Alumni Update | Veena Badhan

Every immigrant in Canada has a story to tell. Their stories are full of hardships and attempts to adapt to the new environment, rebuild their identities and find paths to success. Veena Badhan, too, struggled to find a job and to get her life back on track after coming to a new country. For her, this process was challenging and time-consuming. However, her story had a happy ending. After a lot of effort, Veena managed to make a career change, get professional training and become an immigration consultant.

Veena came to Canada in 2003 from India, where she used to work as Senior Manager in Punjab National Bank. She landed in Toronto and lived there for almost ten years. Despite her education and work experience, she was struggling to get settled and find a proper job in Canada, which led to constant stress. Cold winters and living under pressure resulted in serious health issues. Veena even had to go back to India for surgery and was bed-ridden for a whole year after. Once she came back to Canada in 2013, she decided to move to Vancouver, BC, for a fresh start.

In Vancouver, Veena worked on upgrading her language skills and took several professional courses. But she still couldn’t manage to get back into the banking field. For several years, Veena worked odd jobs. Due to her health constraints, she found it hard to be on her feet all day long and decided to continue looking for opportunities to work in an office environment. Then, she learnt about immigration consulting, which turned out to be the right move for her.

After deciding on the career change, Veena consulted immigration professionals regarding the educational institutions that could provide proper training in this field. Ashton College came up as the right choice. Immigration practitioners highly recommended Ashton's qualified instructors and the quality of its Immigration Consultant Diploma program curriculum. The program accredited by the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC), offers its graduates a straightforward pathway into immigration practice.

When Veena started her classes at Ashton, she faced another hurdle. Due to her health condition, it was hard for her to walk for more than a few minutes. Since she lived in Surrey, she had to take transit to get to the Ashton campus in downtown Vancouver. So, even getting to school was challenging. Thanks to the support of her family and classmates, Veena managed to overcome her difficulties and complete her studies.

During her time with Ashton, Veena enjoyed the creative approach of the instructors who prepared assignments based on real-life situations, conducted mock exams and quizzes, and invited guest speakers to share their expertise with the class. Veena also appreciated an opportunity to consult instructors one-on-one if she needed extra help with the study materials.
Ashton College helped Veena enter the new professional field and open her own immigration practice. In the comfort of her office, Veena no longer has to struggle with the health issues and can focus on fulfilling her career goals. She finds satisfaction when she helps people immigrate and settle down in Canada. She is passionate about working with her clients to help them overcome their difficulties.

Veena finds that the critical skills required for becoming successful in the immigration field are professional expertise, critical thinking and passion for serving people. It’s also essential to continually update one’s knowledge of current immigration rules and regulations and provide the best customer service. Every immigration story is unique, and it’s vital to remain sensitive and compassionate to the clients and their challenges.

Becoming a professional immigration consultant was a turning point in Veena’s life, a new beginning for her. It put an end to her struggles settling in Canada. For her strong will and desire to overcome any obstacles, Veena was granted a Distinction Award from AURAY Capital, a longstanding partner of Ashton College. The financial support she received through this award helped her establish her own business and start a new exciting career in immigration.