigrated to Canada.

“Some people decide to move to Canada without knowledge of the job market here,” he says, “and when they come, they have to spend a lot more energy – and they also risk spending more money than necessary. It can be a great pain for some of them and it can also reflect on their families. In fact, they could have done something in their countries to better prepare and save time and money. To me, these two short trips helped me get a better start in Canada.”

Skills upgrading to prepare for the Canadian job

It took seven months for Taheri to find a professional job he likes. In the first two and a half months in Canada, he attended two courses for internationally trained professionals through ACCES Employment Services. The first one was Sales and Marketing Connection at Humber College, Toronto. In addition to sales and marketing in Canada, the program included resume writing and interview skills.

The other course Taheri attended was Leadership in Project Management at Toronto Metropolitan University. This program provided useful information about:

• management concepts in Canada
• team building
• conflict management
• and leadership styles.

Immediately after he finished the two programs, Taheri started working for a small company in Toronto. Unfortunately, the company was not in good financial standing and couldn’t pay him the salary he deserved. So, two and a half months later Taheri was unemployed, looking for another job.

That was his most difficult time in Canada. “I heard from my friends that looking for a job was a full-time job and I realized that it was true,” he says. “Sometimes I was working 12 hours a day – writing resumes, reading job postings and companies’ websites, going to job fairs and to interviews. But, I had made the decision to come to Canada and start my life here. I was determined to get a good job and I am happy that I found it.”

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“I tried to socialize with immigrants, who had started years ago and have succeeded. I tried to learn about their experiences, to hear how they solved their problems, what their approach was and this helped me a lot.”

To cheer up and stay motivated during his job search, Taheri avoided talking to negative people and instead socialized with successful friends and acquaintances with a positive attitude. ”Everywhere we can find people with low spirit and pessimistic views,” he says, “but it doesn’t help to communicate with them – focusing only on problems and difficulties doesn’t help. So I tried to socialize with immigrants, some of them already Canadian citizens, who had started years ago and have succeeded.

I learned about their experiences, how they solved their problems, what their approach was and this helped me a lot. I realized that all of them started with challenges, but they tried to keep a balance, and to make realistic plans to solve things step-by-step. It took them time and energy but, they succeeded and I enjoyed listening to their stories.”

Jobs are not only in Toronto and Vancouver

As an electrical engineer with experience in EPC (Engineering, Procurement, Construction) projects, oil and gas, and industrial equipment sales and marketing, Taheri found his current job in Calgary. He now works for one of Canada’s leading engineering companies.

“When I was planning to move to Canada,” he says, “most of my friends were landing in Toronto, and we also had relatives in Vancouver. So in my mind, I only had two alternatives –Toronto and Vancouver. I decided to land in Toronto because I had close friends there. At that time, I didn’t know much about Calgary.

Living in Calgary, Alberta

Little by little, I understood that something interesting was going on there – related to my experience and my education. And, I decided to move to Calgary. Now I am happy to live here. If I knew about Calgary before coming to Canada, I would have moved here directly, but unfortunately, I didn’t have enough information.” I realized after moving to Canada that job opportunities are not only in Toronto and Vancouver!

Taheri thinks Calgary has a more relaxed and harmonious society. There is a reason for that. “The weather is not very nice,” he explains. “Winters are very cold and very long. For that reason, non-professional people won’t come to Calgary. Very few newcomers would land here – most of the immigrants go to Toronto and Vancouver, which has resulted in the existence of many different societies, appearances, and behaviours there.

As for Calgary, mainly professionals who have jobs move here. Those who come have very clear ideas about their career goals. They also earn enough income to meet their financial needs. This makes the society more balanced and steady. Also, there are fewer crimes here. I like Vancouver– it is very beautiful and has good weather, it is nice to visit, but I prefer to live in Calgary.”

Although he found a professional job and stability in less than a year, Taheri thinks skilled immigrants should be patient. They should be prepared for it to take the first two to three years in Canada to gain the same life standards they had back home. Also, he advises newcomers’ spouses to be understanding and all family members to remember why they have left their own countries, relatives, and friends. Taheri also recommends new immigrants carefully spend their savings and avoid taking financial risks in their first years in Canada.

Successful franchisees demonstrate common personality traits that make them a great fit for franchising. As many new Canadians achieve success in franchising, it’s interesting to look at how personality traits may contribute to their success.

And a 2016 Statistics Canada study revealed that immigrants to Canada are more likely to own businesses than Canadian-born citizens. As well, there is growing research that shows immigrant entrepreneurial success is greater than that of Canadian-born entrepreneurs. And franchise businesses are fueling small business growth in Canada.

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One of the reasons that new Canadians decide to buy a franchise is because of the type of franchisor support that they can expect to help achieve success.  So, this is often a key point when deciding between becoming a franchisee or starting a new independent business. Many people will conclude that their chances of success will increase with the systems and support that a franchisor provides.

If you think that franchising makes sense, you may have decided it makes sense to pay for the right to use the franchisor’s brand, standards, and knowledge. In addition, a strong franchisor can often provide expertise in specific business functions, such as marketing or finance, that you may not have. However, it’s important to recognize that:

1. The level of franchisor support can vary.

2. Franchisor support will be clearly defined in the Franchise Disclosure Document and Franchise Agreement.

3. You need to do your own research to understand what support you’ll receive.

To learn more about franchising in Canada, download our free e-book today, and visit our Franchise Learning Center: 

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Types of Franchisor Support that You can Expect

Now, let’s explore four common types of franchisor support:

1. Initial Training:

You can expect to perform well when you select a franchisor to help you master the basics. And, training that is provided in your initial stages will help you achieve franchise success.

Your initial training will provide you with a broad overview of operations, marketing, sales, service, and general management. And, this may include:

• Operations training to develop skills and knowledge to run your franchise

• Financial and business systems training

• Employee selection and retention training (if applicable)

• Operations manuals and standard operating procedures

Your training begins after you sign your Franchise Agreement, and continues for as long as you own the franchise. And, your franchisor wants you to succeed! So, that means providing you with tools, resources, and knowledge right from the start.

2. Marketing and Advertising Support:

All franchisees are required to pay an Advertising Fee (usually 1 – 4% of gross sales). So, paying an advertising fee means that you do not have to create an advertising plan or marketing materials all on your own. In return for this fee, you can expect to receive:

• A marketing plan that extends past the grand opening of your franchise

• Tools to support brand building and promotional campaigns

• Guidance in local and regional marketing activities

• Professional marketing materials such as posters, brochures, banners, and other items.

3. Site Selection:

Not all franchisors will assist with site selection and site location is critical to your business success. But, if your franchisor doesn’t provide site selection support, you can usually get guidance related to:

• preferred business square footage

• parking requirements

• and, other information.

So, be sure to read what site selection support you can expect in the Franchise Agreement. And, discuss how you can work with the franchisor to select a great site.

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4. Ongoing Franchisor Support:

After you have completed your initial training, the ongoing support that you receive is essential. This support is generally provided by the franchisor to:

• Help you to improve the performance of your franchise

• Ensure you’re operating your business to brand standards

• Help you to grow your business

Other ongoing support can be related to supply chain; management training; and new products and services. This support can be a huge benefit. Your franchise team is likely working with other franchisees who have dealt with similar issues that you will face so, this knowledge may help you to reduce, if not avoid mistakes.

So, franchisor support can be a large benefit and critical to your success. You may even make your franchise selection decision based on the support you’ll receive to start your business on the right foot. The ultimate goal is your franchise success and ability to benefit from the franchisor’s proven systems and support.

Visit our Franchising for New Canadians Learner Center to view tools, resources, and information to help you make an informed franchising decision.

Canada is a mosaic of languages and cultures. Half the residents in Toronto alone cited a mother tongue other than English or French, according to a 2011 census. In fact, Statistics Canada identified 160 different mother tongues among Greater Toronto Area (GTA) inhabitants and 200 home languages across the country. (more…)