Hi friends,
My name is Haroon and you guys first saw me on this forum some two years back when I first applied for a Canadian student visa. A quick summary of my background is that I did my O’levels (2007) and A’levels (2009) both from Islamabad and then started with ACCA and finished this in 2012. While I still had two papers to go, I started looking out for opportunities in Canada and ended up with a pretty famous consultant. NOT a good experience, NOT recommended at all. Anyways, he insisted I go back to undergrad which I ended up doing with two highly reputed business schools in Canada i.e. Wilfrid Laurier and Waterloo; both excellent schools. I do not doubt the schools and their programs but I doubt the intentions of our consultants. Also, his advice and consultation was by no means useful or connected to my case or my profile. Nevertheless, I secured admission and got my visa in August 2012 and reached Waterloo for fall 2012.
Since this isn’t a story of what I’ve been doing since I arrived (obviously studying), I think that was enough for my background. I am writing this post for fellow students who are interested in wish to pursue a career in accounting in Canada. This is mainly intended for those who have completed/are in the process of completing their ACCA exams. The background may be B.Com, Inter, CAT or O and A’levels, I’ve come across some great opportunities. If you don’t have an ACCA background, but have freshly completed your B.Com or Inter/A’levels – are planning to study accounting in Canada and have the resources to fund your education and stay here, this post contains valuable information for you as well.
I was formerly residing in Ontario but I moved to Saskatchewan and switched schools this January. The opportunities I’ve come across are in this province; if you aren’t considering Saskatchewan this post might not be for you. There may be more places with similar/better opportunities and everyone is welcome to seek them and share them with others. I’ve been here for two years and rest assured, there wasn’t a single day that went by without me searching and contacting institutes for potential opportunities up for grab – this was the only real and practical one I found.
So we are talking about the University of Regina and SIAST here, both amongst the best in this part of Canada. We will talk about CPA Canada as well. Before I start, I would like to make something clear. I AM NOT AN AGENT, A CONSULTANT OR A PROMOTER FOR ANY OF THESE INSTITUTES, NOR AM I WORKING FOR THEM IN ANY CAPACITY. I AM JUST A STUDENT ENROLLED AND STUDYING AT THESE INSTITUTES. WHATEVER I WRITE/SAY/COMMUNICATE IS BY NO MEANS OFFICIAL REPRESENTATION, IT IS MY OWN WORD AND ONLY INTENDED TO PROVIDE INFORMATION FOR THOSE SEEKING IT.
We’ll talk about SIAST first. SIAST offers a two-year Diploma in Business Accountancy with or without the co-op option at 3 of its campuses across Saskatchewan and through Distance Education. The minimum education required for this is grade 12. You can carry it forward towards your Bachelors with University of Regina and get up to 2 years/20 out of 40 courses transferred in the program, leaving you with only four more semesters to get a Bachelor’s degree. At the end of the first two years, you have a Canadian Diploma and the next two give you a Degree. Both the programs offer co-op and some (LIMITED in quantity and amount) funding opportunities. The benefits of taking this route is it save you money since attending college for two years is half the price compared to university and the entire program is then transferred. Also, you get a Canadian credential after the first two years which enhances job/co-op prospects by a GREAT deal. Not to forget the great reputation of SIAST and its programs/employment rate of its graduates; those living here know it better than anyone else.
If you chose not to go to university after you graduate from SIAST that is still up to you. You are still eligible for Post-Grad work permit and with this Diploma; you shouldn’t be worried about finding a job in your field of study. CPA, the new body for Chartered Accountants in Canada, offers 9 out 12 exam exemptions to SIAST Business Accountancy grads (U of R BBA grads get all 12) – you can start working towards the designation without further delay.
You can always choose not to go to SIAST and start directly with the U of R in their BBA program. It’s a matter of personal preference – I don’t see a reason for not going to SIAST when it’s offering so much more for the first two years of study and you can always transfer all your courses back to the university if you wish to complete your undergrad. No time is wasted; two years of study at SIAST equals two years of study at U of R.
So this was all about starting from scratch. If you’re doing your ACCA or are an affiliate already, you qualify for exemptions – generous exemptions. I haven’t seen exemptions for ACCA at any other educational institute since they count it as professional development which is unfair considering all the study that we do. Let’s cut to the chase. The rule at SIAST is that if you wish to receive a diploma from them, you need to study at least 25% of the program there; meaning you can transfer 75%. The good news for us ACCA students/affiliates is that we qualify for that 75% in full. This means you can get a two year diploma after studying just one semester with SIAST, if you have an ACCA+B.Com or ACCA+O and A’levels background. Now you can accept all these exemptions if you wish to complete your undergrad after the Diploma, but if you are considering the PGWP, you will need to spend at least two semesters at SIAST. That is again no problem as you can choose the courses you wish to study and/or transfer. The best thing about this Diploma is the co-op option; you can do two study terms and two work terms after all your exemptions. To qualify for ALL the exemptions, you should have all papers up to P3 passed – no need for optional papers i.e. P4 onwards.
If you have already passed up to P3, you do not need to wait till the end of the diploma to get exemptions from CPA. You can apply for them and get them right away, when you come to Canada. The great thing about this is you can show it on your resume and your chances for employment shoot up; HUGELY. Another great thing is the partnership with Laurentian University. Just like ACCA and Oxford Brookes, upon completion of CPA exams you are eligible for a Canadian undergrad by taking a couple of elective courses.
I don’t know if anyone of you guys heard of these routes before but yes, they are available and I thank Allah for bringing these opportunities to me. I am on this route myself and should be done soon. If you weren’t aware of this before, don’t be surprised as many people living in Regina for quite a few years, with a similar profile, weren’t aware either. I discussed it with them, guided them and directed them to the right people and Alhamdulillah we are studying together today. The thing is, if you don’t ask you would never know - if won’t know you’ll only think it’s impossible and disappointment is what you’ll get. All I did was asked these institutes, visited them and talked to them and I’m glad I did so.
This post was just intended to add to your information and the inform those who didn’t know. If anyone requires further details or is interested in applying or needs assistance, they can contact me through email since this is something I check regularly. I don’t know how often I’ll be coming back to this forum since my job was just to inform and I have no vested interests. Even if someone doubts the authenticity of what I said, they can email me. But I request those assuming this as a scam or all fake to refrain from commenting and ruining this post since opportunities like these aren’t very common and you don’t find them every day and everywhere. Those who are in Canada already know what life is actually like for an international student here, especially in financial terms and know the worth and the true meaning of such opportunities. I posted this in all good faith and expect the same from all the readers.
Thank you for taking out time and reading this, I hope it was helpful. I wish you all the best. Those in Canada already, remember every fellow student in your prayers and I shall do the same, since each of us needs these. Those in Pakistan stay safe. Everyone else, make your decisions wisely and don’t rush them since moving here will be one of the biggest and most important decisions of your life. Do your research, talk to people and take advice – make sure you’re making an informed decision. Not that I’m killing your hopes for this country, no – it’s a great place to be. Just make sure you have your objectives and your goals set and you know what you have to do before you arrive. Plan ahead, even for unexpected events.
Wish you all the best.
Regards,
Haroon.
haroonkhan_hk@yahoo.ca
My name is Haroon and you guys first saw me on this forum some two years back when I first applied for a Canadian student visa. A quick summary of my background is that I did my O’levels (2007) and A’levels (2009) both from Islamabad and then started with ACCA and finished this in 2012. While I still had two papers to go, I started looking out for opportunities in Canada and ended up with a pretty famous consultant. NOT a good experience, NOT recommended at all. Anyways, he insisted I go back to undergrad which I ended up doing with two highly reputed business schools in Canada i.e. Wilfrid Laurier and Waterloo; both excellent schools. I do not doubt the schools and their programs but I doubt the intentions of our consultants. Also, his advice and consultation was by no means useful or connected to my case or my profile. Nevertheless, I secured admission and got my visa in August 2012 and reached Waterloo for fall 2012.
Since this isn’t a story of what I’ve been doing since I arrived (obviously studying), I think that was enough for my background. I am writing this post for fellow students who are interested in wish to pursue a career in accounting in Canada. This is mainly intended for those who have completed/are in the process of completing their ACCA exams. The background may be B.Com, Inter, CAT or O and A’levels, I’ve come across some great opportunities. If you don’t have an ACCA background, but have freshly completed your B.Com or Inter/A’levels – are planning to study accounting in Canada and have the resources to fund your education and stay here, this post contains valuable information for you as well.
I was formerly residing in Ontario but I moved to Saskatchewan and switched schools this January. The opportunities I’ve come across are in this province; if you aren’t considering Saskatchewan this post might not be for you. There may be more places with similar/better opportunities and everyone is welcome to seek them and share them with others. I’ve been here for two years and rest assured, there wasn’t a single day that went by without me searching and contacting institutes for potential opportunities up for grab – this was the only real and practical one I found.
So we are talking about the University of Regina and SIAST here, both amongst the best in this part of Canada. We will talk about CPA Canada as well. Before I start, I would like to make something clear. I AM NOT AN AGENT, A CONSULTANT OR A PROMOTER FOR ANY OF THESE INSTITUTES, NOR AM I WORKING FOR THEM IN ANY CAPACITY. I AM JUST A STUDENT ENROLLED AND STUDYING AT THESE INSTITUTES. WHATEVER I WRITE/SAY/COMMUNICATE IS BY NO MEANS OFFICIAL REPRESENTATION, IT IS MY OWN WORD AND ONLY INTENDED TO PROVIDE INFORMATION FOR THOSE SEEKING IT.
We’ll talk about SIAST first. SIAST offers a two-year Diploma in Business Accountancy with or without the co-op option at 3 of its campuses across Saskatchewan and through Distance Education. The minimum education required for this is grade 12. You can carry it forward towards your Bachelors with University of Regina and get up to 2 years/20 out of 40 courses transferred in the program, leaving you with only four more semesters to get a Bachelor’s degree. At the end of the first two years, you have a Canadian Diploma and the next two give you a Degree. Both the programs offer co-op and some (LIMITED in quantity and amount) funding opportunities. The benefits of taking this route is it save you money since attending college for two years is half the price compared to university and the entire program is then transferred. Also, you get a Canadian credential after the first two years which enhances job/co-op prospects by a GREAT deal. Not to forget the great reputation of SIAST and its programs/employment rate of its graduates; those living here know it better than anyone else.
If you chose not to go to university after you graduate from SIAST that is still up to you. You are still eligible for Post-Grad work permit and with this Diploma; you shouldn’t be worried about finding a job in your field of study. CPA, the new body for Chartered Accountants in Canada, offers 9 out 12 exam exemptions to SIAST Business Accountancy grads (U of R BBA grads get all 12) – you can start working towards the designation without further delay.
You can always choose not to go to SIAST and start directly with the U of R in their BBA program. It’s a matter of personal preference – I don’t see a reason for not going to SIAST when it’s offering so much more for the first two years of study and you can always transfer all your courses back to the university if you wish to complete your undergrad. No time is wasted; two years of study at SIAST equals two years of study at U of R.
So this was all about starting from scratch. If you’re doing your ACCA or are an affiliate already, you qualify for exemptions – generous exemptions. I haven’t seen exemptions for ACCA at any other educational institute since they count it as professional development which is unfair considering all the study that we do. Let’s cut to the chase. The rule at SIAST is that if you wish to receive a diploma from them, you need to study at least 25% of the program there; meaning you can transfer 75%. The good news for us ACCA students/affiliates is that we qualify for that 75% in full. This means you can get a two year diploma after studying just one semester with SIAST, if you have an ACCA+B.Com or ACCA+O and A’levels background. Now you can accept all these exemptions if you wish to complete your undergrad after the Diploma, but if you are considering the PGWP, you will need to spend at least two semesters at SIAST. That is again no problem as you can choose the courses you wish to study and/or transfer. The best thing about this Diploma is the co-op option; you can do two study terms and two work terms after all your exemptions. To qualify for ALL the exemptions, you should have all papers up to P3 passed – no need for optional papers i.e. P4 onwards.
If you have already passed up to P3, you do not need to wait till the end of the diploma to get exemptions from CPA. You can apply for them and get them right away, when you come to Canada. The great thing about this is you can show it on your resume and your chances for employment shoot up; HUGELY. Another great thing is the partnership with Laurentian University. Just like ACCA and Oxford Brookes, upon completion of CPA exams you are eligible for a Canadian undergrad by taking a couple of elective courses.
I don’t know if anyone of you guys heard of these routes before but yes, they are available and I thank Allah for bringing these opportunities to me. I am on this route myself and should be done soon. If you weren’t aware of this before, don’t be surprised as many people living in Regina for quite a few years, with a similar profile, weren’t aware either. I discussed it with them, guided them and directed them to the right people and Alhamdulillah we are studying together today. The thing is, if you don’t ask you would never know - if won’t know you’ll only think it’s impossible and disappointment is what you’ll get. All I did was asked these institutes, visited them and talked to them and I’m glad I did so.
This post was just intended to add to your information and the inform those who didn’t know. If anyone requires further details or is interested in applying or needs assistance, they can contact me through email since this is something I check regularly. I don’t know how often I’ll be coming back to this forum since my job was just to inform and I have no vested interests. Even if someone doubts the authenticity of what I said, they can email me. But I request those assuming this as a scam or all fake to refrain from commenting and ruining this post since opportunities like these aren’t very common and you don’t find them every day and everywhere. Those who are in Canada already know what life is actually like for an international student here, especially in financial terms and know the worth and the true meaning of such opportunities. I posted this in all good faith and expect the same from all the readers.
Thank you for taking out time and reading this, I hope it was helpful. I wish you all the best. Those in Canada already, remember every fellow student in your prayers and I shall do the same, since each of us needs these. Those in Pakistan stay safe. Everyone else, make your decisions wisely and don’t rush them since moving here will be one of the biggest and most important decisions of your life. Do your research, talk to people and take advice – make sure you’re making an informed decision. Not that I’m killing your hopes for this country, no – it’s a great place to be. Just make sure you have your objectives and your goals set and you know what you have to do before you arrive. Plan ahead, even for unexpected events.
Wish you all the best.
Regards,
Haroon.
haroonkhan_hk@yahoo.ca
