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

[asbereth]

Today I have granted the OHIP, I have received a letter from OHIP review committee which confirms my eligibility after they confirmed from CIC. But they said it will be activate from 3rd Nov,2012 since by that time i will finish 3 months from my PER. That means once someone finish 3 months of their PER then they will get this facility. This service is now provided for one year but they mentioned if I have not received my PR by that time then I can use this letter to renew for one additional year.

Congratulations. I also got my confirmation letter from OHIP, saying that I am eligible for OHIP. The thing is, they mentioned that I have been eligible for OHIP since June 21 (3 months after my PER date), and the coverage will last only until June 21 '13 (one year from the day I was eligible).

I suppose this would also explain why moonbow2010 was rejected the first time, since he obviously was not yet eligible at the time (not yet three months since the day he received his PER), and at the time, they might not yet be aware of the situation. Now, I think as per the case with kaziahmmed, they probably have been made educated about the issue (that the PER email is equivalent to approval-in-principle), and they would just grant the appeal (but with effective date starting 3 months after the PER date)

Good development for those living in Ontario, wish we had known this earlier. Hopefully applicants with PER in other provinces can also enjoy the same benefit

 

[moonbow2010]

Congratulations. I also got my confirmation letter from OHIP, saying that I am eligible for OHIP. The thing is, they mentioned that I have been eligible for OHIP since June 21 (3 months after my PER date), and the coverage will last only until June 21 '13 (one year from the day I was eligible).

I suppose this would also explain why moonbow2010 was rejected the first time, since he obviously was not yet eligible at the time (not yet three months since the day he received his PER), and at the time, they might not yet be aware of the situation. Now, I think as per the case with kaziahmmed, they probably have been made educated about the issue (that the PER email is equivalent to approval-in-principle), and they would just grant the appeal (but with effective date starting 3 months after the PER date)

Good development for those living in Ontario, wish we had known this earlier. Hopefully applicants with PER in other provinces can also enjoy the same benefit

Great news! Congratualtions, Kaziahmmed asbereth. Actually, I was awarded the appeal form from the Kingston Service Ontario Office. I will submit the appeal next week. Good luck to every PhD student!

 

[beauty00]

Good news!!
Today I have granted the OHIP, I have received a letter from OHIP review committee which confirms my eligibility after they confirmed from CIC. But they said it will be activate from 3rd Nov,2012 since by that time i will finish 3 months from my PER. That means once someone finish 3 months of their PER then they will get this facility. This service is now provided for one year but they mentioned if I have not received my PR by that time then I can use this letter to renew for one additional year.
Good luck to other PER's for OHIP.
Regards
Kazi

Congratulations. Actually, I sent my appealing letter to Kingston office about two weeks ago. Hopefully, I can get response next Monday, if they are sending mails at the same with you guys. I got my PER letter at April 25th, so it should be eligible from July 25th?
I have a question about the content in the mail. Since I am applying for both me and my husband, I enclose a copy of our marriage certificate, does that grant him OHIP as well? We actually filed two PR applications at the same time, his is CEC, and I am applying under PhD stream.
Until now, I don't know what's the appealing "form" look like? when I went to kitchener OHIP office, they just gave me a printed page from website with Kingston office's address. After I check the website, they said usually they will call you before they sent the mail? Did you get any call before the letter?

Thanks for sharing the great news with all of us. If we got next week, I will ask my husband to cancel his UHIP in UW.

 

[beauty00]

This is probably not news for a lot of people here, but I'll share it with you guys anyway. The immigration specialist at my school has just confirmed with the ministry that the PER letter (from the PhD stream) is sufficient to waive international student fee (so you'd be considered a local student from the point you receive your PER if you're applying through PhD stream). Here is an excerpt from her email

I'm assuming that they (the ministry) would make it clear once and for all, and all universities and colleges in Ontario would be positively affected with regards to the PER letter. For some universities like University of Western Ontario, York University and University of Ottawa, this may not be a big deal, since they probably have already had the correct interpretation anyway, but my friend told me that University of Guelph literally asked for the PR card to get the international fee waived, and this would be a great news for those who applied under PhD stream and got their PER already

My husband got a email last Friday about tuition deduction for people got PER letter. University of Waterloo made a public announcement to all phD students. But still, we didn't see if it's meaningful, since all international students we saw in waterloo, already got domestic rate (compensated by a international student award). the difference may be just UHIP and OHIP. If we can get response from OHIP, maybe he should inform them to change both his tuition and insurance to domestic.

Thanks for the useful information. Hopefully, every international phD student can get this benefit, especially in ontario, since we paid too much tuition and it keeps increasing every year.

 

[kaziahmmed]

Congratulations. Actually, I sent my appealing letter to Kingston office about two weeks ago. Hopefully, I can get response next Monday, if they are sending mails at the same with you guys. I got my PER letter at April 25th, so it should be eligible from July 25th?
I have a question about the content in the mail. Since I am applying for both me and my husband, I enclose a copy of our marriage certificate, does that grant him OHIP as well? We actually filed two PR applications at the same time, his is CEC, and I am applying under PhD stream.
Until now, I don't know what's the appealing "form" look like? when I went to kitchener OHIP office, they just gave me a printed page from website with Kingston office's address. After I check the website, they said usually they will call you before they sent the mail? Did you get any call before the letter?

Thanks for sharing the great news with all of us. If we got next week, I will ask my husband to cancel his UHIP in UW.

Hi Beauty00--
Honestly speaking i didn't submit any appeal form, I have just written a claim what I have experienced when I went to Service Ontario office with my PER e-mail copy. Just explained they didn't allow me to apply with only that soft copy and also mentioned in the letter under the eligibility crieteria for OHIP I believe I meet the requirements. I also applied with my wife, but since my wife is not here therefore they didn't provide her now. I think if you mentioned your husband name in that letter then he also should get the OHIP at the same time. One of my friend applied for his wife with me and when they (review committee) send the authorization letter to extract your information from CIC my friend and his wife both singed in the authorization form to ensure that both need the OHIP under this appeal.
Regards
Kazi

 

[beauty00]

Hi Beauty00--
Honestly speaking i didn't submit any appeal form, I have just written a claim what I have experienced when I went to Service Ontario office with my PER e-mail copy. Just explained they didn't allow me to apply with only that soft copy and also mentioned in the letter under the eligibility crieteria for OHIP I believe I meet the requirements. I also applied with my wife, but since my wife is not here therefore they didn't provide her now. I think if you mentioned your husband name in that letter then he also should get the OHIP at the same time. One of my friend applied for his wife with me and when they (review committee) send the authorization letter to extract your information from CIC my friend and his wife both singed in the authorization form to ensure that both need the OHIP under this appeal.
Regards
Kazi

Hi, Kaziahmmed:
Thanks so much for your detailed answer. This is exactly what I did. I just wrote a letter to explain what I have experienced in Kitchener office, and gave them a copy of my marriage certificate, PER letter. And authorization form with me and my husband's signature.

Hopefully, I can get the mail from them next Monday. If I don't get it until the end of next week, I will call them.


Best regards,

 

[brandond]

Hello, it looks like I am new the the party here. Hopefully I am posting on this correctly. I am researching my options for a PR application. The PhD stream for Federal Skilled Workers seems to be the best choice. My main concern is if the cap will be reset as noted in Operational Bulletin 438 as it would be hard for me to get an application before October 31 and the cap may have already been meet by this time. Is there any way to know if the cap will actually be reset on November 1? TyrusX noted that "they may put the stream on hold for a while until the new regulations are out, as it seems like they will request people to get their education assessed by a company or something." Does anyone no more about this, or where I can get any related info? I'm starting to get my hopes up that I can get application ready for early November under a new cap, but am afraid I might be disappointed. Thanks!

 

[sallay]

Hello friend,

Thank you very much for your posts. They are very informative. I start to learn how to apply PhD stream several days ago. I have some questions. Please be patient to me.

(1) I do not have valid IELTS score. I got an academic score of 7.5 (Reading: 8.5; Listening: 7.5; Writing: 6.5; Speaking: 6.5) in 2009. I would like to take language test within several weeks. But I am not sure if I should take IELTS or CELPIP? Do you have any advices. I need at least 12 points in language ability of FSW. Which test should I take to get at least 12 points, IELTS or CELPIP?

(2) I found a program: Opportunities Ontario, Provincial Nominee Program, International PhD stream

Opportunities Ontario, Provincial Nominee Program allows someone who has completed at least two years of their PhD studies to apply for provincial nomination. The application fee of $1,500. The successful nominees can apply to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) for permanent residence. If we can apply PhD stream under FSW, why does there exist this type of program? And what is the benefit to have Ontario provincial nomination.

Please share me with your suggestions. Thanks a lot.

 

[asbereth]

(2) I found a program: Opportunities Ontario, Provincial Nominee Program, International PhD stream

Opportunities Ontario, Provincial Nominee Program allows someone who has completed at least two years of their PhD studies to apply for provincial nomination. The application fee of $1,500. The successful nominees can apply to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) for permanent residence. If we can apply PhD stream under FSW, why does there exist this type of program? And what is the benefit to have Ontario provincial nomination.

Please share me with your suggestions. Thanks a lot.

Hi sallay, correct me if I'm wrong, but the Ontario PNP for PhD graduates would only make those who have graduated from a PhD eligible (maybe they've changed this rule, so I'm not sure). Also, PhD students from all provinces may apply through the CIC PhD stream, whereas Ontario PNP would only work for those that go to schools in Ontario, though if you are eligible for PNP (and have the financial means to apply through it), then it's probably more preferable (faster, and it would open up a spot for an extra applicant) for you to apply through PNP rather than the CIC PhD stream.

Hello, it looks like I am new the the party here. Hopefully I am posting on this correctly. I am researching my options for a PR application. The PhD stream for Federal Skilled Workers seems to be the best choice. My main concern is if the cap will be reset as noted in Operational Bulletin 438 as it would be hard for me to get an application before October 31 and the cap may have already been meet by this time. Is there any way to know if the cap will actually be reset on November 1? TyrusX noted that "they may put the stream on hold for a while until the new regulations are out, as it seems like they will request people to get their education assessed by a company or something." Does anyone no more about this, or where I can get any related info? I'm starting to get my hopes up that I can get application ready for early November under a new cap, but am afraid I might be disappointed. Thanks!

Hi brandond, nobody really knows whether the PhD stream would continue after the cap is reached (which is most likely the case already right now). Since you said that you wouldn't be able to send the application before October 31 anyway, you probably won't have much choice anyway but to wait until the cap is rest at November 1 (while keeping your fingers crossed that they won't cancel the stream just yet).

Another possible course of action would be to wait until the new rules are in place, which I am sure would give most PhD-stream eligible applicants more points (more points for those under the age of 35, more language points, and less emphasis on work experience), though, once again, you're running the risk that the PhD stream would be canceled next year. But all the same, even if you are somehow able to prepare all documents and application forms before the 31st, I have a feeling that the cap would've been reached anyway, and you would then have to wait until they return the application package (which could take 8 weeks). So there is always a little bit of gamble, no matter which direction you would like to go. Good luck.

 

[TyrusX]

Hello friend,

Thank you very much for your posts. They are very informative. I start to learn how to apply PhD stream several days ago. I have some questions. Please be patient to me.

(1) I do not have valid IELTS score. I got an academic score of 7.5 (Reading: 8.5; Listening: 7.5; Writing: 6.5; Speaking: 6.5) in 2009. I would like to take language test within several weeks. But I am not sure if I should take IELTS or CELPIP? Do you have any advices. I need at least 12 points in language ability of FSW. Which test should I take to get at least 12 points, IELTS or CELPIP?

If you want to really measure how good is your english go for the IELTS. If you just want to reach the score go for CELPIP, as it is much easier. But since you got 7.5 in the academic ielts, I don't see why you should not be able to reach 7 on each of the General Training IELTS, which currently gives you 16 points.

 

[sallay]

If you want to really measure how good is your english go for the IELTS. If you just want to reach the score go for CELPIP, as it is much easier. But since you got 7.5 in the academic ielts, I don't see why you should not be able to reach 7 on each of the General Training IELTS, which currently gives you 16 points.

Hi TyrusX, thanks a lot for your reply. Do you mind telling me what score of CELPIP you got last time?

In fact, I start to prefer CELPIP, because I just want to meet the requirement of FSW and I do not want to spend too much time on this. Last time I took three months to prepare IELTS, and it has been three years. I am not sure if I can get the same score this time.

 

[TyrusX]

Hi TyrusX, thanks a lot for your reply. Do you mind telling me what score of CELPIP you got last time?

In fact, I start to prefer CELPIP, because I just want to meet the requirement of FSW and I do not want to spend too much time on this. Last time I took three months to prepare IELTS, and it has been three years. I am not sure if I can get the same score this time.

I have not done the celpip for real, just the online sample. I did the ielts cold turkey 3 days after paying for it. I got better points overall than the one I did for the phd 3 years ago.

 

[Dani1982]

Hi TyrusX, thanks a lot for your reply. Do you mind telling me what score of CELPIP you got last time?

In fact, I start to prefer CELPIP, because I just want to meet the requirement of FSW and I do not want to spend too much time on this. Last time I took three months to prepare IELTS, and it has been three years. I am not sure if I can get the same score this time.

Go for the IELTS, you can also apply under CEC with IELTS, CELPIP is is not acceptable for CEC

 

[beauty00]

Hi Beauty00--
Honestly speaking i didn't submit any appeal form, I have just written a claim what I have experienced when I went to Service Ontario office with my PER e-mail copy. Just explained they didn't allow me to apply with only that soft copy and also mentioned in the letter under the eligibility crieteria for OHIP I believe I meet the requirements. I also applied with my wife, but since my wife is not here therefore they didn't provide her now. I think if you mentioned your husband name in that letter then he also should get the OHIP at the same time. One of my friend applied for his wife with me and when they (review committee) send the authorization letter to extract your information from CIC my friend and his wife both singed in the authorization form to ensure that both need the OHIP under this appeal.
Regards
Kazi

Thanks so much, Kazi.
I also got a confirmation letter for OHIP coverage for both me and my husband today. As you mentioned, they covered for one year from the day exactly three month after PER letter.

Without this forum, I won't know this information and got OHIP coverage, which save hugely for me and my husband. I was about to pay for the UHIP until I saw the discussion here. Thanks so much, guys.

Everyone should get this benefit after PER for three months.

Beauty00

 

[maytheflower]

Limit on the number of PhD eligibility stream applications to be processed

With respect to applications under the PhD eligibility stream, complete applications will continue to be put into processing until the annual cap of 1,000 is reached, as established by Ministerial Instructions that came into force on November 5, 2011.

The current cap year for the PhD stream ends on October 31, 2012, and unless otherwise indicated in a future Ministerial Instruction, the cap will be automatically reset on November 1, 2012.

Source: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/bulletins/2012/ob438.asp

Sounds not bad.