Text and photos : Marie-Anne Dayé
Moving from the big city in the Philippines to the tranquility of the North Shore is a change of lifestyle that Diryl del Mundo really enjoys. “There’s no traffic and there’s fresh air!” she enthuses. “It’s very quiet here. I wanted my daughter to see the beauty of a simple life. Sept-Îles was one of the best destinations for us.
Having previously worked in customer service for Jollibee, a fast-food company, she was subsequently hired as a kitchen service manager at McDonald’s Sept-Îles in March 2022 with a three-year closed work permit. Her daughter and husband, who had previously left to work on a boat for nine months of the year, followed her in December 2022, to the great benefit of the family. “We wanted a normal family setup. And Canada offers the possibility of bringing the whole family here “*, she says. Her husband now works for the same company as her, and her daughter attends the local school. The employer supported Diryl and her family in their efforts to come to Canada.
Septilian hospitality and friendliness
Diryl had a good command of English, but spoke no French at all when she set foot in the coastal town, even though she knew that Quebec was a province where the majority of the population spoke the language. Her initial discomfort faded with each encounter with the Septilians, who welcomed her warmly and were patient with her. “What I’ve experienced here is that most people greet you even if they don’t know you. They say hello with a beautiful smile!” says Diryl happily. “At first, I was impressed. They encourage you to speak French without judging you. If you don’t speak it properly, they help you to do so, and especially with the accent, it’s so difficult!” As well as taking courses with Alpa Lira, an organization funded by the Canadian government as part of the Migrant Worker Support Program (MWSP), she practices French with her colleagues and regular McDonald’s customers.
Acclimatizing and settling in
The plan for Diryl and his family is to settle in Sept-Îles. “Since we’re new here, we’re acclimatizing to the area, we want to continue to familiarize ourselves with Canada.” Many Filipinos have also adopted Sept-Îles, like themselves. In fact, a grocery store run by a Filipina opened its doors last year and offers Asian products, much to Diryl’s delight when she misses the typical dishes of her homeland!
*Open work permits for family members of foreign workers
Depuis le 30 janvier 2023, les membre de la famille des travailleurs étrangers temporaires peu spécialisés occupant une profession classifiée sous les catégories FEER 4 ou 5 de la Classification nationale des profession 2021 peuvent demander un permis de travail ouvert (voir les conditions ici). Les membres de la famille des TET détenteurs d’un permis de travail au titre du Programme pilote sur l’agroalimentaire peuvent le faire aussi.
Par contre, les familles des TET détenant :
- un permis de travail dans le cadre du volet des postes à bas salaires du Programme des travailleurs étrangers temporaires (PTET)
- un permis de travail dans le cadre du Programme des travailleurs agricoles saisonniers ou
- un permis de travail dans le cadre du volet agricole du PTET
ne sont pas admissibles.
