Ukrainian-Canadian congress hosts job fair for newcomers
Posted March 8, 2023 4:39 pm.
Last Updated March 8, 2023 6:43 pm.
Igor Kovtun has been in Canada for 10 months. He along with over a thousand other Ukrainians in Edmonton — new to Canada — are being helped to find work by those in local employers and those in the local Ukrainian community.
Kovtun says with family back home in Ukraine, he’s looking to find work so he can bring them here and start a new life.
Ukrainian job fair (Photo Credit: Darcy Ropchan, CityNews)
“I’m looking for security, but I did at some point, moving, roofing, and currently I’m working for the kitchen,” he explained.
“Yes. Everyday. If I have an opportunity to call them, I do it. I like Canada, I want to be able to build my family here. step by step, I want to grow up here.”
Edmonton’s local chapter of the Ukrainian-Canadian congress hosting the job fair, which aims to help connect newcomers with employers by offering assistance with translation, working papers, and resumes.
While they initially expected around 3,400 hundred people to sign up, over one-thousand Ukrainian newcomers have registered for the job fair.
Some at the job fair, include Edmontonians that are sponsoring Ukrainian families fleeing war.
Ukrainian job fair (Photo Credit: Darcy Ropchan, CityNews)
Julian Lengauer and his wife sponsored a young Ukrainian woman fleeing war by providing a house. He says just yesterday the woman was able to reunite with her family after they moved to Edmonton. Lenguauer was overwhelmed seeing the community response.
“It will make our country so much better, and just that people have, we have so much space so much opportunity here. This is my chance. Sorry, I’m, getting emotional. This is just my chance to pay back,” explained Lenguauer.
The job fair runs until March 11.
