ST JOHN’S, NL – With a Spider-man mask on, Giuseppe Jaco hits the gym after a long eight-hour shift at Mary Brown’s and just before he gets ready for his other job as an online marketer. Like Spider-man, this mask gives him strength. “I have people depending on me,” Jaco said.
Jaco is one of many immigrants and new Canadians who moved to this country for better opportunities and to help provide for their families back in their countries.
As a student taking online classes for a degree in medical office administration in Sundance College and working two jobs just to support and provide for his family, Jaco needs all the strength he can get from his Spider-man mask.
Some proof of Jaco’s hard work is a burn mark on his right hand. He got second degree burn after a steamer fell on it while he was working on the prep line in Mary Brown’s.
A dab of ointment, he went straight back to work.
This is just one example of how determined Jaco is working as family provider.
“I have people depending on me.” …Giuseppe Jaco
His determination and hard work are proven when after just four months of working he’s already offered a managerial position.
Jaco works 120 hours biweekly to be able to provide for whatever his family might need. He shared how his mom asked him for $500 but he gave her the exact amount of money she really needed which was double what she asked.
He came to Canada knowing and expecting that he was going to struggle. “We’re not here to be comfortable, we’re here to survive,” Jaco said. “I will make sure that I will be the one my family holds on to.” Jaco said to his cousin who was the first one he ever helped. Jaco paid for his cousin to be able to go to Malaysia to chase a big opportunity.
For Filipinos like Jaco, the reason why leaving the country seems like a better option is because of a government that steals from its people. The Philippine government is currently undergoing a trial for flood control corruption that allegedly took billions of taxpayers’ money. “The government put themselves first, when even I can’t,” Jaco said.
People like Jaco have no other option but to look for a place that welcomes them with the possibility of a better life and a fair chance. “Most of us don’t have a choice. Choices and opportunities are for the rich.” said Jaco, quoting a Filipino movie called Hello, Love, Goodbye.
Unfortunately, this isn’t just Jaco’s life – it’s the life of most immigrants.
“We’re not here to be comfortable, we’re here to survive,”
According to an article exploring the reasons why people migrate to Canada, Nicola Wightman, of Wild Mountain Immigration, says immigrants are here looking for a better life. Indians and Filipinos are the leading nationalities that migrate to Canada, most of them do so to help their families and for the opportunities that they wouldn’t have had in their homeland.
However, misinformation and assumptions still circulate. Immigrants often hear the comment that they are here to “steal” jobs. For Jaco who has worked hard for what he has now, all he has to say is, “You’re letting your opportunities get stolen from you.”
Nanveet Kaur, office manager at Central Immigration Services, says that immigrants go through a strenuous process just to be able to apply for residency in Canada. The process of looking and applying for a job is a separate challenge. “The most difficult part of the process right now is the finances needed and end-of-stay refusal rates,” said Kaur.
End-of-stay refusals happen when immigration officers don’t believe that the applicant will leave Canada after their authorized stay.
According to an article by Patrick Jack on Times Higher Education, 53 per cent of visa applications were refused by August of this year over fears that the applicant will not leave the country based on their financial assets.
This suggests that the immigrants who have passed immigration tests and screenings and are residing in Canada right now can provide for themselves and are contributing to the economy. And for people like Jaco, they go above and beyond to make this chance at a better life worth it.
“We are all here to feed the family,” said Kaur.
Immigrants or new Canadians face the same challenges that most Canadian residents face. Housing and employment are the common struggles that Canadians and new Canadians are dealing with in today’s economy.
There is some psychological logic as to why some Canadian citizens may think that newcomers pose such a threat. When people feel their economic situation is insecure due to low wages, underemployment, inflation, or cost-of-living pressures, it’s natural to look for causes. Immigration becomes a visible target because newcomers are often in the labour market and seen entering roles people think should go to “locals.”
A poll by Ipsos says that 40% of Canadians agreed that “immigrants in Canada have made it more difficult for people of their nationality to get jobs.” However, it is also important to note that this survey was done in 2017.
In 2025, the Government of Canada website states that the vast Canadian population is aging and having fewer children. This is why welcoming immigrants is important to help employers find suitable and qualified workers to fill gaps in the labour market.
People like Jaco who use their opportunities in Canada to not only help and provide for their families but to also learn and be better are proof that immigrants contribute to the economy and create jobs for Canadians like what the government website says.
“Even though we’re only immigrants, we can do more,” says Jaco.
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Originally published in The Kicker, College of The North Atlantic.
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