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By: Adam Bajan
Published On: June 15, 2016Alex Chiu’s views on life, work and success can be summed up with a favourite quote of his: “Hard work isn’t just about physical work. It’s about putting your heart and your passion into something.”
For Alex, his journey from university student to Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant is an example of this. Alex’s passion and commitment to bettering himself and the people around him is proof that a little heart goes a long way.
A second-generation Chinese immigrant with parents hailing from Yangzhou, Alex has always loved and enjoyed the extensive diversity of the Canadian population. After going to school to be a physiotherapist, Alex soon discovered that the virtues of hard work his parents instilled in him translated well into helping others.
“I decided that I wanted to help people better adjust to the Canadian experience,” he says. “I wanted to help them pursue their dreams and their passions in a new country.”
The Chiu family runs Blossom Immigration Consulting & Tutoring, and Alex is heavily involved in the business. “We work a lot with citizenship-related inquiries, but we want to expand into other areas, like real estate. People have to live somewhere when they get here, right?”
Knowing full well that knowledge is power and that power directed as well-intentioned influence can move mountains, Alex decided to broaden his skill set by taking an IMCD program. “I was preparing for my CPA certification, but I wanted to do more.” A hands-on learner, Alex knew that he needed a program with a substantial in-class component. “There aren’t too many schools offering immigration consulting programs, but there’s a few. Ashton really stood out to me because of its flexible study options. I chose the in-class program because that’s the best way for me to learn.” And learn he did, for Alex soon became one of the program’s top students. “It really opened doors for me. There’s a big world out there and I know that I’m prepared for it.”
Part of the preparation that Alex values so highly in his work came from his faculty. “My instructor, Nevena [Djuricic], really helped me to think critically about the course material. She doesn’t just teach from the books, she gives students real-world examples to work with.” Alex applies this critical thinking style every day with the family business.
“The business is growing. Ideally, I think we’d like to expand overseas. We need to show people that Canada is a great place.”
“If you work hard and trust yourself, your confidence and your business grows. And when that happens, anything is possible!” says Alex with a smile.
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