Inquiry regarding FSW programme

[alihasan]

Hi,

I am interested in applying for the FSW programme of CIC Canada (WES ECA assessment has been done). I hold Pakistani nationality with a Dubai employment visa. Kindly inform me if I can apply through the Abu Dhabi visa office? Or do I need to apply through the Islamabad office? Also, please guide me about the following queries:

1. I have Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi. The duration of degree is 4 years while duration of my total education from school to university is 16 years. Please inform me if I am eligible for 21 points or 23? I have looked at the CIC website for factors but it is still unclear to me.

2. I have done some internships during my graduate studies. Is that period counted towards calculation of my points for work experience?

3. Am I required to provide proof of funds at the time of submitting my application to CIC?

4. Do the photocopies dispatched with my application need attestation (for example photocopies of different documents like employer letter, passport, education transcripts etc)?

I will be highly obliged if any of you can reply to my queries. Awaiting your gracious replies.

 

[ESZB]

Hello alihasan

Since you are Pakistani national your application will be processed at the London visa office. But you will submit your application at the Central Intake office in Sydney, Nova Scotia. After the initial completeness and points checks your file is transferred to your relevant visa office. In your case London.

1. What does your ECA from WES say? If your degree is equivalent 4 year Canadian Bachelor degree then you get 21 points for education.

2. Internships do not count. You need full time paid work experience.

3. Yes you need to submit POF in the form of bank reference letter and bank statement with your application. It is mandatory.

4. Attestation is not required. Just plain neat photocopies. However if any of your documents is in a language other than English then you need to provide a notarized translation along with an affidavit from the translator.

 

[Vats]

Hay alihasan. . .
have you appeared for IELTS? What are the bands?

 

[alihasan]

Hello alihasan

Since you are Pakistani national your application will be processed at the London visa office. But you will submit your application at the Central Intake office in Sydney, Nova Scotia. After the initial completeness and points checks your file is transferred to your relevant visa office. In your case London.

1. What does your ECA from WES say? If your degree is equivalent 4 year Canadian Bachelor degree then you get 21 points for education.

2. Internships do not count. You need full time paid work experience.

3. Yes you need to submit POF in the form of bank reference letter and bank statement with your application. It is mandatory.

4. Attestation is not required. Just plain neat photocopies. However if any of your documents is in a language other than English then you need to provide a notarized translation along with an affidavit from the translator.

Thanks for a detailed reply.

1. Yes WES mention equivalency to 4 year Canadian Bachelor degree. I guess that makes a total of 65 points for me at the moment

2. Okay. One more thing, my first employment started immediately after my exams (started around 2 months before the official result announcement and continued for two months after the award of the degree). Will they count the whole period or just the last 2 months?

3. Do I need to send them original letter from companies? Or attested copies are enough? Also do they NEED stuff like payslips etc? I have arranged for all my past employees to co-operate with CIC if they check but I can't arrange payslips etc. I have work contracts for two jobs, offer letter for one and reference letters for all my jobs (total 4) and internships (total 2). Also as I worked mostly in Dubai so I have visa documents clearly mentioning the issue dates etc and status, i.e employment and employer.

4. Some UAE docs are bilingual, English and Arabic. The Arabic side is only the translation of English side. Do I still have to get it translated?

 

[alihasan]

Hay alihasan. . .
have you appeared for IELTS? What are the bands?

Yes I have done IELTS (General Module) with the following band score.

S 6.5, W 7.5, R 8.0 and L 8.5.

 

[ESZB]

Hello alihasan,

May I know under what NOC do you plan to apply??

If your employer affirms your status as a full time salaried employee (40 work hrs/week) in their reference letter for the period before official result announcement, then that period will be counted.

Original employment reference letters are not required. Just neat black n white photocopies. CIC does not ask for attestation of documents that are in English (you may do it for your personal satisfaction). Make sure that all you reference letters are in the format specified by CIC.
You may add salary slips, work contracts, visa documents etc. as supporting documents but these are not mandatory. So just send what is easily available.

I suggest you to go through the following latest documents checklist for FSWP and then ask put up further questions.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/forms/IMM5612E.pdf

Well if both languages (English and Arabic) exist on the same document then translation is not required.

 

[alihasan]

Hello alihasan,

May I know under what NOC do you plan to apply??

If your employer affirms your status as a full time salaried employee (40 work hrs/week) in their reference letter for the period before official result announcement, then that period will be counted.

Original employment reference letters are not required. Just neat black n white photocopies. CIC does not ask for attestation of documents that are in English (you may do it for your personal satisfaction). Make sure that all you reference letters are in the format specified by CIC.
You may add salary slips, work contracts, visa documents etc. as supporting documents but these are not mandatory. So just send what is easily available.

I suggest you to go through the following latest documents checklist for FSWP and then ask put up further questions.

Well if both languages (English and Arabic) exist on the same document then translation is not required.

I will be applying under NOC 2131 Civil Engineers. Does this make any difference to the point calculation?
All of the employment reference letters mention "full time employment" but none of them mention the salary or the work hours. However I have offer letters and/or work contracts (as per the UAE ministry of labour) mentioning the work hours and the salary and other benefits. Do they ask for originals at a later stage? It will be an issue for me as some are my only copies and the companies that issued them will not provide me with a replacement.

Thanks for your answer

 

[ami2245]

You will get 23 out of 24 pts for this result. Good luck.

Yes I have done IELTS (General Module) with the following band score.

S 6.5, W 7.5, R 8.0 and L 8.5.

 

[luqi]

i think all the answers are given by these members but if you are married and u have 65 points in total. your spouse can help you by taking the ielts. She will need listening 4.5, speaking 4, reading 3.5 and writing 4. i had the same situation my points were 64 but my spouse successfully took ielts and applied.

 

[ESZB]

I will be applying under NOC 2131 Civil Engineers. Does this make any difference to the point calculation?
All of the employment reference letters mention "full time employment" but none of them mention the salary or the work hours. However I have offer letters and/or work contracts (as per the UAE ministry of labour) mentioning the work hours and the salary and other benefits. Do they ask for originals at a later stage? It will be an issue for me as some are my only copies and the companies that issued them will not provide me with a replacement.

Thanks for your answer

Ofcourse its 2131. Sorry my mistake. You did mention your degree. No it doesn't make any difference to the points calculation.

Well in my opinion, having your job description, salary (per annum) and weekly working hours mentioned on your reference letter is very important since the CIC checklist emphatically tells your to do that. (please read the checklist) I also had to go through a lot of hassle to get the employment reference letters in accordance with CIC format.
Originals may be asked by the visa officer later if they have any doubts about the authenticity but as I have learned from seniors cases mostly they don't. They have their way of ascertaining whether a letter is genuine or not. Again. DO NOT send your original employment reference letters. Just copies.

Best of luck

 

[alihasan]

You will get 23 out of 24 pts for this result. Good luck.

Thanks.

 

[alihasan]

i think all the answers are given by these members but if you are married and u have 65 points in total. your spouse can help you by taking the ielts. She will need listening 4.5, speaking 4, reading 3.5 and writing 4. i had the same situation my points were 64 but my spouse successfully took ielts and applied.

Unfortunately I am unmarried and don't have any immediate family in Canada so can't get any points for these two factors. Although most of my first and second cousins are Canadian nationals but I guess that doesn't count as CIC only recognizes brother or sister.
I should wait I guess until my experience crosses 2 years (will be by the end of August this year).

 

[alihasan]

Ofcourse its 2131. Sorry my mistake. You did mention your degree. No it doesn't make any difference to the points calculation.

Well in my opinion, having your job description, salary (per annum) and weekly working hours mentioned on your reference letter is very important since the CIC checklist emphatically tells your to do that. (please read the checklist) I also had to go through a lot of hassle to get the employment reference letters in accordance with CIC format.
Originals may be asked by the visa officer later if they have any doubts about the authenticity but as I have learned from seniors cases mostly they don't. They have their way of ascertaining whether a letter is genuine or not. Again. DO NOT send your original employment reference letters. Just copies.

Best of luck

I tried a lot in getting the reference letters exactly as per the instructions of CIC but unfortunately none of the companies in UAE will do it. As per them, there is a law or something. I dunno but if CIC doesn't recognize any of my experience then it is certainly Good Bye Canada to me at the moment :'(

Thanks for your help. I really appreciate it.

 

[ESZB]

I tried a lot in getting the reference letters exactly as per the instructions of CIC but unfortunately none of the companies in UAE will do it. As per them, there is a law or something. I dunno but if CIC doesn't recognize any of my experience then it is certainly Good Bye Canada to me at the moment :'(

Thanks for your help. I really appreciate it.

Well I have read about people facing this problem. And there is a solution. What you can do is that you can request a current/ex senior colleague working in the company to write a reference letter (preferably on the company letterhead) mentioning all the required details as per CIC format. Attach this letter with the company provided ref letter.

Best of luck.

 

[EnthuChap]

Hello alihasan

Since you are Pakistani national your application will be processed at the London visa office. But you will submit your application at the Central Intake office in Sydney, Nova Scotia. After the initial completeness and points checks your file is transferred to your relevant visa office. In your case London.

1. What does your ECA from WES say? If your degree is equivalent 4 year Canadian Bachelor degree then you get 21 points for education.

2. Internships do not count. You need full time paid work experience.

3. Yes you need to submit POF in the form of bank reference letter and bank statement with your application. It is mandatory.

4. Attestation is not required. Just plain neat photocopies. However if any of your documents is in a language other than English then you need to provide a notarized translation along with an affidavit from the translator.

I was looking for an answer to whether plain photocopies or attested copies are to be sent with initial application. I got my answer.

Cheers