Online Group Orientation (GO)

Pre-GO Handouts
 Welcome to the Group Orientation – GO

The Group Orientation is the first part of the three-step PfC program.

The GO will empower you to find and use relevant information to make informed decisions regarding
where you will settle, what occupation you will pursue, and how to prepare effectively for economic and
social integration. It will help you have realistic expectations and provide you with accurate, up-to-date
information.

By attending the GO, you will:

• learn about and prepare for common challenges and life changes,
• consider different options on where to settle based on your occupation, family needs and lifestyle,
• learn about settlement topics, such as housing, children’s education, finances, norms, language,
and mental health,
• understand the challenges in finding and retaining a job in Canada,
• understand the necessary steps in becoming career-ready and how to effectively integrate into the
Canadian workplace culture,
• know what actions to take to prepare for job searching in Canada.

You will find in this package a set of handouts that you will need to participate in some exercises and
group activities. You can read and familiarize yourself with the handouts in advance.

Since the GO follows Canadian-teaching standards, you will be encouraged to actively participate by
liking, commenting, and asking questions in the chatbox. This will help retain information, communicate
with facilitators and network with other participants.

Preparation is key! PfC will help you maximize your chances of success in Canada by using the
information learned in the GO, discussing with a PfC facilitator during your Personnal Planning session
(PPS) to create a personalized Action Plan, and putting your plan into action with the help of in-Canada
advisors.

Looking forward to meeting you!

The Planning for Canada team

Handout #1: Fictional Family

This fictional family will help you reflect on your immigration, settlement, and integration journey. The
different members of this family will also help you identify your and your family’s needs to look for the
specific information you need for your own immigration journey.

Here are some key aspects of this family:

• Family composition: Michael (father), Camille (mother), Nina

(daughter, school-aged), Ren (son, baby).
• They arrived in Calgary, Alberta, a year and a half ago.
• Understanding of Canadian culture: What they know about
Canada and the Canadian workplace is through what they
have been told by family and friends. Given this, Michael and
Camille operate from their cultural values, norms,
expectations, perceptions, and assumptions.
• Work experience: Michael worked as a mechanical engineer
for 9 years in the oil and gas industry and in building services
before arriving in Canada. He worked on 2-3 large-scale
projects at a time back home with deadlines of 6-8 months as
opposed to the Canadian company where he is dealing with
6-7 small-scale projects with deadlines of approximately 15
days.
• Camille has a Master’s degree in IT Engineering and worked for 2 years as an IT Engineer for the
largest Android application distributor back home. She, designs, installs & maintains a company’s
computer systems; troubleshoots hardware, software & networking system; trains staff & manages
projects.
• Work situation: About a year after arriving in Calgary, a job recruiter recruited Michael for a new job
as an Engineer in Kitchener, Ontario. As a result, Michael relocated to Kitchener (Camille followed a
month later with Nina and Ren). Camille became a full-time stay-at-home mother after having Nina.
Camille hopes to find a job in Kitchener once Ren is in daycare.
• Family support: Camille’s parents had come to Canada for a visit and to help with the baby. Her
parents stayed for a few weeks to help them settle in Kitchener and then returned home. Michael
has some family members in Canada, but they do not have any friends or relatives in Kitchener.
Both Camille and Michael are feeling isolated and alone in Kitchener.
• Personal interests: hiking, swimming, family time, video gaming, and movies.
• Preparation: To make the most in this life-changing journey, they had to prepare as effectively as
possible in advance, to be able to make the right informed decisions about where to settle and what
occupation to pursue.
Handout #2: Arrival Actions Exercise

List of settlement items

Buy a SIM card /

Submit a mailing Open a bank account Visit a settlement
choose a cell phone
address to receive a and get a credit card agency
plan
PR card

Connect to Provincial
Register children in Register for language
Start the process to and Employment
school classes
get a driver’s license Advisors

Buy private insurance Find a more

Get involved in the
for the first 3 months if permanent place to
Apply for Health Card community
relevant live

Find a Learn about the tax

Learn about public Find a family doctor
daycare/childcare system
transport

Find after school

Get a Social
Familiarize with your program / Use IRCC’s Living in
Insurance Number
city and neighbourhood arrangements for Canada tool
(SIN)
your children

Apply for benefits Buy additional health

insurance if needed Learn about scams
Buy seasonal clothes
Find your first place (if not provided by an and fraud
to live employer)
Handout #3: Job Readiness Self-
Assessment Checklist
Directions: Following are statements about being job-ready. Place a checkmark in the column that
applies to you.

SOME - DON’T
JOB READINESS YES NO
WHAT KNOW
CAREER PLANNING

1. I know what occupation I want to pursue in Canada.

OCCUPATION AND LICENSURE

I know how to access and use Labour Market

2.
Information for my profession.
3. I know alternative career options for my profession.

My occupation is regulated in the province I intend to

4.
settle in Canada.
If my occupation is regulated, I know the steps for
5.
the licensure process.

6. I have started the licensure process.

SKILLS

I know what my assets are (work experience,

educational credentials, languages, essential and
7.
transferable skills) and how they can be useful during
my job search.

I have the appropriate level of written, oral, and non-

8. verbal communication skills that Canadian
employers expect.
I understand what soft skills Canadian employers
9.
expect for my occupation in Canada.
SELF MARKETING AND PROMOTION
I can articulate my workplace skills and
10.
accomplishments.

11. I have a Canadian-style resume and cover letter.

I have a LinkedIn profile and am active on social
12.
media to aid in my job search.
I know how to develop a professional network in
13.
Canada.

WORK EXPERIENCE
I know how to gain Canadian work experience
14.
before being employed.
Handout #4: Workplace scenarios

Directions: Read through the following scenarios and answer the question. Identify the scenario that you
would most like to discuss in detail during the session – the one you find might be most challenging.

Scenario 1

The team is trying to meet a tight deadline. The supervisor, John, asks Aimee if her team can work on
Saturday morning. Aimee replies by saying, “Saturday?” John says it will only be for a few hours Aimee
replies, “Yes”. John tells Aimee that Daniel’s team is also working on Saturday which should make
things go faster. Aimee replies, “I see”. John asks Aimee for confirmation that her team will work
Saturday morning. Aimee replies, “That might be possible”. John replies, “Great!” On Saturday,
Aimee’s team does not show up for work. What are the communication barriers and how can the
situation be resolved?

Scenario 2

Angela has just started a new job in Canada. She sees that her colleagues engage in a lot of small talk.
She wants to be included so she joins in on different conversations. She does not know what they are
talking about so she decides to ask questions: “How old are you?”, “What church do you attend?”, “Are
you married?” “How much is your salary?”, and “How many children do you have?” Her colleagues glare
at her. Some appear to ignore the questions, while a very few, quickly and briefly, answer some of the
questions. For the most part, her colleagues return to what they were originally discussing. What are
the communication barriers and how can the situation be resolved?

Scenario 3

Flora recently started a new job as a health care aide in a personal care home in Canada. She feels
very comfortable that some of her coworkers are from the same country. Although fluent in English, she
chooses to communicate in her first language with co-workers of the same background. Other co-
workers, who do not understand what they are talking about, feel excluded, and are making negative
comments about Flora and her same-country co-workers. Flora has also observed some of the
resident’s family's faces and body language appear to tighten up when she refers to their parents as
either “mommy” or “daddy”. What are the communication barriers and how can the situation be
resolved?

Scenario 4

Avi arrived in Canada 2 years ago. He found a job as a Project Manager. There is a new project that is
about to start which will operate virtually. Avi has been assigned to lead the virtual team. He has great
leadership skills and is very qualified to lead this project. Many of the virtual team members have
difficulty understanding Avi’s accent. They are extremely worried that they will not be able to understand
Avi and will be unable to complete the project because of this. They make a formal request to the
Handout #4: Workplace scenarios

Director to change the lead of the virtual team. This is the first time Avi has been accused of not being
understood at work. What are the communication barriers and how can the situation be resolved?

Scenario 5

Kiren is a newer employee at a Canadian company that uses many acronyms. Kiren does not
understand what the acronyms represent and struggles to figure them out. Kiren’s manager Dave has
been with the company for a long time. He has been accustomed to using the acronyms for so long, he
has forgotten that not everyone understands them. Dave believes the onus is on his employees to tell
him if they do not understand something. Dave assumes that Kiren understands the acronyms as he
has never asked for clarification. One of the things that Dave does knows he must deal with is Kiren
referring to a fellow worker as “crippled” and female colleagues as “girls”. What are the communication
barriers and how can the situation be resolved?

Scenario 6

Before arriving, Isaac learned that success in the Canadian workplace meant being a good team player.
For Isaac, this means agreeing with the group consensus and never questioning the supervisor’s ideas.
Pat is Isaac’s manager who expects employee participation at team meetings. For Pat, this means
challenging one another’s ideas as a means of innovation. Isaac never comments, criticizes, or brings
up new ideas or solutions. Pat is beginning to think that Isaac’s English is not as good as she thought.
What are the communication barriers and how can the situation be resolved?

Scenario 7

Jill was very excited to begin her new job in Canada. She greeted her supervisor respectfully every day
by saying, “Hello Ma’am” with a very slight bow. Her supervisor Ruth hated to be called Ma’am and was
insulted that Jill thought she was so old. Several times, she told Jill to call her Ruth, but this made Jill
uncomfortable so she continued to address Ruth as Ma’am. What are the communication barriers and
how can the situation be resolved?