Three Famous Canadians Working Abroad

With high educational standards and excellent technical training programs, Canada is a popular source of skilled workers around the world. Almost anywhere you go, you will find Canadians working abroad in a variety of fields, from engineers and medical professionals to actors, artists and musicians. In fact, in 2014 the total number of Canadians working abroad (or studying) was estimated to be nearly 3 million people. With so many citizens finding employment abroad, it is not difficult to find stories of people who achieved astonishing success. Here are three outstanding people who made a name for themselves working outside of Canada.

Mark Henry Roswell

Mark Henry Roswell is one of Canada’s most popular television personalities. This may seem strange since very few in the western world have heard of it. However, in China, where Mr. Roswell goes by the name Dashan (meaning “great mountain”), he is an actor, comedian, game show host and television personality of considerable fame. Dashan studied Mandarin at the University of Toronto and upon graduation received a full scholarship to Peking University to continue his language studies. His ability to speak Mandarin fluently and the diction of a native speaker led him to organize an international singing competition on Chinese television in the late 1980s. Since then, he has become a star in China, appearing in numerous movies and television shows.

Andrew Bonar Law

The story of Andrew Bonar Law dates back to the early 20th century, when the New Brunswick-born Law rose to the pinnacle of political power, not in Canada, but in the seat of colonial power: London. As a teenager, Law moved to Scotland to live with relatives. He left school at a young age to work in the iron industry, where he rose through the ranks and became a wealthy man in the late 1920s. He entered politics in 1900 and eventually became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, the the only one in history who was born outside the British Isles. Sadly, his time at the top was short-lived, as poor health forced him to retire after just 211 days in office. He resigned in May 1923 and succumbed to his illness that same year.

Jim Carrey

The last on our list of Canadians working abroad is a name everyone will recognize. James Eugene Carrey was born in Newmarket, Ontario, in 1962. As a teenager, his father took him to Toronto, where the young man was making a name for himself by performing in comedy clubs. At one of these shows, he was discovered by legendary comedian Rodney Dangerfield, who cast Carrey as his opening act for a season in Las Vegas. From there, he went to Hollywood where he was a cast member of “In Living Color” before starring in “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.” He has starred in a long series of highly successful comedies since then.

Canadians working abroad have had great success in the countries where they live and work. For a country with a relatively small population, its people have had a considerable impact on the rest of the world.