Any advice with my profile in trying to get Student Visa

[Dannygrio]

Hi,

I am writing as I am interested in receiving feedbacks from fellow forum members about my profile, as I want to try to apply for student visa and study in Canada. Nevertheless, I am struggling finding a course and also concerned about my age factor and because I have family in Canada.

Therefore, here is my profile and intentions:

• Age: 43
• From Brazil
• From age 13 - 20 lived in the US and did Middle School and High School
• Bachelors Degree in Marketing obtained in 2000
• Worked from 2000 to 2010 in major international companies and traveled to Europe and US frequently for work and leisure.
• One of the companies I worked for in 2005 - 2010 was a British Government Agency and for this reason I traveled from my country to the UK over 60 times in this period. I had a Management role in Marketing / Comercial
• Left the British Gov Agency and opened a consultancy firm so I could get hired by British Companies in Brazil. Did work for a couple of Companies from the UK, Europe and US.
• In 2014 Brazil went into a financial crisis and I lost my clients and since then I have worked 6 month for an event and Freelance work.
• I took already General IETS as I was interested in applying for EE as it would be cheaper to study. Scores are: 9 Speaking, 8.5 Listening, 7 Reading and 6 writing (I didn't finish task 2 as I didn't study much for the exam.)

With all the above said, I am now wanting to get a post graduate diploma so I can strengthen my resume, since Marketing has evolved so much, plus everyone is now asking for higher positions a PG Diploma. I also want to return in being employed and not just working under a contract where I need to have a company for that.

Last, but not least, I have a sister and brother in Toronto who are citizens already. I understand that this can be a problem! My brother though, who is a citizen already is returning to Brazil to live and giving up Canada even with a great job and salary there!

I am searching, for masters, MBAs, PG courses in Toronto, but I find the MBAs and Masters very expensive, but would be ideal for me. Even though, some won't except me because I have over 10 years of work experience and they say I have to do an eMBA. That is out of the question though, since its 100k or more.

Any suggestions of what should I do? Anyone with a similar profile around? I also thought of changing completely and doing Culinary School! Sounds crazy, but I have a dream of opening a restaurant one day, but I am not sure if I would enjoy this.

Many Thanks

 

[kartz]

You are better of applying for a PR and than pursuing your studies if you really feel you do not have business skills. You will have obstacles everywhere. I am not sure any university that will accept you since, you have almost 20 years of study gap. Usually 10 years is the maximum. Even if you manage to get an admit, getting a study visa will be really tough because any day your work experience and entrepreneurial ventures would have taught you a lot more about business than what a university education or a diploma can teach. You will need a really strong SOP to convince the Visa Officer to grant you a study visa. Remember in study permit you should also prove that you will return to your home country after you complete your studies and in no way can you claim you want to stay back in Canada. You need to have strong home ties. Studying will have a lot of limitations for you as i see.

Considering all these factors i strongly recommend a PR application. You may enter as a business investor and start a company in Canada instead of spending the same money on studies. You can get a business/investor PR. Look at this option strongly. You may consider the Atlantic business investor PR Visa. This region grants Investor visa easily if you want to come and invest in a startup in these provinces.

All the best!

 

[Dannygrio]

You are better of applying for a PR and than pursuing your studies if you really feel you do not have business skills. You will have obstacles everywhere. I am not sure any university that will accept you since, you have almost 20 years of study gap. Usually 10 years is the maximum. Even if you manage to get an admit, getting a study visa will be really tough because any day your work experience and entrepreneurial ventures would have taught you a lot more about business than what a university education or a diploma can teach. You will need a really strong SOP to convince the Visa Officer to grant you a study visa. Remember in study permit you should also prove that you will return to your home country after you complete your studies and in no way can you claim you want to stay back in Canada. You need to have strong home ties. Studying will have a lot of limitations for you as i see.

Considering all these factors i strongly recommend a PR application. You may enter as a business investor and start a company in Canada instead of spending the same money on studies. You can get a business/investor PR. Look at this option strongly. You may consider the Atlantic business investor PR Visa. This region grants Investor visa easily if you want to come and invest in a startup in these provinces.

All the best!

Many thanks for your reply!

I never had a denied visa in my life and travelled the world, however, I have this limitation of gap, but in another hand I have experience and good curriculum. Nevertheless, I didn't study more after University, as I was traveling like crazy and didn't have time to be in one place for a PG. I also don't believe in MBAs, if you don't have experience working, as I see a lot of people coming out of Uni and going straight for an MBA. I agree with you that I have experience that an MBA can't give, but the market today is all about appearance in my opinion. The good job offerings are also asking for an MBA or PG! Well, how can I get that with a gap of 18 years? lol That is why Canada was an option and aso for the convenience of having my siblings there. The Investor visa is something that is more expensive than going to study! The Atlantic option is also a bit far from my siblings and getting stuck in a place with my age is not something pleasant, agree?

I could get a PR if I was married, since I have my brothers points to transfer, plus my good IELTS score, but again, I just ended a 5 year relationship I think because I want to move and she didn't want that much to go to Canada because of weather etc.

Anyway, will keep trying a way and maybe a PNP nomination somewhere that age is not the problem, but even that is not easy as most from what I have read asks for work experience in that region, plus study diploma from that region.

Thank you very much for your reply!

All the best!

 

[scylla]

If you want to come to Canada on a study permit, you should go for a Masters. PGD doesn't make sense given your age and experience. PGD are relatively low value.

Going for culinary school will result in your study permit being refused since this has nothing to do with your previous education or work experience.

 

[Dannygrio]

If you want to come to Canada on a study permit, you should go for a Masters. PGD doesn't make sense given your age and experience. PGD are relatively low value.

Going for culinary school will result in your study permit being refused since this has nothing to do with your previous education or work experience.

Thank you for your thoughts! I wonder how people are able to change their career path if they can't do something different from what they have in their CV. Culinary School for me would be a way of me in the future having a business related with food and I would use my experience in Marketing to manage and promote my business. Wouldn't this make sense?

Many Thanks!

 

[scylla]

Thank you for your thoughts! I wonder how people are able to change their career path if they can't do something different from what they have in their CV. Culinary School for me would be a way of me in the future having a business related with food and I would use my experience in Marketing to manage and promote my business. Wouldn't this make sense?

Many Thanks!

People can change career paths. However before you apply for the study permit to Canada, there needs to be some evidence that you have already started doing this - either in your work experience or previous education. Unfortunately too many people in the past have abused the study permit privilege by trying to use it as a way to move to Canada permanently. For this reason you have to convince IRCC that you are a genuine student when you apply. It's much more difficult to do this if you are picking a program in Canada that's unrelated to anything you have ever done in the past.