Canada is one the top countries in the world assisting new immigrants to settle and integrate into the mainstream society. Sweden and Portugal are leaders according to International Migration Policy Index.

It is a fact that many newly arrived immigrants face all types of barriers: English skills, employment and finances, etc. Despite all the obstacles, many just give up too early and often end up settling for far less. This is not only unfair to them, but also to the larger society as a whole.

One of the biggest mistakes most immigrants make when they come over to a new country is that they allocate majority of their time within their own communities because they feel at easy and comfortable. However, they fail realize that by not integrating into the mainstream society, they fall into a term known as a “frozen in culture”.

One simple tip for new immigrants is to speak to a stranger every day by having a short conversation. This could be about the weather, economy or sports, but stay away from politics and religion. The point of this exercise is to integrate into the larger society.