Ircc is making students depressed

[GradStudent18]

Each one of us is feeling the same way. As if every restriction has been placed only on me and not the entire student community. The reason for this is majorly the fact that those who studied with us in schools or colleges are already well settled (either in India or abroad) and when we decided a major step, everything seems to be falling apart.

Just know you are not alone! We are in this together! I know our patience has been stretched to limits and it feels so stupid to be stuck, especially when you are aware of your capabilities but can't take on a decision because everything has a minimum time commitment of 1 year.

Please stay strong.

Thank you so much for your reply and kind words! I can't explain how grateful I am to get some empathy. I sincerely thank you for your kindness & consideration.

I agree with everything you've said.

I too hope there'll be some improvement in all this in the near future.

Thank you so much, once again! Cheers & best of luck!!!

 

[TFTXMJ]

I have to start online classes from a third country which is US since I got AIP letter. But my supervisor for grad program is really nice, he can write me a formal letter stating my essential presence as long as I get the visa to travel to Canada. In the situation right now if I travel back to my home country, then I am afraid I could not travel to Canada because of the restrictions. Second thing is that airline tickets are extremely high if traveling back-and-forth. I think I am still luckier living in US beforehand than other persons whom have worse situations than I am, though I am very tired waiting for months to get the visa stamped & final decision. This incoming week 24-31 August is the last week for travel restrictions on hold. I hope something looks brighter for people here. If they extend the deadline, then I have to determine other options for my fate: perhaps I will find another country to study (maybe applying to UK schools again). I do not understand why this takes so long for them to release the decision - I knew my final decision through GCMS note & passport req. letter is in print queue (their printers are out of ink for months????). Look at other commonwealth nations: Australia makes straight decision to international students that they cannot travel til 2021 so they know what's going on with their own life. Or UK, universities and visa application are still processing like normal and intake will be as planned for all students despite of the fact that most UK schools start online as well. Those are hit pandemic countries, even the worst-hit US still keeps issuing visa to students though some Consulates are closing but reopening back when situations are better.

Hi, I’m also in the US. Can I ask what’s your status in the US? F1? H1B?

 

[Islander216]

Interesting thread, and i just want to add my 2 cents.

First and foremost, my sympathies to the international students who are here that are facing difficulties because of the current restrictions.

Secondly, as a former international student myself, know that i completely empathize with your situation.

However, let me say this clearly so you all understand, you have very few rights as an international student, and i'm talking from experience.

In the Canadian system, you really have very little recourse to anything as an international student, all you have is that authorization to study for the duration of your course.

It is to be perfectly honest, a precarious position to be in and all the more precarious due to the current issues with covid.

That doesn't mean it's not worthwhile or that you aren't going to come out ahead, because it is and you will if everything goes well. But you have to accept that while you're on this status, you don't have many rights.

Keep striving is all i can tell you. Canada is a wonderful country and is worth studying in, but it can be a difficult journey as an international student. That's why you always have to mind your ps and qs. But don't expect that you can exert much pressure on IRCC because you can't.

Canada always knows there will be more international students who want to come.

And to be honest, most Western countries are like this as well. It's just a struggle you have to strive to deal with.

 

[Buletruck]

Oh please...

What is hypocritical is this:

Canadians touring around the world & moving back & forth inside & outside of Canada making round trips to Europe that are for recreation, tourism & entertainment & not for an "essential" purpose - this supposedly doesn't cause a spike in Covid? And seemingly doesn't bring Covid into Canada....


But students whose lives & careers depend on studying there, who've invested so much into a Canadian education, committed to studying there - their precious, time, energy, efforts, entire life's worth work into getting an education there ( we are also humans by the way, & our lives should matter as much as anyone else's ) - such students of high academic merit cannot enter even though our entry is just a one-way travel.

That is hypocritical.

Don’t misunderstand stating facts for a lack of understanding for your situation. Having been lured into spending money with the expectation of coming to Canada, only to be told you can do it at home would be infuriating. And yes, IRCC has done a poor job of dealing with the whole immigration process, with delays, inconsistent messages and a lack of a credible plan to deal with it, but you are comparing and criticizing rights given to citizens and PRs (something I would assume attracted you to Canada in the first place) to those of foreign nationals. There are no countries in the world that place the rights of citizens after those of foreign nationals, and if there are you probably wouldn’t want to live there anyway.
Calling a constitutional right hypocritical is utter nonsense. It’s a fundamental right. Don’t like it, look for alternatives to Canada.

 

[GradStudent18]

Don’t misunderstand stating facts for a lack of understanding for your situation. Having been lured into spending money with the expectation of coming to Canada, only to be told you can do it at home would be infuriating. And yes, IRCC has done a poor job of dealing with the whole immigration process, with delays, inconsistent messages and a lack of a credible plan to deal with it, but you are comparing and criticizing rights given to citizens and PRs (something I would assume attracted you to Canada in the first place) to those of foreign nationals. There are no countries in the world that place the rights of citizens after those of foreign nationals, and if there are you probably wouldn’t want to live there anyway.
Calling a constitutional right hypocritical is utter nonsense. It’s a fundamental right. Don’t like it, look for alternatives to Canada.

Thanks for the reply.

No no definitely not. I'm not comparing a fundamental right with my study permit authorization to enter for studies.

I get the difference. The issue is with all the confusion about whether I should / should not travel / try to enter. There's no one answer and the uncertainty has been around for months now. It's difficult to deal with this. Anything will be better than the uncertainty - some clarity is all we want.

And no, my idea is not to want to become a citizen or pr or anything of that sort. I applied to study & that's my motive to want to travel. The library, books, data repositories, interaction with professors, academic journals, computing software - I can't get these things at home. These are the motivation for me to travel and study, get the education, and then do something worthwhile. It's not about staying there or criticising the citizens' rights. I never intended to do that.

And no I haven't been lured or anything. I respect IRCC and totally abide by what they say. We just need more information here. Plus not everyone is a cash-cow.

Thanks again & sorry if I've offended anyone.

 

[Buletruck]

Thanks for the reply.

No no definitely not. I'm not comparing a fundamental right with my study permit authorization to enter for studies.

I get the difference. The issue is with all the confusion about whether I should / should not travel / try to enter. There's no one answer and the uncertainty has been around for months now. It's difficult to deal with this. Anything will be better than the uncertainty - some clarity is all we want.

And no, my idea is not to want to become a citizen or pr or anything of that sort. I applied to study & that's my motive to want to travel. The library, books, data repositories, interaction with professors, academic journals, computing software - I can't get these things at home. These are the motivation for me to travel and study, get the education, and then do something worthwhile. It's not about staying there or criticising the citizens' rights. I never intended to do that.

And no I haven't been lured or anything. I respect IRCC and totally abide by what they say. We just need more information here. Plus not everyone is a cash-cow.

Thanks again & sorry if I've offended anyone.

No offence and your frustration is perfectly understandable.

 

[Islander216]

Trust me, the day will come when you will be very happy that you are citizen or a PR with an unequivocal right to enter Canada.

I'm a citizen of a country where i currently can't return to my own country due to travel restrictions, and many citizens are stranded all around the world in dire straits.

It's not something to be taken for granted.

 

[GradStudent18]

No offence and your frustration is perfectly understandable.

Hehe no but thanks for the kind words. I just wish I can get more information from their end. I understand they've made changes till now - but I didn't fall under those categories. Maybe that's why I feel I haven't obtained any update. Needed some time to understand things calmly. I realize it's always a given that being an international student is a difficult position. I am just hoping this gets sorted out & they give more information sooner or later. Thank you so much again!

 

[GradStudent18]

I

Trust me, the day will come when you will be very happy that you are citizen or a PR with an unequivocal right to enter Canada.

I'm a citizen of a country where i currently can't return to my own country due to travel restrictions.

It's not something to be taken for granted.

I thank you sincerely for your kind words and am truly grateful for those wishes!

I realize there are 2 sides to the coin always. It's always a difficult time being a student outside one's own country. I still hope things get sorted out slowly. I will be more than happy only to study properly without any issues now. Once again, thank you so much for the motivation and advice!

 

[phuongdong]

Hey! Thanks a lot for your reply!

I have a query please:

I hope you get your approval asap. Best wishes & best of luck to you.

When you get your visa approved finally, will you be allowed to travel? Because I thought approvals after March 18th can only travel when the travel restrictions are lifted? I may be wrong; please correct me. I'm so confused with all this now.

I thank you for your empathy and understanding. When I get my visa approved finally, I will try to travel to Canada despite of the fact that it is approved after 18 march. But I think there is a high possibility that it may go through because I am traveling directly from US to Canada plus the letter of support and quarantine plan from my department to show CBSA agent.

 

[GradStudent18]

I thank you for your empathy and understanding. When I get my visa approved finally, I will try to travel to Canada despite of the fact that it is approved after 18 march. But I think there is a high possibility that it may go through because I am traveling directly from US to Canada plus the letter of support and quarantine plan from my department to show CBSA agent.

Thanks for replying! Oh that's cool. I wish you the best of luck in your journey. Cheers & best wishes!

 

[phuongdong]

Hi, I’m also in the US. Can I ask what’s your status in the US? F1? H1B?

Hi, technically my status was F1 - student. But I had expected some delays so that I applied for F1-OPT to stay longer waiting for the visa. At that time, I did not know it has taken so long for IRCC to process the visa. Now it is near September and schools start....I may run out of 90 unemployment days on OPT if this situation keeps continuing. Believe or not I don't expect someday I become an "illegal immigrant" =.=

 

[phuongdong]

Thanks for replying! Oh that's cool. I wish you the best of luck in your journey. Cheers & best wishes!

Thank you I also wish you the best of luck. What school are u going to?

 

[Opposums722]

Hi, technically my status was F1 - student. But I had expected some delays so that I applied for F1-OPT to stay longer waiting for the visa. At that time, I did not know it has taken so long for IRCC to process the visa. Now it is near September and schools start....I may run out of 90 unemployment days on OPT if this situation keeps continuing. Believe or not I don't expect someday I become an "illegal immigrant" =.=

Same here. Just got my AIP. Gonna apply for a change of status to visitor before the semester starts.

 

[TFTXMJ]

Hi, technically my status was F1 - student. But I had expected some delays so that I applied for F1-OPT to stay longer waiting for the visa. At that time, I did not know it has taken so long for IRCC to process the visa. Now it is near September and schools start....I may run out of 90 unemployment days on OPT if this situation keeps continuing. Believe or not I don't expect someday I become an "illegal immigrant" =.=

Sent you a message. I totally understand your situation !!