Michael OpabeneGh’s Journey to Canada: From Repeated Visa Refusals to Building a Life Abroad
Michael OpabeneGh is a Ghanaian living in Cold Lake, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He recently shared his inspiring story on SVTV Africa’s Daily Hustle Worldwide show with DJ Nyaami.
According to Michael, he moved to Canada in 2022 and has been there for three years. “God has been good to me,” he said, explaining how his girlfriend was the one who brought him to Canada.
Michael studied Accounting at GIMPA and completed his national service at an insurance company. Though his future looked promising, he faced many challenges in Ghana. He lived with his grandmother in Spintex and spent years sharing his CV in search of opportunities but found little success. “It’s always about who you know,” he recalled.
Most of his family lived in the U.S., but he was the only one stuck in Ghana. His father had studied in the U.S. and even brought his wife there, but Michael was left behind. By the time his parents filed for his papers, he had turned 18 and was refused a visa. After several failed attempts—including multiple visa applications and even applying for a master’s abroad—Michael became discouraged.
During his grandmother’s birthday party, Michael met a young woman who came to serve plantain chips. Though he had seen her at church for years, that day he noticed her differently. They began dating, and unlike a previous relationship where his partner left him for someone abroad, this new relationship brought him blessings.
His girlfriend later had the opportunity to travel to Canada for her master’s degree, supported by her father. While she was in school, she often sent Michael her assignments to help her with, since he was jobless in Ghana at the time. Life was tough for both of them, but they kept supporting each other.
Michael himself tried to visit her in 2019 but was refused a visa again. At one point, he gave up hope. Then, one day, his father sent him a link about an open visa program that allowed partners to join their significant others in Canada—even if they were not yet married. His girlfriend applied on his behalf, and to his surprise, his application was approved.
“She called me with 10 missed calls—she was so happy. IRCC requested my passport, and I finally got the visa,” he shared. His girlfriend bought him a ticket, rented him a place in Accra before departure, and supported him until he joined her in Canada.
When Michael arrived, his girlfriend had already completed school and secured an open work permit. Michael began working immediately. With his accounting degree, he applied for cashier roles and got a grocery shop job paying $15 per hour. He worked hard, treated customers kindly, and never called in sick. His dedication paid off—he was promoted to supervisor.
Later, a bank manager who had observed Michael’s work ethic for months approached him directly and offered him a position—without even requiring an interview. Today, Michael works at the bank from Monday to Friday and continues his grocery job on weekends.
Michael eventually proposed to his girlfriend in Paris, and they later got married in Ghana. He describes her as his “lord” and firmly believes that God delayed his visa so that he could meet her. After countless U.S. visa refusals, he is now settled in Canada, with opportunities he once thought impossible.
“Now I even have a Canadian green card, and I don’t really need it,” he said with a smile.
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