Gerard(52)

Thirty years of experience in mining and offshore — from South Africa to Norway — and yet Newfoundland felt like something new. I had signed a contract with an offshore oil and gas project via Hibernia Platform, run by a consortium urgently seeking experienced engineers. The LMIA was approved within five weeks thanks to the acute shortage of mining specialists in the region.

St. John's is the most easterly city in North America and feels like a world apart. The colorful row houses of Jellybean Row, the rugged coastline and the fog that regularly rolls over Signal Hill — it's dramatic and beautiful at once. The city has only 110,000 residents but a cultural life that puts much larger cities to shame: live music every night on George Street, local breweries and a thriving arts scene.

Offshore work is demanding but well paid. I work a rotation of three weeks on the platform, three weeks off on shore. The salary is significantly higher than comparable positions in Europe, and Newfoundland has lower living costs than most Canadian provinces. My house in St. John's — a renovated heritage home overlooking the harbour — cost less than a terraced house in Tilburg.

Newfoundland's population is legendarily friendly. "Newfies" have their own dialect, own traditions and a hospitality I have never experienced anywhere in the world. My first week my neighbor invited me for a "kitchen party" — an informal gathering in his kitchen with home-brewed beer, fiddle music and screech (local rum). It was the best introduction to Canadian life I could have wished for.

The challenges are real. The weather is downright bad — St. John's is the wettest, windiest and cloudiest city in Canada. Healthcare has long wait times and finding a family doctor was difficult. I had to register on a waitlist and use walk-in clinics in the meantime. The EI (Employment Insurance) I received during periods between contracts was a good safety net though.

After three years I have my PR status, a broad network in the Canadian offshore industry and a life I never expected at 52. Newfoundland is not for everyone — it's remote, the weather is harsh and amenities are more limited than in big cities. But for those who seek adventure, value authentic communities and aren't afraid of a little rain, it's paradise.