FUSION

People. News. Information.

VOLUME 18, ISSUE 5 2021

Group Publisher Sanjay Agnihotri

Editor Ramya Ramanathan rramanathan@metroland.com

Editorial Design Safi Nomani

Sr. Ad Manager Ricky Bajaj rbajaj@metroland.com Tel: 905 273 8170

Assistant Manager Laura Jackman ljackman@metroland.com

General Inquiries: info@canadianimmigrant.ca

Circulation/Distribution Inquiries: ljackman@metroland.com

ISSN 1910-4146

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Canadian Immigrant is published six times a year in print. Canadian Immigrant welcomes submissions, but is not responsible for unsolicited material. Canadian Immigrant is a publication of Metroland Media Group, a division of Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. Entire contents property of Canadian Immigrant.

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VICKRAM AGARWAL

The power of persistence

By Ramya Ramanathan

Vickram Agarwal with his family

Indian-born Vickram Agarwal is a global citizen. Raised in India and the Middle East and educated in the UK, he started his marketing career with General Motors in Dubai.

A digital and technology entrepreneur, in 2011, he founded Stroke Consulting with a client portfolio that included some top brands. He is also the proud founder of Daddy’s Digest, an online platform that bridges the parenting gap through the creation of expert and usergenerated content.

In 2019, he moved to Canada with his wife and daughter and took the helm of the Black Rock Marketing Group as partner and managing director. He is currently the vice president of marketing at Credit Canada, a nonprofit credit counselling agency whose mission is to help people get out of debt.

Tell us about yourself

I am a third culture kid – I was born in India, raised in the Middle East and educated in the U.K. My wife and I met in Dubai, but she was born and raised in Ottawa. Our long-term plan always included building a life in Canada. In 2019, after nearly a decade together, we made the big move with a two-year-old in tow.

Tell us about what you do

I started my career with General Motors and after a few years in manufacturing, I moved to automotive retail with Volkswagen. In 2011, I quit my job and started a digital marketing consultancy. After nearly nine years and clients like GMC, Chevrolet, Fiat, Kawasaki and MasterCard, later, I moved to Canada and led the Black Rock Marketing Group as managing director.

This summer, I transitioned back from agency to client side and am now the newly appointed vice president of marketing at Credit Canada.

Along this colourful journey, I also founded the parenting company Daddy’s Digest, which was acquired earlier this year.

What inspired you to launch Daddy's Digest?

When my daughter was born, my wife and I shared the highs and lows and really invested ourselves in her growth and development. Unlike my better half who had access to resources and a community, I had no support system. As an entrepreneur, I had no choice but to seize the opportunity. My own struggle inspired me to build a father-focused parenting company.

Did you face any major challenges when you came to Canada?

Moving to Canada was the best decision we could have made as a family, and we don’t doubt it for a second. Though, if anyone tells you that life as a new immigrant is easy, they would be lying. Try converting your driver’s license or leasing a car without a credit score… it will bring great appreciation and empathy to the challenges faced by new immigrants.

I learned quickly that persistence is the key to success in Canada. I made over 600 job applications the first time around and that led to four callbacks and ultimately three interviews. I am resilient by nature, so I chose to see everything as an opportunity. It helped me gain perspective and stay sane.

What are your future plans?

I’ve just started a new role as the vice president of marketing at Credit Canada. Our mission is to help people get out of debt, so they can get back to life. I am excited for the opportunity to positively influence the lives of Canadians and make a difference through my work.

What drives you?

I am driven by the desire to make a difference. I try to live a life of purpose. I need challenges and complexity to feel like I am growing. At work, I am passionate about data and delivering positive outcomes.

What is your advice to immigrants and newcomers?

Be persistent and stay hungry. Canada is the land of opportunity and a place where fortune truly favours the bold. Reach out to as many people as you can, ask for advice and mentorship. Be vulnerable and receptive to this new experience.

Canada invests $100 million to support newcomers’ integration

In August, to ensure that all newcomers have access to the support they need, Canada’s Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino announced an investment of $100 million over the next three years to improve the way newcomers access settlement services. The funds will be directed to improving the service delivery improvements (SDI) process which is centred on developing innovative approaches to better support the settlement and integration of newcomers.

As a part of this package, 78 projects are being supported to explore how to better integrate newcomers in their new communities and support the settlement sector as it recovers from the pandemic. Some examples of the projects include exploring how artificial intelligence can support settlement strategy, connecting newcomers with employers in smaller urban and rural communities pre-arrival, and service approaches designed by an anti-oppression framework.

Minister Mendicino highlighted the importance of settlement services: “From work to housing to language training, they set newcomers up for success. During this challenging year and a half, I think it’s safe to say everyone has needed support in some form or another. One can only begin to imagine the additional hurdles this pandemic has presented newcomers trying to start their lives in Canada. These new SDI projects will help us enhance and improve settlement services so every newcomer can reach their full potential here.”

Government takes meaningful action to prevent immigration fraud

It is not uncommon to hear of many foreign workers or students having to pay large sums of money to immigration consultants for the promise of work or permanent residence, only to find out at a later date that they have been lied to.

With a number of people from across the globe hoping to settle, visit or work in Canada, the government is taking meaningful action to root out immigration fraud and offer protection to applicants to the immigration system.

A new body, the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (College), will become the official regulator of immigration and citizenship consultants across the country, improving oversight and cracking down on criminals. It will regulate the profession by protecting both the public and consultants in good standing from those who take advantage of vulnerable people.

The self-governing not-for-profit, Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC) will function as the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants. The College will officially open on November 23, 2021.

The creation of the College is a key part of the government’s efforts to fight fraud in the immigration system.

Settlement services are critical to helping newcomers settle and adjust to life in Canada. They range from helping newcomers find jobs, learn English or French, find a place to live and, more broadly, succeed in their new home. These services are even more critical given the additional challenges caused by the pandemic.

Key dates for upcoming Canadian Immigrant events

Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards: Thank you for voting! We received nearly 70,000 votes from across the country. Winners will be announced on November 18, 2021.

Canadian Immigrant Virtual Fairs Fall 2021: The free all-day event for the Western Region Fair (British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba) will be held on October 28 and the Central and Eastern Region (Ontario and Nova Scotia) Fair is on November 4.

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