You guys are fantastic, I love what you people do here. I have been a silent observer for a very long time and it has helped me deal with the waiting period and the stress that come with it. I just want to share my success story to help others deal with theirs.
I came to Canada for the first time in April 2014 for my MSc degree with the hope of continuing to PhD and then apply for post graduate work permit and subsequently, apply for permanent residence. That was the plan, I did finish my MSc and then was admitted into a PhD program. It was on a particular afternoon, I was at a get together party with a group of international students and we started discussing about our immigration stories, how we managed to get our first visa on our first try and we started discussing on how we can permanently relocate to Canada, at that point someone asked me if I have work experience back home in Nigeria since I have already gotten a Canadian degree. I didn’t know I was eligible for the federal skilled worker program, it was when I went home and googled and researched that I realized that I don’t need to wait till after my PhD degree to apply for permanent residence in Canada. This is because when I finished my BSc, I was lucky to work for barely a year and when I think about it now, I realized that the God I serve has always been with me every step of the way, I worked exactly 1 year and some days. And without this 1 year of work, I would not have been eligible for any of the program under express entry, as I do not have any Canadian work experience.
English challenge: So, the first task was to get a good IELTS, at the time the lowest CRS score was 415, with an average band score, I could get ITA but my luck ran out and the score of the subsequent draw never came down to that. I decided to retake my English test, but I didn’t have another $300 to waste. So, I knew I have to really prepare this time, my mistake with the first test was that I was so nervous. I prepared and calmed myself down and went for the second English test and when the result came out, I had an overall band score of 8.5, with LRSW, 9,9,7.5,7.5 and this gave me a high CRS score. As such I was invited in the next draw.
Proof of Fund Challenge: As a single applicant, I need not less than $12400 in my account for at least 6 months under express entry. I saved half of it in my Nigerian account and I realized if I wait till close to the end of my grace period (90 days) to submit my completed application I might accumulate my stipend which I normally use to pay my tuition fee and house rent, those take up my stipend, to make up for the other half. So, I told my landlord about my plans, he agreed to allow me to own him three months’ rent and I owned the university three months tuition fee, as I pay my tuition fees in instalments, I just didn’t make the pay for the three months and this came with an interest charge which I was ok with. So, heavens were on my side and the plans were working, before then I have asked friends for a couple of thousands each, about six of them, they all promised but when it came to it, family issues came up, which I understand, I mean this is Canada, you have to be really rich to have a couple of thousand dollars just sitting in your account. So, my only hope was to save my stipend and add it to whatever I had saved before coming to Canada.
Medical challenge: This was the scariest part for me, for my MSc research I worked with HIV virus and I had close encounter with the virus, after my program, I didn’t get tested, I was so afraid, but now the idea of becoming a permanent resident was so good that I did not want anything to come in between me and that prospect. I decided to get a full body check-up, so that I can at least have time to treat whatever I have in me and at the time, I felt healthy. I soon realized after consultation with my physician that I do not have HIV rather I have diabetics and I am an inactive carrier of hepatitis B. This is not good, I told myself, I needed some counselling and whenever I googled I came to this forum and there were stories that was close to mine. My diabetics was early stage, and with diet and exercise I am no longer diabetic and I did it within the three months while I was waiting for my proof of fund to accumulate. Then, there is the problem with Hep B, my doctor said that I must have been infected as a kid in Nigeria and that’s ok and must people do not find out until their late 60s and I do not need treatment as the viral load is so low and my liver enzymes are within normal, no sign of liver cirrhosis. So, I was happy that I can get to enjoy my life, but I do not know my fate with regards to immigration. This is because if I am found to be medically inadmissible, I will have to leave the country without even finishing my PhD degree. At some point, I was like I should forget about permanent residence and just concentrate on my degree but one part of me says I should at least give it a try. I summon on the courage and went for upfront medical and at the examination I did not tell them about my medical history, but it was when I signed a document that the panel physician gave to me that I realized that IRCC might contact my personal doctor here in Canada. Then, I went back to explain to the panel physician that I have reversed my diabetics and currently an inactive hep B carrier. The panel physician ordered more test as per IRCC guidelines. I indicated in the application that I have a history of chronic disease and I explained my conditions. But as fate will have it, they increased the threshold for medical inadmissibility and I know that my good God has plans for me and I just have to follow my heart.
ITA expired and new ITA to PPR: Unfortunately, my first ITA expired because I did not pay attention to the time zone and that was really a sad day. I immediately withdrew my express entry profile and created a new one. I was invited after 8 days of creating the new profile because of my high score and by then everything was in order, my proof of fund was complete, I got attestation letter stating how much I receive as scholarship every year, I got my two police certificate and I was relatively healthy. I submitted a few days after ITA and the waiting began. I forgot about my application, I was expecting bad news because of my medical but after 3 months of no communication, I checked my profile and medical was passed by then and I noticed I was in IP2 as of April 2018. This normally mean ppr in a few days but hours turn into days and days into months without ppr. I decided to forget about ppr again since everything was fine with me and I have overcome my biggest fear which was medical. I could not really forget about it, I then applied for my GCMS notes and hopefully within a month I can get a full picture with what is happening with my permanent resident application. Finally, on June 22nd 2018, the golden email came and I could not contain my joy.
PPR to Landing: I had to wait till Monday (25th June) to send my passport and on the 27th June my application was approved, even without my COPR on hand, I called IRCC to fix a date for my inland landing on 27th June 2018. The return tracker was activated on 28th June and I received the passport and COPR on the 29th June 2018 at exactly 2:45pm. I immediately went to a car rental and rented a decent car, travelled down to coutts border and was admitted into the US with my US visa, I made a U turn and head for the Canada border, it took roughly 15 minutes and I started driving back to Calgary as a landed immigrant, got to Calgary by 12:16pm. It was a good day and thanks to everyone who have helped me with their stories, I just hope, my story helps someone else. In all it took me 4 months and some days from submission to landing.
Thanks guys and GOODLUCK
ITA: Jan 20th 2018
Medical passed/IP2 Feb 27th 2018
PPR 22nd June 2018
Passport sent 25th June 2018
Passport received 26th June 2018
Application approved 27th June 2018
Return track activated 28th June 2018
Passport/COPR received 29th June 2018
Coutts border landing 29th June 2018
PR card 90 days from 29th June 2018 (according to CBSA officer.)
I came to Canada for the first time in April 2014 for my MSc degree with the hope of continuing to PhD and then apply for post graduate work permit and subsequently, apply for permanent residence. That was the plan, I did finish my MSc and then was admitted into a PhD program. It was on a particular afternoon, I was at a get together party with a group of international students and we started discussing about our immigration stories, how we managed to get our first visa on our first try and we started discussing on how we can permanently relocate to Canada, at that point someone asked me if I have work experience back home in Nigeria since I have already gotten a Canadian degree. I didn’t know I was eligible for the federal skilled worker program, it was when I went home and googled and researched that I realized that I don’t need to wait till after my PhD degree to apply for permanent residence in Canada. This is because when I finished my BSc, I was lucky to work for barely a year and when I think about it now, I realized that the God I serve has always been with me every step of the way, I worked exactly 1 year and some days. And without this 1 year of work, I would not have been eligible for any of the program under express entry, as I do not have any Canadian work experience.
English challenge: So, the first task was to get a good IELTS, at the time the lowest CRS score was 415, with an average band score, I could get ITA but my luck ran out and the score of the subsequent draw never came down to that. I decided to retake my English test, but I didn’t have another $300 to waste. So, I knew I have to really prepare this time, my mistake with the first test was that I was so nervous. I prepared and calmed myself down and went for the second English test and when the result came out, I had an overall band score of 8.5, with LRSW, 9,9,7.5,7.5 and this gave me a high CRS score. As such I was invited in the next draw.
Proof of Fund Challenge: As a single applicant, I need not less than $12400 in my account for at least 6 months under express entry. I saved half of it in my Nigerian account and I realized if I wait till close to the end of my grace period (90 days) to submit my completed application I might accumulate my stipend which I normally use to pay my tuition fee and house rent, those take up my stipend, to make up for the other half. So, I told my landlord about my plans, he agreed to allow me to own him three months’ rent and I owned the university three months tuition fee, as I pay my tuition fees in instalments, I just didn’t make the pay for the three months and this came with an interest charge which I was ok with. So, heavens were on my side and the plans were working, before then I have asked friends for a couple of thousands each, about six of them, they all promised but when it came to it, family issues came up, which I understand, I mean this is Canada, you have to be really rich to have a couple of thousand dollars just sitting in your account. So, my only hope was to save my stipend and add it to whatever I had saved before coming to Canada.
Medical challenge: This was the scariest part for me, for my MSc research I worked with HIV virus and I had close encounter with the virus, after my program, I didn’t get tested, I was so afraid, but now the idea of becoming a permanent resident was so good that I did not want anything to come in between me and that prospect. I decided to get a full body check-up, so that I can at least have time to treat whatever I have in me and at the time, I felt healthy. I soon realized after consultation with my physician that I do not have HIV rather I have diabetics and I am an inactive carrier of hepatitis B. This is not good, I told myself, I needed some counselling and whenever I googled I came to this forum and there were stories that was close to mine. My diabetics was early stage, and with diet and exercise I am no longer diabetic and I did it within the three months while I was waiting for my proof of fund to accumulate. Then, there is the problem with Hep B, my doctor said that I must have been infected as a kid in Nigeria and that’s ok and must people do not find out until their late 60s and I do not need treatment as the viral load is so low and my liver enzymes are within normal, no sign of liver cirrhosis. So, I was happy that I can get to enjoy my life, but I do not know my fate with regards to immigration. This is because if I am found to be medically inadmissible, I will have to leave the country without even finishing my PhD degree. At some point, I was like I should forget about permanent residence and just concentrate on my degree but one part of me says I should at least give it a try. I summon on the courage and went for upfront medical and at the examination I did not tell them about my medical history, but it was when I signed a document that the panel physician gave to me that I realized that IRCC might contact my personal doctor here in Canada. Then, I went back to explain to the panel physician that I have reversed my diabetics and currently an inactive hep B carrier. The panel physician ordered more test as per IRCC guidelines. I indicated in the application that I have a history of chronic disease and I explained my conditions. But as fate will have it, they increased the threshold for medical inadmissibility and I know that my good God has plans for me and I just have to follow my heart.
ITA expired and new ITA to PPR: Unfortunately, my first ITA expired because I did not pay attention to the time zone and that was really a sad day. I immediately withdrew my express entry profile and created a new one. I was invited after 8 days of creating the new profile because of my high score and by then everything was in order, my proof of fund was complete, I got attestation letter stating how much I receive as scholarship every year, I got my two police certificate and I was relatively healthy. I submitted a few days after ITA and the waiting began. I forgot about my application, I was expecting bad news because of my medical but after 3 months of no communication, I checked my profile and medical was passed by then and I noticed I was in IP2 as of April 2018. This normally mean ppr in a few days but hours turn into days and days into months without ppr. I decided to forget about ppr again since everything was fine with me and I have overcome my biggest fear which was medical. I could not really forget about it, I then applied for my GCMS notes and hopefully within a month I can get a full picture with what is happening with my permanent resident application. Finally, on June 22nd 2018, the golden email came and I could not contain my joy.
PPR to Landing: I had to wait till Monday (25th June) to send my passport and on the 27th June my application was approved, even without my COPR on hand, I called IRCC to fix a date for my inland landing on 27th June 2018. The return tracker was activated on 28th June and I received the passport and COPR on the 29th June 2018 at exactly 2:45pm. I immediately went to a car rental and rented a decent car, travelled down to coutts border and was admitted into the US with my US visa, I made a U turn and head for the Canada border, it took roughly 15 minutes and I started driving back to Calgary as a landed immigrant, got to Calgary by 12:16pm. It was a good day and thanks to everyone who have helped me with their stories, I just hope, my story helps someone else. In all it took me 4 months and some days from submission to landing.
Thanks guys and GOODLUCK
ITA: Jan 20th 2018
Medical passed/IP2 Feb 27th 2018
PPR 22nd June 2018
Passport sent 25th June 2018
Passport received 26th June 2018
Application approved 27th June 2018
Return track activated 28th June 2018
Passport/COPR received 29th June 2018
Coutts border landing 29th June 2018
PR card 90 days from 29th June 2018 (according to CBSA officer.)
