Applicant from PhD program after 5 Nov, 2011 connect here to get status

[asbereth]

Thanks aidina. I think CAIPS and Privacy Act are different.
I want the one that has deadlines and CAIPS has the deadline.
My friend told me CAIPS costs 5$ but in the website its more.

If you live in Canada, there is no need to pay the 5 dollars. The report that you will get will be exactly the same, whether you applied under Privacy Act, or Access to Information Act. I have applied under both, and they contained basically the same information.

 

[geo909]

Hi all,

Any comments on the following?

1) I'm leaving Canada soon so I'll be sending my application from Brazil. Any downsides to that?

2) I will have my letter of attestation on May 1st (that's when I complete 2 years of phd). The
rest of the documents (transcripts, bank statements, dates on the forms, etc) are all dated
in March. Should I avoid sending the application with those documents? It'll be hard to gather
new documents as I will be out of the country.

Thank you very much in advance..

 

[aidina]

Thanks aidina. I think CAIPS and Privacy Act are different.
I want the one that has deadlines and CAIPS has the deadline.
My friend told me CAIPS costs 5$ but in the website its more.

No, both are the same while you live in Canada. The privacy act is free but the other one costs you 5 dollars. But, it is up to you, you can pay 5$ if you like .

 

[TyrusX]

Hi all,

Any comments on the following?

1) I'm leaving Canada soon so I'll be sending my application from Brazil. Any downsides to that?

2) I will have my letter of attestation on May 1st (that's when I complete 2 years of phd). The
rest of the documents (transcripts, bank statements, dates on the forms, etc) are all dated
in March. Should I avoid sending the application with those documents? It'll be hard to gather
new documents as I will be out of the country.

Thank you very much in advance..

1. NO. Chose São Paulo as your Visa Office.
2. It's best to have your documents up-to-date, but that may not be a problem, but then, it may also be. Are you not coming back? Notice there is a big chance your documents will arrive there on/after May 4th, and then your application will be incomplete as the new regulations will be in vigour. Then you will need to have your education assessed, if that happens. Be prepared and well informed.

 

[asbereth]

1. NO. Chose São Paulo as your Visa Office.
2. It's best to have your documents up-to-date, but that may not be a problem, but then, it may also be. Are you not coming back? Notice there is a big chance your documents will arrive there on/after May 4th, and then your application will be incomplete as the new regulations will be in vigour. Then you will need to have your education assessed, if that happens. Be prepared and well informed.

Will choosing São Paulo be necessarily a good idea? I know some visa offices are faster than Ottawa, but some are notoriously slower, does São Paulo have a reputation of being fast?

 

[geo909]

1. NO. Chose São Paulo as your Visa Office.
2. It's best to have your documents up-to-date, but that may not be a problem, but then, it may also be. Are you not coming back?

Thank you very much for your reply. I'll be back in the end of May, I'd prefer to have the application
before.

Notice there is a big chance your documents will arrive there on/after May 4th, and then your application will be incomplete as the new regulations will be in vigour. Then you will need to have your education assessed, if that happens. Be prepared and well informed.

Thank you very much for your reply.. But I was caught unprepared: What changes on May 4th?! Could you please give
me a link or something? I've been googling around but haven't found anything.. Thanks again.

EDIT: Ok, I found the CIC webpage that talks about the changes. It's embarassing but I had no idea. From a first
quick read it seems that I shouldn't have a problem: I am completing my 2nd year of phd in a Canadian
university and I have a master's from a Canadian university. My IELTS score was 7.5 or 8 or something (don't
have the score here to check).. I'll study the changes further, but I was wondering if you could give me a quick
hint on how this is going to affect me.

 

[asbereth]

EDIT: Ok, I found the CIC webpage that talks about the changes. It's embarassing but I had no idea. From a first quick read it seems that I shouldn't have a problem: I am completing my 2nd year of phd in a Canadian university and I have a master's from a Canadian university. My IELTS score was 7.5 or 8 or something (don't have the score here to check).. I'll study the changes further, but I was wondering if you could give me a quick hint on how this is going to affect me.

http://www.canadianimmigration.net/immigrate-to-canada/skilled-worker-class/federal-skilled-worker.html#.UU5zW1EUdAs

For a lot of PhD students, the changes in the point system are actually more beneficial than detrimental:
1. First official language skills now give up to 24 points. If you have at least 7 in all, and 8 in listening, then you will be awarded 24 rather than 16 points under the new point system
2. Master's degree now only awards 23 rather than 25 points, but this should not be a problem for PhD students, since the changes in the structure more than make up for the 2 fewer points here.
3. Work experience matters less, though you still need to satisfy the minimum requirements of 1 continuous full-time year of work experience.
4. Adaptability points for previous study will now be awarded, even if you haven't completed the program.
5. If you are under 35, you will get 12 points for age.

The conclusion: even if you do not have any adaptability points, and only one year of work experience (continuous), provided you max out language scores (24), under 35, and have a Master's degree, you can easily go above 67 points

Language: 24
Education: 23
Work experience: 9
Age: 12

Total: 68

Whereas, the same applicant, under the old point system would've gotten:

Language: 16
Education: 25
Work experience: 15
Age: 10

Total 66

which wouldn't pass the minimum mark of 67. Not to mention the infamous adaptability points, which are not likely to be granted unless you have completed a program in Canada under the old system, but any completion of two years of PhD would automatically award points to the applicant under the new point system.

The downside: language matters more, so you may sometimes need to retake IELTS again, and also the fact that your (foreign) education will need to be evaluated.

 

[hamed_hamed_hamed]

I still see this line in the new rules: Previous study in Canada: 5 points will be awarded if the applicant, or accompanying spouse, has completed a program of full-time study of at least two years in Canada.

You sure they award it to PhDs ?

 

[asbereth]

I still see this line in the new rules: Previous study in Canada: 5 points will be awarded if the applicant, or accompanying spouse, has completed a program of full-time study of at least two years in Canada.

You sure they award it to PhDs ?

The wording change. The completion of the program is currently still required, but under the new rule, the wording goes

To be awarded points for their previous study in Canada, the applicant or accompanying spouse would need to have obtained, studying full time in a program of at least a two-year duration, the necessary credits to successfully complete two years of study

Compare this with

you, or your accompanying spouse or common-law partner, have completed a program of full-time study of at least two years' duration at a post-secondary institution in Canada.

http://gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2012/2012-08-18/html/reg2-eng.html

I don't know though how the officers would choose the interpret it...

 

[asbereth]

Okay, I think this should confirm it. I was checking the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, and the current rule regarding adaptability points for previous study (subsection 83(3))

For the purposes of paragraph (1) (b), a skilled worker shall be awarded 5 points if the skilled worker or their accompanying spouse or accompanying commonlaw partner, by the age of 17 or older, completed a program of full-time study of at least two years' duration at a post-secondary institution in Canada under a study permit, whether or not they obtained an educational credential for completing that program.

However, under the new rule, subsection 83(2) to subsection 83(4) are going to be replaced by something that just explains full-time study, so the requirement for completing the problem is now no longer there. Indeed, that, and combined with the new wording, I think now all one needs to do is obtain the necessary credits to complete two years of study, which in PhD, this could mean finishing qualifying exams.

I was also checking the infamous amendment to CEC that no longer accepts work experience gained during full-time study. The relevant subsection is 87.1(3)(a) that states:

any period of employment during which the foreign national was engaged in full-time study shall not be included in calculating a period of work experience

which would disqualify RA/TA. However, the good news is that, just before that statement, it is also stated "for the purposes of subsection (2)", so it's clear that it only applies for CEC, and not FSW, so one can still apply under RA/TA, at least based on what I've seen so far. Let me know if anybody found anything about this for FSW.

 

[ppb12]

what is the minimum waiting time for medical appointment, you have found in Toronto or ottawa area. If you can share your experience. I can get april 8th earliest. Is it usual? Asbereth, AST, AF and others who are recently going though this if you could comment.

 

[asbereth]

what is the minimum waiting time for medical appointment, you have found in Toronto or ottawa area. If you can share your experience. I can get april 8th earliest. Is it usual? Asbereth, AST, AF and others who are recently going though this if you could comment.

Really? I booked an appointment, and they gave me March 26. I'm in Waterloo. I never knew that Toronto would be so bad

 

[TyrusX]

Will choosing São Paulo be necessarily a good idea? I know some visa offices are faster than Ottawa, but some are notoriously slower, does São Paulo have a reputation of being fast?

São Paulo is as fast as Ottawa. There is only one VO faster than ottawa and it is also in SA.
It seemed he was moving back there permanently, so it is a better idea, as they will know his documents and it will be closer to send passport.

Edit: Now I see he will be back in May. So chances are It is better to apply to Ottawa.

 

[gleb]

and also the fact that your (foreign) education will need to be evaluated.

Hello,

I tried to find any official information about this evaluation and couldn't do it.
It looks like my foreign education can be evaluated by International Credential Assessment Service of Canada (ICAS) or by World Education Services-Canada (WES) but for WES I will need to put apostilles on my documents which is a pain because I will need to go to my home-country to do it.
I will greatly appreciate if somebody can comment on this subject.

Thank you!

 

[hooman2012]

You know what? Here is so Fu... up place to study PhD. When you study PhD here every thing is against you. You can not got 5 point adaptability. You can not apply through PNP because you do not finish your study. After you finish , you can not find a job, because you are overqualified. Even if you are not Overqualified, you are not as good as a person with masters degree because he does the same job and he is younger and probably knows the job better because you spent time on study and forgot everything about industry. My Brother came to canada 2 years after me for his masters degree, After 1 year and 8 month, he finished his masters, find a job and he is now a permanent residence because he could apply by PNP. But what a bout us? at least in my case, I came to canada in 2008, And Still got nothing..................... Damn this .................