Many people’s lives have forever changed due to the West Kootenay Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (West Kootenay RNIP).
This significant pilot has helped over 550 newcomers apply for their Permanent Residency in Canada. Additionally, over 140 West Kootenay employers have used the pilot to support existing employees or hire skilled foreign workers to support their workforce needs.
The West Kootenay RNIP has been instrumental in our region. Foreign nationals who work, live and resettle in our communities, have secured more economic development opportunities and have helped our region become a more diverse community. We wish to thank the West Kootenay RNIP participants who shared their stories with us below. We hope you enjoy learning about each inspiring, passionate and driven person who dared to follow their dreams.
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Fexey: A new beginning filled with community generosity and a drive to succeed
Shortly after Fexey Xavier’s first child was born in 2017, her desire to leave India was solidified. Her career as a registered nurse in the province of Kerala didn’t offer enough compensation for her family to live comfortably, and the economy troubled her. She says, “Nursing salaries are less there compared to Canada. If my…
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Vyacheslav and Oksana: The kickstarter to a long-awaited family reunion
Vyacheslav and Oksana Apostolyuk decided to move to Canada from Ukraine for many reasons. For one, the couple’s combined salaries were not enough to support their family of four. “It was a hard decision, especially because Oksana had a very good career at the university. But we didn’t see any future for us and our…
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Lars and Simon: A garden party of new experiences and shared knowledge
During Simon and Lars’ adventures around the world, they often envisioned a quieter life for themselves outside of Hamburg, Germany. “We were getting tired of city life. We’d travel to places we liked and start dreaming that we’d retire there one day,” Simon reflects. In 2017, the couple travelled to British Columbia and were overwhelmed…
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Ferraro Foods: Fresh Family Recipes and Fresh Starts
David Ferraro’s father, two aunts and grandmother arrived in North America in the 1930s when his dad was just four years old. They came from Grimaldi, Italy at a time when many people were moving due to work shortages. Knowing the challenges his own family faced with immigration, helping newcomers to Canada comes from a…
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Ryan and Lea Martin: Keeping their doors open and opening the door for newcomers
Ryan Martin took over the historic Hume Hotel from his father in 1999, and together they purchased Nelson’s Best Western Baker Street Inn in 2003. Along with these busy hotels, Ryan, along with his wife Lea, also own the restaurants and bars within them. These include Mike’s Place Pub, General Store Restaurant, Spiritbar, Hume Liquor…
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Eriko & Hazzel: Finding adventure in settling down
Eriko and Hazzel Delfin, who are from the Philippines, have always loved travelling and experiencing other cultures together. “Each year, we had a month of vacation we needed to use, so we used that time to travel to places like Hong Kong, Japan and Thailand. Travelling to Nepal especially had a major impact in our…
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Fernando and Carolina: Pivoting to RNIP Meant More Family Time Pivoting on the Slopes
Fernando and Carolina’s dream to immigrate to Canada from Brazil began in 2009 when they found themselves driving a collective 10,000 kilometers each month to work for their own company in Brazil. “There wasn’t a lot of time for family, and we started to rethink things. We basically had two young boys growing up without…
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Miriam: Finding the ingredients to build a new life
“Nelson is beautiful. It’s like a little Switzerland,” says Miriam Martinez, about her picture-perfect home. “It has everything from restaurants to nightlife and family-oriented spaces. You can walk everywhere or bike if you don’t want to have a car. There are great beaches, and the weather is pretty good.” Miriam and her 16-year-old son are…
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Sandeep: Casting her net of talents toward her dream job
One of the reasons Sandeep came to Canada was to escape India’s prevailing caste system. The caste system, originating as far back as 3000 years, is a social hierarchy that determines a person’s occupation and access to resources. It’s still prevalent today with reserved and unreserved categories. Even though Sandeep has a Master’s degree in…
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Sheryll and Glenn: A Postcard-Perfect Opportunity for Family Connections
Sheryll and Glenn Baldovino spent years away from their four boys while working in Saudi Arabia. Although they had good salaries and could avoid the high taxation in their home country of the Philippines, they felt their family growing further and further apart. “It was a tough time,” says Sheryll. “We’d be chatting with our…
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Dani and Tiago: Crafting Their Children’s Freedom
“We are so blessed to be here with all this nature around us, especially because we came from São Paulo, a concrete jungle,” boasts Dani about her family’s home in Nelson. “I really like all the events that happen around here too. I was worried that I’d be bored in such a small town, but…
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Ainsworth Hot Springs: Multiculturalism Makes for a Varied and Interesting Life
“Even though the jobs are here, we need the workers,” says Jane, Director of Human Resources at Ainsworth Hot Springs Resort. “We’ve had to get creative as far as retaining staff out here because we’re so remote. Especially in hospitality, we’re always looking for employees.” Ainsworth Hot Springs Resort, owned by the Lower Kootenay Band,…
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Paul: “Google – What’s Slang for Acceptance and a Fun Career?”
“Mostly, I like the kids,” says Paul, about his favourite part about working as an early childhood educator (ECE) at Cornerstone Children’s Center in Nelson. “The kids call me Silly Pauly, so I try to be more funny. Yeah. I love that.” Paul has been living in Nelson with his family for five years and…
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Aylen: To the Land of Everything. Even New Mattresses.
There’s no doubt in Aylen’s mind that Nelson is the place she belongs. Ever since her first visit from her home in Argentina in 2009, she couldn’t help but travel back for ski trips and summer adventures. She’s grateful for the chance to live in Nelson permanently, which she accomplished through the West Kootenay Rural…
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Mark: From the Streets of London to the Hot Springs of Kootenay Lake
From police inspector to hotel reception manager, Mark has lived a few lives. He spent 31 years in the police force in London, where he had many different roles throughout his career. He spent his final years in training positions but has also been an inspector and part of the SWAT team. Although he’s in…
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Ilshat and Iliuza: The Road To Friendship, Multiculturalism and Home
“I would like to say that, for others, if you want to move, you can move. If you have difficulties, they will make you stronger. Don’t be afraid. Just do it, and everything else will happen for you.” This advice, from Ilshat Khasanov, is for anyone who is considering immigrating to Canada like he did. …
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Gitansh: Moving Up the Ladder and Down the Slopes
After arriving in Canada from India, it didn’t take long for Gitansh to find his groove. He went from being a student with a part-time serving job to a shift supervisor at a casino to the general manager of a major hotel in Castlegar! All within his first few years in his new country. When…
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Sutco: RNIP Hires Keep Sutco “Truckin’ On”
Imagine giving nearly 300 people their first job interview in Canada! Meet Maris, he’s the human resources manager at Sutco, a forestry transportation company that hauls lumber, wood chips, and the like. He is passionate about helping the people he’s hired at Sutco through the West Kootenay Rural and Northern Immigrant Pilot (RNIP). Maris has…
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Mahitha: A Journey Paved with Kindness
Mahitha’s journey to permanent residency (PR) was a nail-biting one. This resilient woman is certainly no stranger to trudging through the maze that can be immigrating to Canada. She initially came on a student visa with a three-year work permit and took Business Administration at Selkirk College. After her three years were up, she lost…
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Manish: Sharing His Picture Perfect
“They were really helpful throughout my journey, and they taught me a lot. When I want to travel to a different place, I usually go with my colleagues. They are my good friends.” Manish’s work friends celebrated with him when he achieved his permanent residency (PR) in January 2022 through the Rural Northern Immigration Pilot…
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Castleview Care Centre: Caring for the Nurses that Care
“The building, the field, the atmosphere when you walk into the building is what really drew me in,” says Arlene about the Castleview Care Centre, a long-term care residence in Castlegar. Arlene recently started working at Castleview as an administrator. “The care aides genuinely care for their residents who all intermingle here; it is not…
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Bhargav: From the First Day until the Last, Bhargav hit the Jackpot!
As soon as Bhargav was approved for permanent residency (PR), job offers seemed to come flooding in for his field of study. And this guy certainly deserves to be working in his chosen field! He came to Canada in the first place to expand his knowledge in accounting. “I wanted to experience more knowledge; how…
