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Hey friend —
You ever stand in front of someone at the bus stop, both of you staring into the same gray sky, and think: Should I say something?
That exact moment is where life in Canada either starts… or stalls.
Because small talk in the Land of Maple is not SMALL at all.
It’s how jobs are offered. It’s how neighbors become friends. It’s how people figure out if you belong.
So this week, we’re diving headfirst into the art of talking about nothing. And as always, there’s more…
Let’s get into it.
🗣️ The secret sauce to fitting in? Small talk.
The Immigrant’s Guide to Canadian Small Talk
Here’s the thing: when someone asks about the weather, it’s not really about the weather.
It’s about belonging. And in Canada, small talk is often the doorway to opportunities that won't appear on a job board.
If you're a newcomer, especially from a culture where conversations cut straight to the point, adjusting to chit-chat about weekend plans or the Leafs' losing streak might feel like a waste of time. It’s not. It’s the glue that holds professional and social life together here.
The guide from Dozie Anyaegbunam and John McGraw is like a cheat code: how to open conversations, make exits that aren’t awkward, and read between the lines of what isn’t being said. Plus, why not talking could hurt your job prospects more than you think.
🎯 Tip: “How was your weekend?” might be the most strategic sentence you’ll ever say in a Canadian office.
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💰 How to earn extra cash as a student (without breaking immigration rules)
Smart Side Hustles for International Students
Whether you’re paying tuition, saving for trips, or just need enough for a sweet coffee treat and Wi-Fi, side hustles are a lifeline for many international students.
But there’s a lot of confusion about what’s legal and what’ll get your study permit revoked.
Caroline Minks breaks it down like a campus coffee shop menu:
✅ What you can do on-campus (unlimited hours)
✅ What you can do off-campus (up to 24 hrs/wk)
✅ When remote work crosses a line
✅ How foreign vs. Canadian employers change the rules
The catch? If you’re delivering food for Uber Eats and doing freelance design, you still have to count those hours—unless the client is completely foreign (in which case, go nuts).
🚨 Heads up: Work without a SIN or over your hour limit? That’s not just a slap on the wrist. It can mean being asked to leave Canada.
❤️ Love is real, but so are the rules
How to Get Your Partner Working in Canada ASAP
The good news? If you’re sponsoring a spouse or partner for PR, they don’t need to wait over a year to start working.
Asheesh Moosapeta outlines how spousal open work permits (OWPs) let your partner work pretty much anywhere while their immigration app is in progress.
Two paths:
Inland sponsorship (they’re already in Canada)
Outland sponsorship (they come in on a visitor visa, then switch)
💡 Hot tip: If your PR sponsorship app is already in, and you’ve got your AOR (Acknowledgement of Receipt), your spouse can apply for an OWP immediately — as long as they’re in Canada legally.
It’s one of the smartest workarounds for long PR wait times. And yes, it applies to common-law partners too.
📱 WorkHerHolic lost 174k followers overnight
We’re rebuilding. Wanna help?
Imagine building a thriving, hilarious, deeply supportive community for years. And then, one morning, Instagram deletes your account. No warning. No reason.
That’s exactly what happened to our sister newsletter WorkHerHolic.
If you’ve ever laughed at their memes, cried at their posts, or found validation during a work spiral — this is the moment to help them out.
👉 Follow the new account: @work.herholic.
PRETTY PLEASE
Every follow counts.
LIFESTYLE
For those with business ties back home
You might now be fully based in Canada. Your money, on the other hand, may not be.
Many in this community still have at least one of these
A small registered business in Nigeria
Family businesses where you send money or make decisions
Plans to invest or expand into the Nigerian market later
Nigeria has tax reforms scheduled for 2026 that will affect how those structures operate. Even if you are not running the books yourself, it helps to understand what is changing.
CareerBuddy is hosting a focused tax webinar on December 5. It covers things like
What compliance will look like under the new rules?
What counts as a valid deduction?
The kind of penalties people usually run into (and how to avoid them)
You can join from Canada. Time is 5 to 7 pm WAT, so morning or midday here, depending on your province. The fee is ₦45,000, instead of ₦75,000.
We’ve also got one for 9-5ers, freelancers and people with side hustles going for ₦10,000 instead of ₦20,000, so be sure to cop a seat ASAP
👋 Until next week
Here’s your challenge:
Start one conversation with a stranger this week — at a coffee shop, on the bus, in line at the store. Doesn’t have to be deep. Just start.
Because your next opportunity in Canada?
Might not come from a recruiter.
It might come from a conversation.
Dami from New Local.
You can always reach us at [email protected].
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