Connect Online to Our Team of Advisors
We know that the connections between people are what make the difference. Many of our Newcomer Advisors are newcomers themselves.
Connect with a Newcomer Advisor today and get help with:
- Your banking needs
- Engaging your new community
- Introductions to partners that can help you get settled, and more.
Meet Some of Our Team
RBC Newcomer Advisors are specially selected based on their experience, language skills and ability to support you.
Denys Smushko, Calgary
Arrived in Canada: 2013
Speaks: English, Ukrainian, Russian
“I take pride in bringing people together by creating an inclusive and welcoming environment.”
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Folake Okusanya, Edmonton
Arrived in Canada: 2012
Speaks: English, Yoruba and some French
“I truly love and enjoy the fulfilment that comes from making a difference for newcomers”
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Nazanin Akhavan-Khaleghi, Markham
Arrived in Canada: 2008
Speaks: English and Farsi
“Helping newcomers makes me feel rewarded, fulfilled and empowered.”
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Regis Augusto, Vancouver
Arrived in Canada: 2015
Speaks: English and Portuguese
“We’re here to help newcomers feel that they belong here.”
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Wanzi Silva, Brampton
Arrived in Canada: 2017
Speaks: English and Sinhalese
“I understand the importance of the right resources at an early stage.”
Read more about Wanzi(opens modal window)How can we help you today?
Advice & Workshops
We offer engaging seminars and workshops on everything from budgeting to career advice. Many events are virtual and can be enjoyed from the comfort of your own home.
Sign up TodayTalk to an Advisor
We understand the stress points that come with being a newcomer. With care and compassion we offer specialized one-to-one advice and support to help you find your way in your new community.
Email us and let us know how we can help you today!
- Where you are from and your preferred language
- Your interests: opening a bank account, finding a job, help with Canadian credit, housing etc.
- Please remember not to send us any personal information
An Advisor will email you back within 2 business days.
Select a Province to Contact an Advisor
Email us today:
Regis Augusto
Why do I love my job?
Being part of the Newcomers team gives me the opportunity to help those who have started a new chapter in their lives. As an immigrant myself, I know how important it is when you have someone supporting on your first steps and giving assistance during this transition. I also enjoy learning from clients about their own life experience and amazing stories from their country and culture.
One of your many success stories:
My first contact with newcomers is usually during the account opening meeting. For most of them I can see they are anxious about having to deal with their finances in a different country with a language other than their own. For each of them, I always take the time to ensure they understand what I am saying and are feeling comfortable. The success comes when at the end of the appointment I see the big smile on their face knowing that a big step was made on their new journey in Canada.
Folake Okusanya
Why do you love your job?
“Newcomers to Canada have left everything at a previous home country to start life afresh. Many of them have moved from known to the unknown and are faced with the great fear of uncertainty. I love being instrumental to allaying their fears and helping them settle and integrate faster. Being their settlement buddy and a shoulder to lean on as they navigate the waters of starting an entirely new life in Canada is my way of paying it forward. I truly love and enjoy the fulfilment that comes from making a difference and there is nothing more rewarding than hearing Newcomer settlement success stories as a result of the useful advice provided.”
One of your many success stories:
“My team and I met with a newcomer who had difficulty understanding his utility bills due to language barriers. He approached us with 2 utility bills explaining in his limited English that he received 2 utility bills from 2 different providers and needed to know why. He had paid both providers the previous month when he first received the 2 bills because he was scared of getting into trouble with late payments. We enquired more to know which provider he was currently using and he confirmed. Apparently, the newcomer stopped using the first provider and never called them to cancel his subscription due to lack of information. Therefore, we contacted the said old provider to explain the situation to them as the newcomer was not aware that he needed to cancel the subscription. The provider was gracious enough to give the newcomer a huge discount on that bill and cancelled the subscription. This newcomer was extremely grateful that the mystery was solved.”
Wanzi Silva
Why do you love your job?
“I moved to Canada 3 years ago from Sri Lanka and I had the wonderful opportunity of receiving Banking and Beyond Banking Services from RBC which helped me with my employment and settlement journey in Canada. In fact I was one of the first to be hired into this team.
Having gone through the struggles of a newcomer myself, I understand the importance of getting to know the right resources available at an early stage. I love what I do, because it’s my passion to pay it forward to fellow newcomers to overcome barriers and set them up for success!”
One of your many success stories:
“Given the pandemic situation, people who got hired recently were the first to be laid off in most organizations. One of our newcomer clients who went through a similar situation reached out to share the sad story. He had landed to Canada few months ago and was in a crisis after losing his job. In discussion he mentioned that he always wanted to be a Banker but thought it’s never a possibility as he didn’t have relevant banking experience.
The client didn’t know that he could leverage his transferable skills to apply for a job of his choice in Canada. We helped him discover his own true potential and shared success stories of newcomers who transitioned into different roles. We connected him to our Community partners to get support in preparing a customized resume and help with preparing for interviews. Today he is a successful Banker and a proud RBCer.”
Nazanin Akhavan-Khaleghi
Why do you love your job?
“I joined the team summer of 2020. As soon as I started, I realized I had found my dream job because there is a great joy in being supportive and helping those in need. Helping newcomers makes me feel rewarded, fulfilled and empowered.
This team is driven by creating value for our clients and our communities in a changing world and I’m so fortunate to be a part of it. We’re working closely with Access Employment and other external and internal partners and this allows us to help newcomers navigate every step of their journey and make a positive difference in our community.”
One of your many success stories:
“Our mission is to help our clients with their banking and non-banking needs. Some of the clients that we are helping are professionals that are specialized in a specific field. These clients are typically looking to apply for jobs in their own fields and we are looking for the opportunities to help them.
I recently had the pleasure to virtually meet one of our clients who reached out to me through LinkedIn. She was a dentist and planning to requalify her degree in Canada. She didn’t have any connections in Canada for mentoring her. So, I connected her to one of my existing clients who had experienced the same challenge and currently has an established dental clinic. This introduction not only led her to receive advice and guidance on the path of requalifying her degree, but also gave her the volunteering job opportunity. She was also looking to buy a property and needed some guidance on how to apply for a mortgage, so I connected her to the right partners that worked with healthcare professionals to provide her with advice. This was a rewarding experience which encouraged me help newcomers to find their path of life in Canada.”
Denys Smushko
Why do you love your job?
“I take pride in bringing people together by creating an inclusive and welcoming environment, where everyone can be their best self. Together with my teammates at RBC Meeting Place we support the newcomer community by improving financial and digital literacy; connecting newcomers to our network of Immigrant Agencies, which provide settlement services, career advice, and community connections. I believe this approach gives newcomers to Canada a head start in their new journey; and enables them to be their best selves with their families, coworkers and our community.”
One of your many success stories:
“About 2 years ago, I had a pleasure to host a financial literacy workshop, “Credit Fundamentals” at CCIS – Calgary New Chapter. Credit is a very important topic for newcomers, thus a Q&A session was very active. We ran out of time, so I offered everyone to connect with me one-on-one after the workshop. An individual, who had just arrived from Nigeria, was one of the first people to connect with me. We arranged a meeting, where the discussion went well beyond banking. He shared his personal journey with me and his desire to build a career in Finance. Without hesitation I introduced him to an RBC manager in Calgary and within a few weeks he had joined the RBC family. It also marked his 3rd month in Canada and he shared with me later that he had never expected to start his career so quickly. In 2 years with RBC, he became an Investment Advisor, and my dear friend, who always shares his positive energy and inspiration.”