Canada-based Nigerian Kwunkeyi Isichei, a Digital Communications Advisor to Canada’s Minister of Families, Children, and Social Development, recently made waves after sharing how he started life in Canada working menial jobs.
In a TikTok video, Isichei said he arrived in Canada in 2021 and was determined to make it no matter the difficulties.
“Started my Canada journey in 2021 as a McDonald’s burger maker. Started DJ’ing at Nigerian events to be able to afford my bills. Paid a lot of money but I didn’t like it, people were ungrateful,” he shared.
Isichei would find himself moving from one job to the next in search of better opportunities. “Left McDonald’s and became a warehouse agent,” he said.
“I hated everything about the job—standing long hours in one place, no phone, no anything, just you and boxes. I quit after 3 months. Started to be a truck conductor. This was my best menial job—travelled long distances and saw a different part of Canada. Quit after 2 weeks because of fights,” he noted.
From working as a warehouse agent to a truck conductor, Isichei became a ramp agent at an airport, where he loaded baggage into planes. Soon, he was promoted to the role of a plane marshaller at Montreal airport.
“I used to land and park big planes at the Montreal airport,” he said. But everything changed when he was given a job in the media.
“Then I got my first big-boy job. I became a TV reporter. This was my dream come true. But God said, wait let me butter your bread, I am not done with you! I never thought it could get better than this. I was showing on TV in Canada, this was everything I ever wanted. Then boom! The Federal Government of Canada freaking called—became a lead photographer to one of Trudeau’s ministers, now a lead photographer to Mark Carney’s minister,” he said.
As the Digital Communications Advisor to Canada’s Minister of Families, Children, and Social Development, Isichei serves as “the creative force behind the Minister’s online presence.”
He said his role “encompasses a diverse range of responsibilities, all aimed at effectively conveying the Minister’s message to the public.”
Specifically, he writes, shoots, and edits all video content while also ensuring that high-quality photos accompany the minister’s daily tasks.
“Working in digital communications in politics has taught me a lot about crafting messages that stick. From tight deadlines to audience targeting, I’ve had to learn how to grab attention fast, and hold it,” he shared.
With its comparatively open and well-regulated immigration system, Canada remains a top destination for immigrants and refugees, as stated by a report on its Council on Foreign Relations‘ site. In 2021, the country had over 8.3 million immigrants, representing 23% of the total population, according to Statistique Canada. The 2021 census identified 8,361,505 immigrants, with 1,328,240 having arrived between 2016 and 2021.
Isichei is among those who arrived during this period, and he is now excelling, contributing to the country’s economy. In 2022, officials granted more than six hundred thousand new temporary work permits to foreigners.
The government went on to announce that it was working on what it called an “ambitious plan” to welcome five hundred thousand immigrants each year by 2025, though some Canadians expressed concern that an increase would worsen the demand for housing and social services.
