Canada says all the right things to attract new immigrants, but the reality doesn’t always live up to the hype. Constanza Safatle says it doesn’t have to be that way

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Constanza Safatle grew up in Santiago, Chile, where she studied for seven years to obtain a Bachelor of Laws from the Universidad de los Andes. By her mid-20s, she had landed her dream job as a commercial lawyer for the Bank of Chile. It was the start of a promising career.

However, when her partner proposed and reminded her of his plans to further his education in Newfoundland and Labrador, everything changed. Being young and open to adventure, Safatle obtained an open work permit in 2015 and moved to Canada to build a new life with her new husband.

It wasn’t until she arrived in St. John’s, N.L. that Safatle realized just how much of a challenge that would be. With little English, no network, no job prospects and her credentials as a lawyer not recognized, she had to start rebuilding her life—and do it without the supports she’d expected to find when she arrived. She explained that immigrants are given the impression systems are in place to support their transition to living in Canada. “Come here, we need professionals, you’ll love it,” she commented. “It’s disappointing to arrive and find that not enough is in place to welcome us. It’s not what they promise.”

Still, Safatle took charge of her own future. She started by approaching an organization that provides English classes to immigrants, but she was rejected. It stung, but she quickly saw that she would have to teach herself. Walking into her home at that time, you would see Post-it notes on everything around her house to help her memorize common words. She also used music to learn new words and phrases.

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