In this article, Canada InfoNet program participant, Amalya shares her journey of settling and building a new life in Winkler, Manitoba. With over a decade of professional experience in the legal field, she reflects on the challenges and rewards of adapting to a small Canadian community. From navigating job search hurdles to finding support and connection through local services, her story highlights the resilience and opportunities found beyond big cities.
Moving to Canada
My name is Amalya, and I am from Armenia. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Jurisprudence and 13 years of work experience in the legal sphere. 10 years ago, my friend moved to Canada and settled in Calgary, Alberta. She advised me to move to Canada as well. After researching almost every state in Canada, I have come to the conclusion that the climate of the Province of Manitoba is very close to the climate of the province where I lived. The second reason for choosing Winkler, Manitoba is the wide range of the labor market. Moreover, the province gives an excellent chance to start your own business in the near future. The third reason is real estate rental purchase prices. Compared to other provinces, it’s far better to live in Manitoba, as it gives an opportunity to not waste your money on rent, but save and buy an apartment with a mortgage. 
After settling in Winkler, I realized that there is no Armenian here, so I had to speak only in English or in Russian, as there is a huge diaspora of Russians and Ukrainians. Luckily, I know Russian and English, so it wasn’t hard for me to integrate into the community
Starting the Job Hunt
The hard part for me was job hunting. I thought that it should be easy as I have professional background and experience, but after I realized that these two factors are the problem. They consider me overqualified and rejected me after the interview, and after 2.5 months, I couldn’t find any job at all.
After these 2.5 months, I finally found 3 jobs, one of which was close to my profession, which is Insurance Advisor-Auto.
Adjusting to a New Reality
To be honest, I have never liked small and quiet places like Winkler, but after living here for 6 months, I realize that it has its own advantages. Firstly, I really value my time, so it is preferable to save time rather than stay for a long time in traffic jams, going to work for hours, and coming home again. Definitely, this is not possible in big cities, so my choice focuses on a small, comfortable city. Secondly, you have free time, and you can improve your education, your career, and even if you want to move big city, I recommend firstly living in a small city for approximately 1 year. This place is valuable for me, as there are many Christians, and they really value family matters.
I got settlement support from the Regional Connections Immigrant Service (https://regionalconnections.ca/). Employees provide settlement, employment, language, and community connections services for newcomers. They helped me to create a new resume in Canadian standards, shared with me employment opportunities, and useful links.
I can describe my community as Safe, Caring and Comfortable.
Conclusion
In the end, I would like to encourage those immigrants who have almost given up, and say that you should never give up, because there is no success without getting out of your comfort zone. Everything you desire is on the other side of your fear. So, don’t listen to anybody who says that you will never be in the position you desire. Pray, believe in God, and believe in what you pray for. That is really hard, but it’s not impossible.
Canada InfoNet supports pre-arrival participants on this journey — offering mentorship, career guidance and resources to help you explore opportunities and make informed decisions before arriving in Canada. Contact us to learn more about how we can support your journey.
