The western Manitoba city of Brandon is growing at a rapid pace, thanks to an influx of people coming to Canada to work, but the transition has not always been easy for those who must initially live apart from their families back home.

Many immigrants who are coming to Brandon are there to work, and they must wait months or longer before they can bring their loved ones to Canada, according to those who work with newcomers.

"Maybe waiting, you know, two years to see them again … that's a huge struggle," Sandra Carballo of Westman Immigrant Services told CBC News.

Carballo said counselling is finally available for her clients, some of whom have gone years without seeing their families.

"The community has been really slowly responding to those needs," she said.

Maple Leaf recruitment

The city's population growth started when Brandon's largest employer, Maple Leaf Foods, began actively recruiting workers from overseas.

In 2001, just 69 immigrants had moved to Brandon. By 2007, 642 made Brandon their new home, and by 2010 that number jumped to more than 1,400.

The bulk of those new immigrants speak Spanish, Mandarin or Russian.

Henry Mejia, who came to Canada from Honduras to work at the Maple Leaf plant, said while learning English has been a struggle for him, the toughest part of coming to Canada is being away from his wife and three sons.

Speaking in Spanish, Mejia said he could not apply to bring his family to Brandon until he was made a permanent worker. He hasn't seen his loved ones for two years, but he said they should finally be coming next month.

According to the Manitoba government, workers coming from overseas must be in the province for a minimum of six months before they can sponsor their family members to join them.