After catching and caging chickens upon arriving in Quebec, a former temporary foreign worker from Guatemala is about to start his own business in the Lanaudière region.
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José Victor Rucal Salguero's dream will come true in the coming weeks when he becomes permanent resident.
Currently, his wife Amélia Couturier is the sole owner of the Tuk Tuk Marché Latino market in Joliette, which specializes in selling Latin American products. Since opening in June, Salguero has been involved in all day-to-day operations of the company.
“During my first job in Quebec, my work colleagues made it clear to me that there was a demand for our various products in the region,” explains José Victoir Rucal Salguero. The potential was great as there are many foreign workers in the area.
“When I arrived, I never thought I could start my own business. I am very proud of this achievement.”
A place of choice
Quebec remains a preferred place to work for foreign workers. They can get golden conditions compared to what they can get in their country.
“There aren’t many job opportunities in Guatemala,” says Salguero. If you find one, the wages won't be enough to live a decent life (about $25 for a 10-hour day).
“It's not always easy to leave your country. You leave everything behind: your family, your food and your culture. When I came here I knew I would never run out of work. It’s the best decision of my life in every way.”
follow your heart
Above all, it was his love story with Amélia that led him to the province of La Belle. After dating remotely for a few months, he decided to come to Quebec to work as a temporary foreign worker in 2020.
He was hired by a poultry trapping and caging company in Saint-Gabriel-de-Brandon.
“I left there after a year,” explains the man who grew up in the small village of San Juan Tecuaco. It's not the ideal place if you're working in Quebec for the first time.
“On the other hand, I have integrated well into Quebec society. In order to understand the people here and to improve my chances of getting a job, I decided to take a French course.”
He also promotes other foreign workers at this level. Learning French opens the way to a job.
“I worked at another Latino market in Montreal before opening ours,” he explains. We have received several inquiries in our store because people did not speak French or English.
“I repeat to my friends that if they want better jobs, they have to speak French because we are in Quebec.”
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