'This is where I found home'

Jean-Pierre Nguimfack, Fredericton immigrant, finds opportunity and community in New Brunswick’s bilingual capital after facing hard times in Quebec. (Submitted by Rachael Ilupeju)

The 2019 federal government francophone Immigration Strategy draws Jean-Pierre Nguimfack, a Cameroon immigrant who faces a hard time, making him wonder if he made a great mistake moving to Fredericton, N.B.

On a fateful night in Laval, Quebec, 37-year-old Jean-Pierre Nguimfack sat alone on the edge of his twin bed in his small basement apartment, bags all packed, wondering if he had made the biggest mistake of his life.  

“Those six months in Quebec were the most difficult period of my life,” he said. “Every night, I sat alone in that tiny apartment, praying I didn’t make a mistake.” 

Long before Jean-Pierre found himself pacing a small apartment in Laval, which was a place far from home. Running out of money, Jean-Pierre, who was born and raised in Douala, had what he describes as a comfortable life in Cameroon with his wife, Simo and their two children, Kalla and Atrix, who are six and three years old. He lived in a big compound that had several bungalows, which housed his extended family as well. He worked as a computer technician to earn a living, and his wife, Simo, ran a small tailoring business from home.  

“We were not suffering,” Jean-Pierre said. “And beyond money, we had all the love we needed.”  

His interest in Canada began in 2019 when a childhood friend sent him information about the Canadian government’s francophone Immigration Strategy, which was aimed at increasing the number of French-speaking newcomers. As a native French speaker, the initiative caught his attention, and he began to conduct his own research about the immigration pathways. In no time, he became drawn to the idea of building a future for his family in a country where French was widely used. 

“…. I saw this as an opportunity for my kids, I have always wanted them to grow up in a system where they could dream big and where merit meant something,” Jean-Pierre said. 

Jean-Pierre explained that he applied for a study permit in 2020 as the first step towards building that future, and within a year, his visa was approved, but due to COVID-19, he didn’t arrive until late 2021. Upon his arrival at Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, he was so convinced that his decision to live in Quebec was the perfect choice, as he could hear people speaking French and believed that, since it was a large city, he would have enough job opportunities and find his community. Unfortunately, the reality was harsher than he expected.  

The first hurdle was securing an apartment. He tried renting an apartment before his arrival, but landlords repeatedly rejected his applications. Jean-Pierre believed that things would change once he got here, but unfortunately, every landlord he came across wanted references and proof that he had a job to pay his bills. Jean-Pierre explained that he had to spend his first three weeks living in an Airbnb, paying daily rates before finding a small basement apartment in Laval that he could afford. Yet, the rent still took up most of his savings that he had brought from home.

Jean began looking for work immediately, sending out resumes to warehouses, retail stores and tech companies, but was frequently told he didn’t have Canadian experience.   

“I applied everywhere,” Jean-Pierre said. “I called places, and I walked into places, but no one called me back. How can I get a Canadian experience if no one hires me?”  

Jean-Pierre describes the six months he spent in Quebec as the most difficult period of his life.  

He began considering returning to Cameroon despite how far he had come, but each time he thought of giving up, he pictured his children’s future and how his daughter, who was four at the time, cried during video calls, saying she missed him and was constantly asking when she could come join him.  

‘I knew I had to keep trying,” he said. “I just couldn’t disappoint them like that."

Determined not to give up, he widened his search beyond Quebec. He began to read about smaller provinces and cities where newcomers had a better chance of finding work and forming community connections. The more he read, the more he felt New Brunswick might be what he had been searching for, but he still had a bit of doubt. He thought it was only an English-speaking province. 

“At first, I was very worried because I thought Fredericton was mostly English-speaking,” he said. 

In May 2022, he arrived in Fredericton with a single suitcase, a backpack and enough money to survive for one month.  

“The moment I arrived, I felt something different,” he said.  

Jean-Pierre reached out to the Multicultural Association of Fredericton (MCAF) on his second day, and within hours, he was referred to the settlement services offered by the Société de l’Acadie du Nouveau-Brunswick (SANB).  

“For the first time since arriving in Canada, I could finally feel and see that people understand my challenges and were willing to help me,” Jean-Pierre said.  

The staff at SANB helped him update his resume, prepared him for interviews and connected him to employers looking for bilingual workers. Within weeks, he secured a junior IT support position with a local company. This job has given him the privilege to move out of temporary housing and begin building a stable life.  

“That one job changed everything. I will forever bless the day I stepped my foot into Fredericton,” he said. 

Jean-Pierre’s move to New Brunswick aligns with Canada’s strategic efforts to reinforce French-speaking communities outside Quebec. In 2019, the federal government launched the francophone Immigration Strategy with a set target of attracting 4.4 per cent of French-speaking permanent residents outside Quebec by 2023. The goal was to strengthen French-speaking minority communities, address labour shortages and ensure newcomers could integrate successfully.  

The strategy proved successful, with the country reaching its target a year ahead of schedule. In 2024, the policy was updated with higher targets, aiming for 12 per cent by 2029 alongside enhanced settlement supports to ensure newcomers stay in their chosen communities.  

New Brunswick, the only officially bilingual province in Canada, has been a key focus. The provincial government’s Strategic Initiative Stream of the provincial Nominee Program targets skilled workers proficient in French and connected to the province through work or education. In 2023, approximately 70 per cent of French-speaking admissions through New Brunswick’s PNP contributed to federal francophone immigration goals. 

Building on New Brunswick’s focus on francophone immigration, local organizations have also played a critical role in helping newcomers settle and thrive. The Société de l’Acadie du Nouveau-Brunswick (SANB) has been actively supporting these immigrants by providing integration programs, language services and community connections that help newcomers find housing, employment and social networks.  

In a recent press release, Arseneau-Sluyter, president of the SANB, acknowledged that the numbers are encouraging, but there is a need for the government to do more.  

"It is essential that the government make the vitality of our language a real priority," said Nicole Arseneau-Sluyter, president of the SANB. “It’s not enough to bring people here. They need housing, jobs, schools and community to thrive.” 

While francophone immigration policy still faces challenges, Jean-Pierre’s belief in New Brunswick has only grown stronger. With stable employment and income, he applied for permanent residency, began the process for his family to join him, and in Spring 2023, they were finally approved to join him. 

“I remember the day I got the mail that my wife and kids’ visas had been approved, I got so excited that I was doing the happy dance at work,” he said. “I didn’t care who saw me; it was the happiest day of my life.” 

Today, Jean-Pierre and his family live in a two-bedroom apartment on Fredericton’s south side. His children attend Ecole Sainte-Anne, his wife works part-time at Tim Hortons while saving to start her own sewing business someday, and Jean-Pierre is currently taking evening courses at the Université de Moncton’s Fredericton campus to upgrade his IT credentials while working full-time. Jean expresses that their lives now feel like an answered prayer. 

“I came to Canada for opportunity, but I stayed in Fredericton because this is where I found home,” he said.