Jorel Aguiluz has benefitted from being a part of the Rural and Northern Immigration pilot program. (Submitted photo)

By Vernon Matters Staff

'We can stay here'

Program helps skilled IT worker bring family to Vernon

Jan 31, 2023 | 6:00 AM

Jorel Aguiluz is another example highlighting the success of the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) program.

Vernon is 11 Canadian communities in the RNIP which is designed to spread the benefits of economic immigration to smaller communities by creating a path to permanent residence for skilled foreign workers who want to work and live in one of the pilot’s participating North Okanagan communities.

Funding is provided by the federal and provincial governments.

Aguiluz, originally from the Philippines, is now happy to call Vernon home, and he and his wife can’t wait to start a family here.

But if you had asked him about his plans for the future a year ago, his answer might have been quite different. Aguiluz, a technical account executive at SysGen Solutions Group with more than 10 years of experience in IT, had reached a crossroads.

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After studying at Okanagan College in Kelowna and working in construction, he had landed a good job at SysGen – a managed IT services provider that also offers solutions in network administration and design, virtualization, IT infrastructure, cloud computing and data management. But, with only a post-graduation work permit in his name, his wife was still stuck in the Philippines.

“I heard about the RNIP (Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot) program through my client, Community Futures North Okanagan. They asked me if I wanted to apply, but I didn’t accept their offer at first,” Aguiluz explained. “My wife had been applying for work and tourist permits, but we couldn’t get her here.”

So, in November 2020, after more than a year of working in IT in the Okanagan, Aguiluz made the difficult decision to leave his new home behind and return to the Philippines. But, by May 2021, Aguiluz knew he wanted to bring his family back to Canada. And this time, he had the right avenue to do it.

After submitting the RNIP paperwork in June 2021, Aguiluz received authorization from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) in September 2021. And his wife came with him.

Jorel Aguiluz and his wife Jeavora with Leigha Horsfield (centre) of Community Futures North Okanagan. (Submitted photo)

Sitting in his SysGen office at Community Futures North Okanagan more than a year after getting approved by the IRCC and six months after the couple got permanent residency status, Aguiluz is finally at ease.

“It feels so much better. I can work and do anything I want to now,” Aguiluz remarked. “We can stay here. We’re not worried anymore.”

For Aguiluz, that means continuing to work at SysGen and using his decade of experience in IT to help non-profits, entrepreneurs and local organizations of all sizes strengthen their business with managed IT services.

“Clients who had worked with Jorel previously were very happy to have him back and new clients love his very personable approach to IT support,” Ben Mihailescu, field services manager, SysGen, said.

“Jorel is as genuine as they come and gets along with everyone he meets. We really appreciate him as an employee because he can connect with our clients in the Okanagan and solve complex technology problems in plain language for everyone to understand.”

When he isn’t using his love of tech to help fill the growing demand for IT workers in Canada, Aguiluz and his wife love enjoying the Okanagan lifestyle.

“It’s really nice here with all the vineyards, the beautiful nature and lakes. And we have several outdoor activities we like during the summer. Sometimes we go biking or go to wineries, but my wife loves apple picking, cherry picking and any sort of fruit picking,” Aguiluz said.

As the couple settles down and enjoys life in the Okanagan, Aguiluz says they plan on applying for citizenship and are trying to save up to buy their first house so they can grow their family.

But, before that, Aguiluz says they have one more goal they want to achieve.

“We’re planning on bringing my sister and my parents here, even just as tourists, so they can see how beautiful the Okanagan is,” Aguiluz said.