Hello everyone.
I am Nigerian. I got my Bachelor's degree in Human Anatomy in Sept. of 2017 with 73%. I started programming and web development as just a hobby during my final year, I just felt like learning something new and different. But fast forward to today, its become more than just a hobby for me. I don't wanna do anything else than code. It's the career I would love to pursue. I have taken online courses and earned offline certificates within the past year. The knowledge I've gained has helped me to work on a few web development projects. I am also into graphic design and digital marketing. Alright enough stories, I'll get to the point.
I would love to begin a post-graduate diploma program in I.T at a Canadaian college by September next year, and I have found a few programs that accept students who didn't study computer science at bachelors level. But then, I've researched online and found out that canadian visa officers frown at applications where previous study isn't related to the intended study in Canada. Now to my questions:
1. I currently develop websites as a freelancer. Will proof of past projects and a computer engineering certificate I recently got (4 months course) help my study permit application?
2. I plan to register a small business in my country that offers I.T services, and commence operations by January 2019. Will this improve/hurt my chances for study permit approval?
3. What other things can I start doing to increase my chances of being granted a study permit by the VO (I would also appreciate pointing out specific things that could hinder my study permit approval, and appropriate steps to be taken to rectify such issues in advance).
I hope someone will have some answers for me. Thanks in anticipation.
In chasing another degree or certificate program based on your work experience is very feasible to get a study permit approval but its very tedious esp in convincing the VO, and it also boils down to the written SOP explaining your situation to the VO outstandingly about "the reason for deciding to chase that particular course related to your work experience instead of your graduate course, the benefit of such course to you and your country after spending huge funds undergoing it, why can't you chase such course in your home country than Canada or anywhere else, the employment prospect of such course in your home country, how you came to realize of such passion with the intended course, why a PGD after a bachelor and why not Masters, and explain any study gap."
Though the VO are always skeptical of using such tendencies of not always going for a previous related course and a step upward based on progressiveness in program type i.e. bachelor to masters etc to assess the genuineness of a prospect student but few previous applicants has gotten approval with such situation as yours with a well explained SOP but convincing the VO is based on 50/50 cleverness.
For answers based on
1. Being a freelancer in a said profession isn't enough proof for such job because certain documents are needed for evident proofs like payslips, employment letter, leave and approval letter, bank statement, (and tax clearance, receipts, contracting payments slips, etc for personal investment) and every important documents that show proof of employment.
Any certificate on your new found career will come very handy.
2. Its a good idea but you must try to explain to the VO in your SOP why you decide to register it now prior to you study permit processing by trying to kill any doubt that it wasn't for such purpose that its thought and importance was reasoned.
3. Not take of the aforesaid, and provide proof to every important points in your SOP. Explain your situation with backups of evidence. Try as much as possible to be honest.
Best of luck!