Erma Montemayor moved to Labrador over a year ago. (CBC)
Immigrants are filling low paying jobs in Happy Valley-Goose Bay where employers can't find local residents to hire.
More than 40 Filipinos have moved to central Labrador in the last two years to work at corner stores, fast food restaurants and coffee shops.
"It is a huge adjustment of course. First is the weather, and the location… I'm getting used to it anyway, I'm liking it here," said Erma Montemayor, a Filipino who moved to Happy Valley-Goose Bay more than a year ago.
Montemayor has a degree in computer science from the Philippines, and is now employed at a Labrador Mini Mart store. "It is a big opportunity to get in here in Canada to earn much more what we earn usually in our country, " Montemayor told CBC News.
Before hiring Filipino workers, the Labrador Mini Marts struggled to find employees. Paul Snelgrove, owner of Labrador Mini Marts said the store hours were shortened because of a lack of employees.
"We would get workers and they would continue to move on. We couldn't keep anyone for any period of time. Even paying more money because we can't compete with the DND and the Serco. Retention of workers was just, we were losing workers every week," said Snelgrove.
Snelgrove said he admires the loyalty and work ethic shown by the Filipinos he has hired, and plans to hire more.
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