Expat story: Jonathan Correia, HVAC automation technician

Let's meet a new French expatriate who arrived in Terrebonne, Canada in September 2021. Find out why he decided to move to Canada and how his immigration process went.

🎙 Hi Jonathan, can you introduce yourself in a few words?

My name is Jonathan Correia, I'm 34 years old, I'm originally from the south of France - not far from Toulouse - and I now live in Terrebonne, Canada. I am an HVAC automatician and I came to Canada with a Working Holiday Permit (WHP) in 2021 with my wife and children.

🎙 Why did you choose to come and live in Canada and more specifically in Terrebonne?

Indeed, it was a little more particular at the time to enter the territory, the Canadian Government delivered a WHP only if you had a promise of employment. But this did not complicate my arrival in Canada, on the contrary. I've been here for 9 months now and I'm really enjoying it!

🎙 Why did you choose to come and live in Canada and more specifically in Montreal??

So, the choice to come and live in Canada came as a bit of a surprise! Vincent (co-founder of Talentech), contacted me in October 2020 on LinkedIn, just after the pandemic in France. I wasn't really thinking about it, I was only thinking about the professional opportunity, but it was quite far from my life goals.  

Then, with my wife, we started to discuss it, the idea started to please us. Then, the more we talked about it with our friends and family, the more we discovered stories of great experiences that could only make us want to leave.  

An ideal living environment: the respect of employers, the absence of stress and pressure in the company, the school system which is very good!  

It is from this moment that I contacted Vincent again to go further in the exchanges and in the positions that could be proposed to me.

The choice of the city of Terrebonne quickly became obvious because my job is in this city. We wanted to live close to my workplace to avoid the long drive.  

🎙 You're the proud father of two children, how was it adjusting to Canadian life for your children? job in Canada?

We came with our two children, both 2 and 5 years old at the time. We were very surprised by our oldest child's ability to adapt. He went back to school and immediately adapted to the Quebec rhythm, found friends... Living like in France! Our children are really happy here, especially during the winter! They love this time of the year, they almost wish it was summer.

‍

🎙 You found your job through Talentech, how was the recruitment process?

After having discussed a lot with Vincent about the different possibilities to come and work in Canada, Vincent started to introduce me to different companies and then I did an interview with my current company and that was it! Talentech really knew how to meet my expectations.

🎙 So you're an HVAC automation technician, what does your day-to-day work involve?

I work in a company that creates programs to automate heating and air conditioning systems for professionals. For example, in a large shopping center, in an office tower, in a school, etc. We develop systems that automatically manage the temperature set point with the objective of saving energy.

On a day-to-day basis, I'm in design. When we receive the construction documents for a building, I design the entire system from the plans we receive. I create the building's automated control system.

🎙 Have you noticed any differences in your job between Canada and France?

I am in a team of 8 people, which has helped me to adapt to the new systems. I am the only French person in the team, and I was very lucky to find a team that was welcoming and really willing to help me integrate into the company.

In terms of work, it's quite different from France, because there, I was involved in the entire creation process, from the beginning of the project to the installation on site. Here, everything works by department, which makes my tasks easier. Before, I was constantly disturbed by people from the installation, now I can really concentrate on my design work and deliver a clean job.  

🎙 What's your experience with the Talentech team?

Very pleasant! They were always present, attentive and always knew how to answer my questions very quickly. Even with the time difference, I never waited more than a day to get an answer. I never had any problems or bad surprises with what they told me. Reliable and professional!

🎙 How was your expat experience in Canada?

It was a little more complicated at the beginning, we arrived in Covid-19 period which did not help us. When we arrived, we were in quarantine for 14 days, so it was a bit difficult for our children...

We also bought a car, and again with the expectation of transferring money between France and Canada it made the process more complex.

But once the first 20 days were over, all the paperwork was done and our confinement was lifted, everything was fine!

As for our accommodation, we found it from France on marketplace by Facebook. This simplified our arrival, because we were able to do our quarantine in our house (furnished).

From a social point of view, my company organizes a lot of events, which encourages exchanges and meetings. I also had French friends already in the country, which helps a lot.  

🎙 What would you say to someone who is still hesitant to come to Canada?

COME WITHOUT HESITATION! The quality of life is so much better. There are many activities to do, good professional benefits and security... That's why we are in the process of applying for permanent residency!

‍

Are you interested in a Canadian adventure? Are you thinking of coming to discover Canada and more particularly Quebec? Go ahead and contact the Talenteam!

If you are looking for a position like Jonathan in the field of automation, building management or HVAC, apply to our job offers here. Talentech accompanies you in obtaining your job, your immigration process and your relocation to Quebec.

>> Read more about Geoffrey's experience as an automation specialist in Montreal.