|
10
important things to consider before obtaining student visa to Canada
In recent years Canadian
universities and education institutes are promoting themselves in
various countries around the world to lure international students to
come to Canada for higher studies. In India, two educational fairs are
organized every year by Canadian educational institutions. The Canadian Education Center (CEC) Network is a private,
independent nonprofit company that has been promoting and marketing
Canada as a study destination for international students and as a
provider of education services since 1995.
Canada is increasingly becoming a favored destination for
international students for two reasons – obtaining a Canadian student
visa is easy as compared to the US and the cost of education is
substantially lower than that in USA. There is no doubt that Canada has
some of the best universities and educational institutes in the world.
The standard of education is very high in Canada and on par that offered
by US universities.
However, students who wish to come to Canada for higher
studies may need to consider the following points especially if they
hope to settle in Canada after finishing their education and obtain a
well-paying job:
- International
students pay 4 to 5 times more fees than local students.
Say for example, if $5500 CD is the average fee for a MBA
course in Canada for Canadian students, an international student
will pay $27,000 CD per year in tuition fees plus incur a living
cost of around $12,000 CD.
- As
per Canadian law, international students are not allowed to work
either part time or full time unless they get a job on campus.
However, local Canadian students are competing for these jobs as
well and international students often find it difficult to obtain
on-campus jobs. In other words, an international student cannot
study and work at the same time and finance his/her studies,
something most students prefer to do.
- It is
always prudent to get as much information as possible regarding the
educational institute the student is planning to enroll in Canada.
Brochures, flashy web sites or impressive audiovisual presentations
should not impress students. Most
of the education institutes who have recently visited India for
promotions are Indian polytechnic standard colleges and they provide
the basic two or three diplomas that can help students to pursue
further studies at the university level.
- Students
should ask the education institute to provide syllabus of the course
they plan to undertake at the institute. They should also ask the
institute for student references who have graduated or are already
studying at their institute. If the institute refuses to give such
references, students should do their own research and try to find
out about the institute standard and quality of education offered.
Students should not be swayed by sweet talk and glowing credentials.
- According
to Canadian law, students who have studied for more than 8 months in
Canada on a full time basis may apply for work permit on passing the
course or obtaining a degree. This is known as ‘Practical
Training’ (it is not a work permit). However, most
international students find it difficulty to obtain a job offer and
subsequently work permit as local students are also vying for the
same jobs and chances are that employers will prefer local students
to international students.
- Many
international students wish to obtain permanent immigration to
Canada after completion of their course of study. They see student
visa as a quick route to settle in Canada. However, what most
international students do not know or are not deliberately informed
by their agents/consultants is that the Canadian law does not allow
international students apply for immigration from within Canada. The
old as well as new regulations do not permit international students
to apply for permanent immigration at an immigration office located
within Canada. Students must apply
from outside Canada. The new immigration regulation provides that
international students can apply for permanent residency, while in
Canada, at the Canadian Consulate General office in USA, provided
they have lived for more than 12 months in Canada on a valid student
visa. But this is not as simple as it seems. Read point 7 to find
out why.
- All Canadian immigration regulations Federal as
well as provincial immigration programs requires that international
students applying for permanent immigration have some work
experience in their field of study. Federal regulations stipulate a
minimum of 12 months of work experience whereas Quebec immigration
program requires the applicants to have a minimum of 6 months of
work experience. If the student does not have this work experience
before coming to Canada (seen frequently in case of students who
directly enroll for Master’s degree program/or other diploma
immediately after completing their gradate studies) and fails to
find a suitable job in Canada, he/she will not obtain the required
work experience and would not be in a position to apply for
immigration of Canada. In such a scenario, students are left with no
choice but to return to their home country, obtain the required work
experience and then apply for immigration to Canada.
The
only province that allows foreign students to apply for immigration from
within Canada is the province of Quebec. However, to qualify to apply
under the Quebec immigration program, the student has to learn French
language and have a minimum of 6 months of work experience either in
Canada or in their home country.
- International
students should also remember that unlike USA, Canadian law does not
allow students to change their visa status from within Canada from
student visa to a work permit visa. Therefore, an international
student cannot come to Canada, find a job and apply for work permit.
The student is required to go back to his/her home country and then
apply for a work permit or
may apply at Canada visa office in USA.
- Before
coming to Canada on a student visa, applicants should consider the
option of applying for permanent immigration to Canada. If they
qualify for permanent immigration to Canada in their present
situation, they should apply from their home country itself even if
that means a waiting period of few years. Once applicants obtain
their immigration, they will be never required to visit a visa
office again in their life. The applicant can then pursue further
studies in Canada and will be considered as a local student, which
means that he/she will pay ¼ or 1/5 of the fees that would
otherwise be charged to an international student.
- International
students should closely examine the cost of living and studying in
Canada before boarding the first available flight. Often students
find themselves in a severe cash crunch because they have
underestimated the cost they would incur. They should talk to other
students who have already studied or are studying in Canada and note
their experiences. Since international students are not allowed to
work, most often their parents have to bear the burden of their
expenses and that could be a trying experience for the family.
My
advice would be - think and get informed before you come to Canada for
higher studies. Consider applying for courses in occupations that are in
demand or where there is shortage of workers in Canada. This way you
have better prospects of finding a suitable job and subsequently
settling in Canada on a permanent basis.
For
More
Information about Canada immigration Please Contact :
Prashant
Ajmera & Associates
185
Brae brook Ave., Pointe Claire QC H9R 1V4 Canada
Tel: (514) 697 1597; Fax: (514) 697 9279 E-mail: pajmera@canadaimmigrationvisa.com
|
