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Ray of hope - FSW - 1

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A

AstronomyNut

Hero Member
Jan 24, 2018
507
108
Hello everyone... I was looking for a thread like this for a while and came across this yesterday. I actually read the whole thing! I have a question for everyone here on what would be the best course of action for my situation.

I am presently in Canada on a study permit, I'm 33 and will have a Canadian MS degree by September, if all goes well. I am confident I can score well in IELTS and attain 8777. This gives me a score of 477. I can likely score above 480 if I put some more effort for the IELTS.

By March, I will lose 5 points and so my score will be around 472 or 475 (depending on the IELTS...)

My hope/plan was once I graduate I will continue on as a PhD student apply for FSW EE in parallel. I have a fully funded offer for my PhD. Once I was a PR, my tuition would reduce and I would have eligible for several grants available to domestic students. However, as FSW EE is paused and whenever it may resume the cut off maybe as high as 470 or even 480. This has my wondering if I should:

a) Look into Ontario's Human Capital PNP stream
b) Forget about a PhD and just get a PGWP to seek a job. I am often advised I can go back to a PhD after I have CEC but it is very hard to do that. If I leave academia, I will likely leave for good and commit to industry.

What do you guys think? What is a good way forward?
 
C

cancan90

Star Member
Apr 29, 2020
94
59
aj534160 said:
All those dudes that keep irritating with "Joblessness" and "Layoff" terminology, they can pls go through this and let them not demotivate us any further:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/statscan-april-gdp-1.5632486

Pessimist dudes, do not spread negativity. For God's sake.
July or Aug FSW draws will happen.
Even if local VFS is closed, other VFS' still has good capacity to process files.
More than all, 100s of people being too positive and hopeful yields a magical happening.
Click to expand...
I think rather clarifying them just ignore their perspective. one of the member very well said that our reaction just fuels them. so the first thing just ignores their responses. secondly, let's collect positive information share it, help each other, and encourage each other.
 
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F

FeedYourMojo

Full Member
Jun 30, 2020
46
47
Admin,
I know you've taken down my post down on negativity but the whole point of the group is to encourage one another. And enlighten one another on the process NOT keep killing each others dreams. I still insist that before you post any negativity have your facts straight otherwise let's stick to the main mandate of the forum 'GIVING ONE ANOTHER HOPE'. It goes a long to encourage someone.
 
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F

FeedYourMojo

Full Member
Jun 30, 2020
46
47
AstronomyNut said:
Hello everyone... I was looking for a thread like this for a while and came across this yesterday. I actually read the whole thing! I have a question for everyone here on what would be the best course of action for my situation.

I am presently in Canada on a study permit, I'm 33 and will have a Canadian MS degree by September, if all goes well. I am confident I can score well in IELTS and attain 8777. This gives me a score of 477. I can likely score above 480 if I put some more effort for the IELTS.

By March, I will lose 5 points and so my score will be around 472 or 475 (depending on the IELTS...)

My hope/plan was once I graduate I will continue on as a PhD student apply for FSW EE in parallel. I have a fully funded offer for my PhD. Once I was a PR, my tuition would reduce and I would have eligible for several grants available to domestic students. However, as FSW EE is paused and whenever it may resume the cut off maybe as high as 470 or even 480. This has my wondering if I should:

a) Look into Ontario's Human Capital PNP stream
b) Forget about a PhD and just get a PGWP to seek a job. I am often advised I can go back to a PhD after I have CEC but it is very hard to do that. If I leave academia, I will likely leave for good and commit to industry.

What do you guys think? What is a good way forward?
Click to expand...
I think you should create your profile with the 477 even as you're applying for these other stuff. If it pulls through that will be amazing but if it doesn't you still have the other channels. Try everything you can bit still create your profile. 477 would be a good score of draws resume in July or August
 
A

AstronomyNut

Hero Member
Jan 24, 2018
507
108
FeedYourMojo said:
I think you should create your profile with the 477 even as you're applying for these other stuff. If it pulls through that will be amazing but if it doesn't you still have the other channels. Try everything you can bit still create your profile. 477 would be a good score of draws resume in July or August
Click to expand...
Yes, I'm glad 477 is still a good score. I still have to take the IELTS. I have not been able to till now due to an extremely stressful schedule. So my hope is to take that as soon as possible.

The 8777 is based on a Academic Test I took two years ago where I only scored low on the writing (6.5). Since my writing has improved significantly due to graduate school, I am confident I can do better.
 
F

FeedYourMojo

Full Member
Jun 30, 2020
46
47
AstronomyNut said:
Yes, I'm glad 477 is still a good score. I still have to take the IELTS. I have not been able to till now due to an extremely stressful schedule. So my hope is to take that as soon as possible.

The 8777 is based on a Academic Test I took two years ago where I only scored low on the writing (6.5). Since my writing has improved significantly due to graduate school, I am confident I can do better.
Click to expand...
If you have a chance to try more than one channel to realise your Canadian dream then by all means explore them. Don't ignore one because you have the option of another you never know which one succeeds. All the best in your IELTS!
 
smash1984

smash1984

Champion Member
Oct 7, 2018
2,084
850
AstronomyNut said:
Hello everyone... I was looking for a thread like this for a while and came across this yesterday. I actually read the whole thing! I have a question for everyone here on what would be the best course of action for my situation.

I am presently in Canada on a study permit, I'm 33 and will have a Canadian MS degree by September, if all goes well. I am confident I can score well in IELTS and attain 8777. This gives me a score of 477. I can likely score above 480 if I put some more effort for the IELTS.

By March, I will lose 5 points and so my score will be around 472 or 475 (depending on the IELTS...)

My hope/plan was once I graduate I will continue on as a PhD student apply for FSW EE in parallel. I have a fully funded offer for my PhD. Once I was a PR, my tuition would reduce and I would have eligible for several grants available to domestic students. However, as FSW EE is paused and whenever it may resume the cut off maybe as high as 470 or even 480. This has my wondering if I should:

a) Look into Ontario's Human Capital PNP stream
b) Forget about a PhD and just get a PGWP to seek a job. I am often advised I can go back to a PhD after I have CEC but it is very hard to do that. If I leave academia, I will likely leave for good and commit to industry.

What do you guys think? What is a good way forward?
Click to expand...
I was actually in the same shoes as you. Although you should make an assessment of what is more important to you.

For me, the PhD was more important than Canadian PR. So, I took my fully funded PhD offer and came to Canada and then applied for PR once I was in canada. I got PR by the end of my first year in PhD. Although as a PhD candidate at one of the better universities in Canada, the benefits I received were not too much lower than for a PR. If you have a family, you become eligible for child benefit and other benefits after a period of 18 months etc. The only difference is you have to pay health insurance. So, in terms of benefits there are some differences, but not too much.

To me, the more important question is, what kind of career do you want? As you know (and you mention) once you leave academia, it is much harder to come back.
 
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ZAtoCD

ZAtoCD

Champion Member
Nov 3, 2019
1,133
1,329
South Africa
Category........
FSW
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
1123
smash1984 said:
I was actually in the same shoes as you. Although you should make an assessment of what is more important to you.

For me, the PhD was more important than Canadian PR. So, I took my fully funded PhD offer and came to Canada and then applied for PR once I was in canada. I got PR by the end of my first year in PhD. Although as a PhD candidate at one of the better universities in Canada, the benefits I received were not too much lower than for a PR. If you have a family, you become eligible for child benefit and other benefits after a period of 18 months etc. The only difference is you have to pay health insurance. So, in terms of benefits there are some differences, but not too much.

To me, the more important question is, what kind of career do you want? As you know (and you mention) once you leave academia, it is much harder to come back.
Click to expand...
Wow, you must've been amazing that you got a fully-funded PhD. Unless that's common in your field?
 
A

AstronomyNut

Hero Member
Jan 24, 2018
507
108
smash1984 said:
I was actually in the same shoes as you. Although you should make an assessment of what is more important to you.

For me, the PhD was more important than Canadian PR. So, I took my fully funded PhD offer and came to Canada and then applied for PR once I was in canada. I got PR by the end of my first year in PhD. Although as a PhD candidate at one of the better universities in Canada, the benefits I received were not too much lower than for a PR. If you have a family, you become eligible for child benefit and other benefits after a period of 18 months etc. The only difference is you have to pay health insurance. So, in terms of benefits there are some differences, but not too much.

To me, the more important question is, what kind of career do you want? As you know (and you mention) once you leave academia, it is much harder to come back.
Click to expand...
Oh I see, I'm also from Pakistan. Just some background: I came here with the intent to do research. I got into a brand-new lab and have been fully funded through my MASc. The advisor wants to retain me and I think it might be a way forward as well. On paper, I have approximately CAD 45k of funding but that is likely to increase as my advisor has suggested so. This will cover my tuition and living. So I am in a good spot there.

Though I'm old, I still want to see if academic takes me anywhere, maybe a TT job. I have been fairly successful so far in my MASc and I hope to continue with the same zeal. So this is definitely important for me but going back is also not an option in my case and PR is also important.

Do you also feel ~470 is a competitive score still?
 
smash1984

smash1984

Champion Member
Oct 7, 2018
2,084
850
AstronomyNut said:
Oh I see, I'm also from Pakistan. Just some background: I came here with the intent to do research. I got into a brand-new lab and have been fully funded through my MASc. The advisor wants to retain me and I think it might be a way forward as well. On paper, I have approximately CAD 45k of funding but that is likely to increase as my advisor has suggested so. This will cover my tuition and living. So I am in a good spot there.

Though I'm old, I still want to see if academic takes me anywhere, maybe a TT job. I have been fairly successful so far in my MASc and I hope to continue with the same zeal. So this is definitely important for me but going back is also not an option in my case and PR is also important.

Do you also feel ~470 is a competitive score still?
Click to expand...
What is MASc? You mean MSc? Yes, 45k is good funding. Are you alone or with family?

I am also fairly old, I started my PhD at the age of 34.

I think 470 is a competitive score although for the first couple of draws when FSW opens it might be slightly higher but i expect it to settle back at pre pandemic levels i.e. around 470. Although if you are around 470 and are close to losing points for age, then the score might not remain competitive.
 
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