My wife and I are currently working in South Korea and saving every month for my HVAC education in Canada. We are covering most of the costs ourselves, but tuition and relocation expenses are higher than we can comfortably afford. Any contribution, no matter the size, will help us move one step closer to a skilled trade career and a new life in Canada.

My name is Maksim, and my goal is to become an HVAC technician in Canada.

My interest in this trade began when I was a child. My grandfather lived in the town of Neftekumsk, Russia, and worked with refrigeration equipment, air conditioners, and refrigerant servicing. Starting at around the age of ten, I spent many summers helping him in his workshop. Those years taught me the value of skilled trades, problem-solving, and working with my hands. More importantly, they gave me practical skills and a work ethic that have stayed with me throughout my life.

Life did not take me directly into this profession. Like many young men in Russia, I completed mandatory military service. After that, I earned a law degree, although I soon realized that it was not the career path I wanted to follow.

When the war began, I made the difficult decision to leave Russia and start over. Today, I work legally at a manufacturing plant in South Korea. My wife and I work hard and save as much money as we can every month, but progress is slow and the costs ahead of us are significant.

Over the years, I have realized that I am happiest when I am solving technical problems, working with tools, and building practical skills. I enjoy challenging work that requires both hands and mind. I have never been satisfied doing repetitive work without learning or growing. I want a career where I can continue developing my abilities and helping people through skilled technical work.

To achieve that goal, I plan to study HVAC in Canada. I am preparing to apply to Nova Scotia Community College, where tuition alone is approximately CAD $12,800, with additional costs for fees, insurance, books, housing, transportation, and living expenses. As many Canadians know, housing costs remain a major challenge.

I intend to continue supporting myself by working while studying, within the limits allowed by my study permit. However, recent changes to immigration policies have made it more difficult for spouses of international students to obtain work authorization, which creates additional financial uncertainty for our family.

We are not asking others to fund our entire future. We continue to work, save, and contribute everything we can ourselves. Any support we receive will go directly toward education and the opportunity to build a stable career in the HVAC industry.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. Every contribution, no matter the amount, brings us one step closer to this goal.