15 Must-Have Tools for International Students in Canada

by Fazreen Razeek

Canada is a top study abroad destination for international students. The North American country is recognized for its top-notch quality of education. It is home to internationally acclaimed universities, including the University of Toronto, the University of Alberta, and the University of British Columbia.

Although studying abroad is an exciting opportunity, it is also common for students to feel overwhelmed. It can be challenging to simultaneously sort out your student visa documents while finding housing accommodations, selecting your classes, and learning how to pay for your education in Canada.

For this reason, we have prepared a list of must-have tools for international students. The suggestions listed below can help you manage your workload and adjust to your new environment quickly. Then, you will simply have to focus on your studies and the future that awaits you in Canada!

Plus: Bookmark These Tips!

50 Tips for International Students

Studying Tools

When you think about “learning tools,” you might picture something old-fashioned, like a textbook or a calculator. However, a learning tool can also be a free mobile app that reinforces your communication skills, encourages you to study successfully, or helps you find correct answers while you are completing coursework.

If English is not your first language, but you need to complete assignments in English, then these tools might be helpful in communicating your ideas to peers and teachers, as well. You can learn to strengthen your arguments and organize your thoughts. Learn to accommodate your new country’s way of teaching, which might be quite different from what you were used to at home.

These tools help students work through concepts while encouraging them to demonstrate their thinking, decision-making, and planning abilities.

Some learning and studying tools include:

Skillshare: This app connects you with individual classes that can elevate your skills in just about any subject. In particular, it can help you hone your creative abilities and enhance your presentation skills. Design skills can help you demonstrate your thought process if you feel limited by your English. Each lesson is accompanied by a small assignment that lets you test what you have learned through practical application. Skillshare is an excellent platform for building your talent in areas like animation, photography, graphic design, and more.
GoConqr: Everyone has a unique learning style—and your grades are certain to improve if you can identify the one that matches you best. GoConqr helps you figure out what works for you by creating your own learning resources such as slides, quizzes, flashcards, notes, and more. Additionally, this app lets you practice working with others and communicating ideas.
Brilliant: But what happens if your professor’s teaching style does not match your learning style? You might need to discover ways to study the lessons yourself. Brilliant is a tool that helps students learn mathematical and scientific concepts through application rather than memorization. A comprehensive understanding is the first step to expressing your intelligence to others.
Wolfram|Alpha: Sometimes you simply need to come up with the correct answer, quickly. Using a large database of algorithms and computational intelligence, this tool can help you solve equations in fields ranging from engineering to math.

Productivity Tools

All college students run into trouble with organization and scheduling; sometimes, there is so much going on in the classroom, at work, and in your social life that it is hard to fit everything in. It might be okay if something falls through the cracks in your social life, but you do not want a busy schedule to hurt your GPA. Thankfully, there are plenty of technological solutions to help you avoid that.

When it comes to managing your workload, Asana offers several advantages. This project management tool is perfect for managing your own work, as well as group projects. Plus, this is a tool that many of your future employers might use—giving you an advantage when you enter the workforce. Asana lets you assign tasks to yourself or others, track progress through a set of steps, and meet deadlines (with notifications about when to get started and when something is due).

Another option is Google Drive. This is a widely used co-working tool that is available online and offline. The cool thing about keeping documents and projects live online, though, is that multiple users can access the same project and make changes together. Within Google Drive, you will find many tools you might recognize from offline business platforms like Microsoft Suite (including slides, spreadsheets, and blank documents). Many university programs require students to participate in group presentations, essays, collaborative research, and so on. With Google Drive’s simple sharing options and distinct editing tools, you will have a way to successfully collaborate on group projects and track contributions.

As a bonus, think outside of the box…

Productivity tools can help students to meet their deadlines more effectively. But there are many ways to think about productivity. For example, Google Maps is an important tool for productivity because it can store addresses and help you locate the places you need to be, with efficient directions updated in real-time. But you are probably thinking about something that sends you reminders to do your homework! So first, you should identify the areas where you need the most help.

Writing Tools

Writing tools allow students to record, organize, and file important information. This will come in handy for taking notes during class, and it will also help you turn those notes into impressive essays.

One very popular writing tool is Evernote. This is a useful note-taking tool that helps students record, organize, file, and share lecture notes. Another option is Grammarly, a tool that ensures your writing is polished and there are no grammar or spelling mistakes. This can be a big help for international students! The best part is that you can either use it as a browser extension or add it to Microsoft Word.

Career Tools

When you are in college, you will spend a lot of time thinking about your future career. There are countless websites that connect students with career-related resources and guidance.

But the most prominent of them all is LinkedIn. It is never too early to set-up a LinkedIn account; in fact, you should definitely join this career-search platform before you are actively looking for a job. That will give you time to engage socially with others in your field of interest. You can begin to grow your network.

LinkedIn not only allows you to connect with industry professionals, it also lets you follow specific businesses (for example, if you want to track job openings and important company-wide developments).

This platform also lets you upload your résumé and advertise your specific skills. This tool is widely used by job recruiters, so make sure that you complete your profile thoroughly and honestly. Then, be sure to update your account regularly with any new classes you have taken or the experience you have gained.

Safety Tools

Safety is paramount when you are getting settled in a new country. The good news is that there are tons of apps that promote personal safety and well-being.

Circle of Six is an app that helps students to stay connected with their friends and family by way of GPS. Users get to choose six contacts to include in their “circle”—and these will be the people who can quickly find, call, or text you if needed. Not only can you immediately geo-locate your contacts in the event of an emergency, the app also lets you send an instant call for help with just the touch of a button. Similar location-based student safety apps include React Mobile (which links to a portable “panic button”) and bSafe, an app that includes sirens, check-in timers, and several ways of sending an SOS.

Scholarship Tools

Obviously, one of the most important parts of studying abroad in North America is figuring out how you will pay for everything. That not only includes your travel, but also tuition, textbooks, meal plans, housing, and more! Thankfully, there are many places to look for loans and scholarships that were created with immigrants and international students in mind.

Start by learning what opportunities might be available to with the WES Scholarship Finder. This scholarship tool provides a list of potential funding options based on your prior education and country of origin. You can also broaden your chances by exploring all potential financial aid avenues. For example, you may also want to download the newly published e-guide about Financial Aid at Canadian Colleges and Universities.

There are many reasons that you might have difficulty adapting as an international student in Canada. But thanks to an impressive array of apps, websites, and computer programs, you will have access to all of the essential tools that you could possibly need to succeed.

The 15 must-have tools listed here are just a few recommendations; however, companies are constantly developing new technology that would be useful for college students. With a little experimentation, you will be able to choose the tools that work best for you. Remember, there is something to complement everyone’s unique learning style.

Source: WES.org

Episodio 05- Viviendo en Canada-Entrevista con Monica Perdomo

How to Use Your Credential Evaluation for Employment, Education, and Professional Licensure

by WES Global Talent Bridge

A credential evaluation can help you gain access to educational and employment opportunities in the United States and Canada.

The benefits of a credential evaluation report include:

Receive recognition for your previous studies.
Meet requirements for university admissions.
Transfer earned credits from your school to a new college or university in North America.
Obtain professional licensing and employment.

These reports help employers, licensing boards, and admissions officers to understand your academic accomplishments. They also verify the authenticity of your credentials.

Most importantly, the value of a credential evaluation remains strong throughout your lifetime. There are many long-term benefits to acquiring a credential evaluation, even after you have successfully immigrated to the U.S. or Canada.

There is not one universal provider of credential evaluations. Some institutions perform their own, but most organizations—and nearly all employers—rely on agencies like WES.

Before you apply for a credential evaluation, learn the specific requirements of your school, licensing board, or employer. Next, ask if there is a particular service provider they prefer.

Because World Education Services is a nonprofit organization that has been trusted throughout North America for over 40 years, many organizations prefer for applicants to use WES.

Continue reading for a list of the specific steps you must take if you would like to have your credentials evaluated for education, employment, or professional licensure.

Education

WES is able to send your credential evaluation directly to an academic institution. This will supplement your application and help you enroll in your chosen program.

Your credential evaluation will give the admissions officer an accurate view of your educational accomplishments. It will help them make an appropriate decision about your candidacy for admission, how many transfer credits they can accept, and whether they should reach out to you for further materials or perform other kinds of additional assessment.

Employment

A credential evaluation can be a good marketing tool for employment. It helps employers understand the equivalency of your education to ensure that you are qualified for the position. For example, some employers may require that a candidate have a bachelor’s degree to be eligible for the position. Through the equivalency statement on your résumé, you can assure the hiring manager that you are qualified for the role. Without that, the employer may have thrown your résumé into the “no” pile very quickly.

Mention that your credentials have been evaluated and authenticated in the education section of your résumé. List all of the credentials that were validated along with their U.S. or Canadian academic equivalencies. You can find the equivalency statement on your evaluation report; it maybe something similar to: “Evaluated by World Education Services (WES), as equivalent to a four-year Canadian bachelor’s degree.”

You can also bring your credential evaluation report to any interviews to provide the employer with proof of your academic accomplishments.

Professional Licensure

Before you begin with an evaluation for the purpose of professional licensure, consult the licensing board. Ask what type of evaluation report they need and if there is a particular provider that they use. Some licensing boards conduct evaluations in-house; others may specify which organization you must go to for an evaluation.

Source: WES

Top 10 companies in Canada in 2020

by Sahra Togone

LinkedIn is a leading social networking platform that can connect you to nearly half a billion professionals around the world. It is a powerful online tool that helps you explore new contacts and careers, and is an easy way to stay up to date with your current network. Many of us are used to communicating with our friends, family members, and colleagues through social media accounts such as Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp, but what about LinkedIn? Are there certain things we should keep in mind when using it?

Here are six important rules of etiquette to consider before clicking “send” on LinkedIn:

1. Do Not Withdraw and Resend a Connection Request

Although growing your network is one of the most straightforward and important purposes of LinkedIn, you have to do it in a way that is considerate and strategic. Networking on LinkedIn is not just about how many connections you have. You should not focus on reaching the “500+” connections mark as quickly as possible. Try to view your connections as individuals who have their own career, time, interests, and goals.

If you do not hear anything back after your first connection request, give them time. Do not withdraw and resend your requests, thinking that it might help. In fact, it might do the opposite and could even get you blocked by that potential contact. LinkedIn has a built-in feature that sends a follow-up email to the individual reminding them that you have sent a request and are waiting for a reply.

2. Take Time to Write a Thoughtful Message

More often than not, you will be sending an invitation request to someone who does not have prior experience interacting with you. You might have heard them speak at a panel, read an article of theirs on WES Advisor, or attended one of their webinars. You want to connect with this individual because you found their work interesting or relevant to your career development.

In these instances, your chances of getting a positive response increase if you take the time to compose a brief, personal message. Instead of copying and pasting a paragraph of your biography, try mentioning where you learned about their work. Talk about how it was of interest to you, and why and how you hope to benefit from this connection. Ask a couple of questions if it is relevant to the topic. Above all, keep it short and simple.

3. Avoid Sharing Too Much Information

On the other hand, do not make the mistake of making your connection request too personal. LinkedIn is a professional networking tool and if you are sending a connection request to someone who does not know you, think about how strange or awkward it would be for that person to read about your personal story and career struggles right from the beginning.

Do not request to have a call with the person immediately or ask for personal details even after they accept your connection request. Depending on the level of connection you have with the person, this can be viewed as inappropriate. Instead, start your message with an introduction and use a tone that suggests you want to know more about their position, organization, industry, or a specific topic. Once you have established a proper and professional conversation, you can politely ask if they have time to chat over the phone or in person.

4. Be Professional and Respectful

Avoid doing any of the following things when sending a message or sharing a post:

Comment about someone’s physical appearance
Make jokes or comments that are hateful and discriminatory
Ask personal questions about sensitive topics such as someone’s relationship status, salary, and health
Complain or argue about an organization or business
Post personal or family photos

The list above might sound obvious, but it is surprising how many people still think it is acceptable to behave inappropriately on LinkedIn.

5. Explore Other LinkedIn Features

Just like any other tool—whether it is your phone, computer, car, or printer—the benefits you get out of LinkedIn to depend on how well you use it. LinkedIn is not the ultimate solution to your career plan, so manage your expectations accordingly.

In many instances, you might be a new graduate, or a newcomer looking to connect and find leads to jobs or opportunities. When your connection request is accepted by a contact, do not expect that contact to immediately assist you in your career questions or aspirations. If a contact does not respond to your message, do not feel discouraged. Focus your energy on building a professional, up-to-date profile.

Sharing interesting articles, participating in discussions, and creating new content to assist others is a great way to build your LinkedIn profile and open opportunities to connect with a wider range of people.

6. Pay It Forward

And finally, think about how you can help others through LinkedIn. For many of us, we only use LinkedIn to connect with a person or organization who we think is interesting for our purposes, but we tend to forget that other people might want to connect with us too. Think about how you can help them through LinkedIn. Are there experiences or connections you have that could benefit someone who sent you a connection request? Remember all the ways that a LinkedIn connection helped you with your career, and then think about extending that benefit to someone else.

You may think you do not have a lot to offer on LinkedIn, but there will always be someone who will be grateful for connecting with you. It is important to value other people’s time and expertise, but do not undervalue yourself either. The network is only as strong as the people who are in it, and that includes you.

Source: WES

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Top 10 employers in Canada for 2020.

Forbes has released its list for the best places to work in Canada

By Shelby Thevenot

It is a good time to be looking for a job in Canada. With a low unemployment rate employers have to work harder to attract and retain top talent, as there are fewer available workers for each job opening.

Forbes magazine and the market research company Statista surveyed 8,000 employees to determine the best places to work in Canada. Participants were working for businesses with at least 500 employees. They ranked the top 300 employers that received the most recommendations.

Those that were listed in the top 10 hailed from major cities like Montreal, and Toronto as well as smaller cities like Ottawa and Winnipeg.

Many of the companies were a part of the technology and transportation sectors. There were also a few in other industries such as retail, utilities, and education.

And yes— they are all hiring.

10. University of Toronto

Industry: Education
Headquarters: Toronto, Ontario
Employees: 7,198

In addition to making it to the top 10 places to work in Canada, the University of Toronto was also rated the best place to study in Canada by McLean’s Magazine.

9. FedEx

Industry: Transportation and logistics
Headquarters: Mississauga, Ontario
Employees: 6,750

FedEx is a courier company that has operations across Canada. Currently, they are hiring cargo handlers, ramp handlers, and couriers.

8. Air Transat

Industry: Transportation and logistics
Headquarters: Montreal, Quebec
Employees: 5,000

Air Transat is an airline that is hiring in Quebec and Ontario. Their webpage says that Air Transat employees benefit from competitive wages, social benefits, and travel benefits.

7. Boeing

Industry: Aerospace & Defense
Headquarters: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Employees: 2,000

According to the company webpage, nearly 75 percent of airplanes in the sky today were made by Boeing. Job seekers may find opportunities in one of six career areas: business, cybersecurity, data science and analytics, engineering, information technology, and manufacturing.

6. Microsoft

Industry: IT, Internet, Software, and Services
Headquarters: Mississauga, Ontario
Employees: 2,300

The multinational computer company moved up from number nine in 2019 to the sixth spot this year In September 2020, Microsoft’s office in Mississauga will move to downtown Toronto.

5. Ubisoft

Industry: Media and Advertising
Headquarters: Montreal, Quebec
Employees: 15,985

People who play video games have almost certainly come across a Ubisoft game. The video game company with headquarters in Montreal has almost 16,000 employees and is still hiring in animation, programming, quality control and more.

4. Costco Wholesale

Industry: Retail and Wholesale
Headquarters: Ottawa, Ontario
Employees: 39,000

Costco has locations in every province in Canada and offers wholesale merchandise to customers with memberships. Career paths with Cosco are available in information technology, finance, marketing and many more.

3. Cisco Systems

Industry: IT, Internet, Software, and Services
Headquarters: Toronto, Ontario
Employees: 1,727

Cisco develops, manufactures and sells technology services and products. It is hiring in most major cities in Canada including Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, and Montreal.

2. Hydro-Québec

Industry: Utilities
Headquarters: Montreal, Quebec
Employees: 19,904

Quebec’s public utility company that powers homes throughout the province is also the second-best place to work in Canada.

1. Google

Industry: IT, Internet, Software, and Services
Headquarters: Toronto, Ontario
Employees: 2,300

The world-famous search engine was named the best place to work in Canada for the third year in a row. Canadian offices are in Toronto, Montreal, as well as Kitchener, Ontario and Edmonton, Alberta.