PCG Vancouver mounts Post-Arrival Orientation Seminar for Temporary Foreign Workers (TFW), International Students, and their Spouses in Burnaby, BC.

Consul General Gina A. Jamoralin formally opening the 2025 Post-Arrival Orientation Seminar (PAOS) held in Burnaby, BC last 12 July 2025. [Photo by PCG Vancouver]

18 JULY 2025 BURNABY, B.C. The Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver conducted a Post-Arrival Orientation Seminar (PAOS) for International Students, Temporary Foreign Workers (TFWs) and their Spouses last 12 July 2025 at Executive Suites in Burnaby, BC.  The event was also streamed via Google Meet livestream for those who could not attend the in-person session, as well as through K-Jam, an online Filipino community channel on Facebook and Youtube.

The event drew about 123 attendees, roughly distributed across TFWs, international students, and other categories of Filipino immigrants. Acting Mayor Daniel Tetrault of the City of Burnaby and Deputy Speaker Mable Elmore, MLA delivered keynote speeches during the event. Sunita Dhir, MLA also was in attendance as a resource speaker for one of the topics during the seminar.

The event was organized in partnership with the Migrant Workers’ Office - Vancouver, together with select partner organizations from the Filipino Community, namely: The United Filipino Canadian Associations in British Columbia; The Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants - Vancouver; the University of the Philippines Alumni Association in BC, and; the Filipino International Students Association - University Canada West. Post also invited several organizations to set up booths for consultations / clinics on the following themes: Settlement and Integration Resources (FilNET, Mosaic, Little Mountain Neighborhood House Society), Mental Health (Mabuhay House Society, Pinoy Pride Vancouver), Legal Services (Northam Law), and Community Resources (United Filipino-Canadian Associations in BC, Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants - Vancouver, UP Alumni Association in BC, Filipino International Student Association - University Canada West).

In her remarks, the undersigned noted that this PAOS was intended to fill the gaps in information among Filipinos who have recently arrived in Canada. The undersigned acknowledged that while there exists a Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar (PDOS) for certain categories of Filipinos going abroad, these tend to be general in nature and typically do not dwell on specific information that may be applicable to their current status.

PCG Vancouver’s One Country Team at the 2025 PAOS (L-R): Consul General Gina A. Jamoralin delivering her remarks emphasizing the value of the seminar for newly-arrived Filipinos;  Vice Consul Marco Harder talking about PCG Vancouver’s Consular and ATN services; Labor Attache discussing services by MWO-Vancouver, and; SSS representative Darwin Soria delivering information on SSS membership and benefits for Filipinos in Canada. [Photo by PCG Vancouver]

The session featured several subject matter experts who covered the following topics during the seminar.

• Settlement and integration resources
• Credit management
• Income Taxes
• Taxes
• Workers’ rights
• Updates on policy changes by the IRCC
• Updates on the credentialing process in British Columbia

2025 PAOS’ Resource Speakers (L-R, then top to bottom): John Manalaysay (Credit Management);  Atty Karen Bation (Updates in IRCC policies); Stephen Andrada (Settlement and Integration Resources); Bert Parungao (Income Tax); Mike Calingo (Credit Management); Atty. Melissa Briones (Workers’ Rights). [Photo by PCG Vancouver]

Copies of the Directory of Filipino Community Organizations in BC, YT, and NWT were also distributed to attendees of the event. This directory contains contact information of Filipino Community organizations that responded to PCG Vancouver’s call for registrations from January to May 2025. Through this directory, Filipinos in BC, YT, and NWT will be able to reach organizations whose mission, objectives, and activities may align with their individual priorities and be encouraged to reach out and connect with these organizations.

At the conclusion of the sessions, many attendees visited the various booths and clinics to consult and ask about specific issues that the organization may be able to help them with

As part of its mandate to protect the interests and promote the welfare of overseas Filipinos, the Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver together with its attached agencies continues to work with partners in the provincial and local governments, civil society, and the Filipino community to organize programs and activities to disseminate important information our kababayan in British Columbia, Yukon, and Northwest Territories. END

Consul General Gina A. Jamoralin with featured PAOS resource speakers. [Photo by PCG Vancouver]

Booths in the Settlement and Integration Cluster: Mosaic, FilNet, and Little Mountain Neighborhood House Society. [Photo by PCG Vancouver]

Booths in the Mental Health and Legal Services Clusters (L-R): Mabuhay House Society, Pinoy Pride Vancouver Society, and Northam Law. [Photo by PCG Vancouver]

Booths in the Community Resources Cluster (L-R): United Filipino-Canadian Associations in BC, Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants - Vancouver, UP Alumni Association in BC, Filipino International Student Association - University Canada West. [Photo by PCG Vancouver]

Guests of honor at the 2025 PAOS (L-R): City of Burnaby Acting Mayor Daniel Tetrault; Hon. Sunita Dhir, MLA; Hon. Mable Elmore, MLA.  [Photo by PCG Vancouver]

Above: Attendees visiting booths of PCG Vancouver and partner organizations to consult and inquire about their respective services.  [Photo by PCG Vancouver]