Vyacheslav works as a meat worker at a meat processing plant in Alberta, Canada

"I recommend everyone, who is willing to work abroad, study English in Ukraine, you will need it much at work."

My name is Vyacheslav. I am 33 years old, I was born and live in Kyiv. I am married and have a 2-years-old daughter. I used to work as a refrigeration mechanic and a furniture maker in Ukraine. My salary never exceeded $200, however I had to work hard. When I was 25, I started thinking about going to some other country to earn money and maybe to immigrate. My colleague suggested me to apply to KYLC (currently ILC).

Work in Northern Ireland

When I called to ILC, I was told that meat deboners were needed to work at the meat plants in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. As I have never done such a job before, I was suggested to work in a supermarket. After 3 months of work in the supermarket I passed professional attestation in deboning beef back parts and shoulders, which was arranged by ILC at one of the meat processing plants in Kyiv region. ILC sent my documents and attestation video to a meat plant in Ballymena, Northern Ireland. In some time I passed the interview with the employer together with five more deboners. ILC prepared all documents to submit to the embassy. We obtained our visas and one-year work permits and on March 9, 2006 we gathered in ILC office to go to Boryspil airport and further - to fly to Belfast.

We arrived safe. Our employer met us in the airport on his minibus and took us to the 3-storeyed house where we further lived during a year. Our workplace was located 2 km away from the town. During the first 2 months we rode bikes to get to work, and then bought a car Renault Clio, not a new one but in a good condition, which cost us £350. Our working day started at 07:00 a.m. and finished at 03:30 p.m. We also had two 30- and 40-minutes breaks. Most of us used to do packing in the sausage-making shop. The salary was £5.05/hour, paid each Thursday without any delays. There was also a possibility to work overtime and clean the shop for £7.55/hour. Saturdays and Sundays were always days off. I had a plenty of free time and I was visiting the swimming pool, gym, sauna, played football, had a sightseeing tour in London. When I was in Kyiv during my 2-weeks paid vacation after six months of work, I obtained a 6-months transit Schengen visa in the German embassy and had a tour to Paris and Amsterdam.

Canada and ILC open new opportunities

When my contract in the Northern Ireland expired, I contacted ILC again asking if they have other programs for me and they had the program to work in Canada with a possibility to immigrate. It interested me because I knew that Canada is a highly developed country with good wages, a big Ukrainian community and a Ukraine-like weather. In March 2007 I together with other 30 people were interviewed by an employer from Alberta, Canada. At that time 9000 pork carcasses per day were processed and packed at this meat plant. After a 2-weeks English course arranged by ILC and 3 months of documents processing we left for Red Deer, Canada on June 7, 2007 accompanied by ILC representative. First we flew to Toronto for 9 hours, where we stayed for a night in a good hotel. In Toronto we also received our work permits from immigration officers. Next morning we left for Calgary (another 4-hours flight). The trade union representatives met us in the airport and took us to Red Deer, where our meat plant was located. First we were placed in the hotel, in the rooms for 2 persons. Then during the lunch we decided who and where wanted to live. The next day we were driven by minibus to our homes - 2-storeyed detached houses with all modern conveniences in the rooms for 1 and 2 persons.

After orientation and an English training course, we learned about the full production cycle at the meat plant and received our work clothes. We were getting to work by bus (monthly bus pass cost $58). The working day in the deboning shop started at 06:00 a.m. and finished in 02:30 p.m.. In the slaughtering shop the work started at 07:00 a.m. and finished at 03:30 p.m. We also had 1 hour lunch break and two coffee breaks for 15 and 30 minutes. I packed streaky bacon for 3 months, then worked on the line with meat balls for deboning on the line for the next 6 months and then worked on the pork back legs deboning line for another 6 months. Our salary was paid each second Friday without any delays. In 3 months after we started to work we had to take an English test, which consisted of writing, reading, listening and speaking. 5 people, including me, passed the test from the first time - so, we didn't have to attend classes any more. Those who didn't pass the test had to attend classes 2 times per week for 2-3 hours after work. Classes were arranged by the meat plant in order to help everyone pass the interview with the immigration officer. I recommend everyone, who is willing to work abroad study English in Ukraine, you will need it much at work!

In 1 year and 2 months everyone passed the interview with the immigration officer. The most important thing during the interview is no to be afraid or shy. Canadians are very good and kind people, who are always ready to help. During my interview with an immigration officer I told about myself and my family, my native country, as well as about the reasons why I wanted to stay in Canada. You have to tell only the truth, no lies.

Coming back to Ukraine and working on a cruise liner

Unfortunately I had to come back to Kyiv for family reasons after my successful interview with the immigration officer in September 2008. And here it all started: economic slowdown, no well-paid job, labor code violations, wage frauds. Our daughter was born. Canadian and British programs were closed, having deboning skills I started working as a deboner on the cruise liner, where I worked 12 hours a day, no days off for almost 6 months. I lost 10 kg and started to have some health problems

Participation in the meat workers program

 In January 2012 I found out that meat plant was going to hire workers again with a possibility to immigrate with the family. I applied to ILC right away, and passed the interview with the employer I already knew well. This interview seemed rather a talk of two well-acquainted people. I told about myself and received the work again. My family and I are very grateful for that!

I would like to advise people, who are willing to work and immigrate to Canada, study English in Ukraine, respect the laws when you are in Canada, do not deceive each other and be nice with each other. And let the God help you!