Founded in 2004 by
Naeem "Nick" Noorani, a
social entrepreneur who immigrated to Canada in 1998 from
Dubai,
Canadian Immigrant aims at "informing, educating, motivating and connecting" immigrants across Canada. Noorani contemplated launching a magazine for immigrants following a layoff from his job as an advertising director for a technology company the same year. After successfully completing the
Burnaby YMCA Self-Employment Program, Noorani started the magazine out of his home in
North Vancouver,
British Columbia with some funding, several suppliers, an editor, an art director and himself selling the advertising. On April 28, 2004, the first issue was launched with
MP Ujjal Dosanjh and
Harmony Airways'
David Ho on the cover. Subsequent issues have since been published each month, featuring successful immigrant bios; columns from specialists in areas such as banking, immigration law and real estate; and stories of personal triumph. In 2005, Minto Roy became an ownership partner of the Canadian Immigrant Magazine. In 2006, Noorani and Roy approached the owners of Torstar in the hopes that the later could take
Canadian Immigrant national. By November of that year, the Star Media Group, a division of Torstar, was convinced of the idea and took over the magazine. A Toronto edition launched in March, 2007. Noorani retained the role of publisher but stepped down in August 2010; the co-publishers are now Gautam Sharma and Sanjay Agnihotri. The magazine is published six times a year in print and online. The magazine also hosts the Canadian Immigrant Fair in cities across Canada. == Canada's Top 25 Canadian Immigrants Award ==