Canada Student Partners Program SPP Continues to Attract Indian Students

Image via Wikipedia

(OPENPRESS) July 8, 2011 -- Until April 2009, there was a big concern among Canadian colleges and universities of not getting students from India as most of the visas were being rejected by the Canadian High Commission, New Delhi. The Student Partners Program (SPP) commonly termed as Students Partnership Program by the students and study abroad consultants in India was implemented in partnership between the Canadian High Commission and the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC) and is attracting a good number of students from all over India and is fast emerging as a preferred destination for higher education for overseas students not only from India but from the entire globe.

The number of Indian students enrolled in Canadian universities and educational institutions has steadily grown from 3,000 in 2008 to 18,500 in 2010, according to the Canadian High Commissioner, Stewart G Beck. Primarily, Indian students used to choose places like Vancouver in Canada because of its favourable nature, mild climate and the Indian community stronghold. But, now Indian students are breaking grounds and heading to colleges in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and other cold provinces. Also, Canada’s progressive immigration policies and employment opportunities is turning it into a favourable destination choice for Indian students. Canadian universities offer diverse programmes that range from Commerce to Astronomy, Biology to Fine Art, Media Studies to Theology. Currently, universities and educational institutions in Canada offer more than a 1000 undergraduate and graduate programmes.

The students are cautioned to submit applications on time by 01 August for September intake and by 01 December for January intake while applying under SPP (Student Partners Program). It needs to be noted that SPP students apply to the participating college rather than the program.

To elaborate, SPP was started as a pilot project with plans to test a model for expediting the student visa process and delivering higher approval rates while maintaining program integrity. All Study Permit application checklists have been revised and improved as a result of the SPP framework to help students make simpler applications and Canadian High Commission informed decisions.

Tejal Laul, Director of Kampus Landing a leading overseas education consultant from Gujarat says, “There is a northward trend on the number of Indian students showing interest in studying in Canada. SPP requires students to have IELTS scores only. TOEFL is not valid for filing student visa under SPP though the students are eligible to file under general category. Strangely, even the Canadian colleges and universities prefer IELTS and students with TOEFL score find very few choices. We have experienced almost 100% success rate with IELTS but somehow students filing under general category with TOEFL scores have been scrutinized closely by Canadian High Commission and even the brightest of the students have faced rejection. You are strongly advised to file under Student Partners Program and avoid filing with TOEFL scores under general category.”

Further, Tejal Laul says, “The quality of education is very good in all community colleges and one should not rush just to Toronto or Vancouver, there’s a lot of advantages studying at provinces in Quebec and Manitoba. The students’ Canada PR application is fast tracked if filed under Provincial Nominee Program. Colleges offer unique “co-operative education programmes” that allow students to work while studying. Apart from regular courses such as a Bachelor’s in Business Administration (Accounting/ Financial services) and Bachelor’s in Sciences, a few even offer new-age courses — Animal Health Technology, Geology, Financial Services Management, Office Administration Certificates, Basic Musicianship, Intercultural and International Studies, Professional Writing, Stagecraft, Performing and Fine Arts, Associate of Arts degree — to name a few. Students studying under government-funded institutions can get up to a three-year work permit, leading to permanent residency. Finance, banking and investment are the emerging fields in Canada and present a promising future in the country. Jobs in Computer Science offer good pay and there is ample job opportunity for talented and skilled professionals. Aerospace, Urban Transport, Microelectronics, Advanced Software, Hydroelectric and Nuclear Power, Lasers and Opto-electronics, Biotechnology, Food and Beverage Processing, Geomatics, Ocean and Environmental Industries are other lucrative courses on offer. Typically, most universities offer four-year undergraduate programmes. The degree awarded is general or specialised. An Honours (bacca-laureate) programme may be harder as more courses have to be completed in the same period of time, compared to a regular Bachelor’s programme in the same discipline. Community colleges and technical institutes in Canada offer programmes that enable students to get a job by meeting the needs of employers or industry.”

Regarding mature students applying under SPP, Tejal Laul says, “Canada welcomes mature students’ applications, one can file at the age of 35 but should have a genuine reason to study at this age in Canada. If the mature student is not able to provide ample of evidence, the application is more likely to be rejected. We have had several applications between 30 and 35 which have successfully received Canada student visas under SPP and are presently studying in Canada.”

On the question on ethics of study abroad consultants in India, Tejal Laul says, “The study abroad consulting industry in India is not regulated like China and UAE where study abroad consultant needs a license by the Ministry of Education to operate. The Indian Government needs to regulate the study abroad consulting industry and save hundreds from being duped by unscrupulous agents.”

She adds, “After successfully experimenting SPP in India, Canadian government has initiated the Student Partners program SPP in China. There are already 50,000 students from China studying in Canada and the number is expected to grow tremendously.”

###
Professional Free Press Release News Wire

Related articles

• Surge in Number of Indian Students Heading to Canadian Colleges (nytimes.com)
• Top 10 colleges in Canada (canadastudyvisaconsultant.wordpress.com)

New immigrants Canada needs are already here

Like many developed nations, Canada is counting on immigration to help mitigate the impacts of an aging population. The global competition for skilled workers is intense as each nation markets itself as the ideal destination for immigrants to relocate. But even if Canada wins that contest and persuades candidates with the right qualifications to fill labour shortages to come here, there's no guarantee they will be able to successfully adjust to life in Canada.

But what if they have already shown that they can?

In Tuesday's editorial, we said some of the people we're looking for are already here. There are about 90,000 international students attending Canadian universities, taking advanced courses in the subject areas crucial to Canada's economic growth and prosperity.

They have already adopted the Canadian lifestyle, have mastered English or French, and have become familiar with Canada's cultural norms. In 2009, there were 49,905 students from China on study permits in Canada, as well as 25,871 from South Korea and 9,570 from India.

In British Columbia alone, there are 25,000 international students attending public post-secondary institutions, accounting for about six per cent of total enrolment. Add those attending private institutions and those studying English as a second language and the number rises to 140,000.

Not only do these students represent a potential pool of human capital, but they contribute to the economy as they learn. In B.C., international education provides an estimated $1.6 billion to gross domestic product and sustains 21,000 jobs.

Unlike Canadian students, international students receive no subsidies and pay the full retail price for their education.

In fact, many foreign governments pay their students to study here. Indeed, international students are helping Canadian universities balance their budgets.

Dalhousie University in Halifax, for example, recently announced that it would sell 10 vacant first-year places at its medical school to students from Saudi Arabia for $75,000 annually. The Saudi students are expected to return home; however, Canada could make a compelling case for them to stay by offering hospital residencies and a fast track to citizenship.

The benefit to Canada of keeping the foreign doctors, engineers, lawyers, scientists, economists and entrepreneurs emerging from Canadian universities can hardly be overstated. Gone are the issues of recognizing foreign credentials, language barriers and cultural differences. Moreover, either the students or the governments of their countries of origin, rather than Canadian taxpayers, have financed their training.

The federal government has taken some baby steps in the right direction by making it easier for international graduates to obtain a threeyear work permit on completion of their program, allowing them to work for any Canadian employer in any industry, without a requirement that they have a job at the time of their application.

The government could take it one step further and invite applications for permanent residence, leading to citizenship. The federal and provincial governments should also ensure that universities have sufficient capacity to accept as many international students as are willing to come, while ensuring domestic enrolment is not compromised.

Studies have shown that younger, educated immigrants will not face the impediments that have prevented older skilled immigrants from achieving success in Canada, but will be able to integrate well into Canadian society and go on to make a comfortable living.

Canada must continue to recruit students from around the world, as other nations do, and market our educational institutions just as aggressively as our traditional exports.

But recruitment is expensive and the return on investment will be greater if we can convince international students already studying here that Canada could be, and should be, their permanent home.

© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/life/immigrants+Canada+needs+already+here/5056666/story.html#ixzz1RUSn5kME

Immigration consultants, lawyers, and other representatives: Who can represent you

Authorized immigration consultants, lawyers, Québec notaries, and paralegals regulated by a law society are people who can offer immigration advice to applicants. Some applicants may choose to use such a representative to act on their behalf with Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), the Immigration and Refugee Board or the Canada Border Services Agency.

There are two types of immigration representatives: paid and unpaid.

Paid immigration representatives

Only the following people may charge a fee or receive any other type of consideration, to represent or advise you in connection with a Canadian immigration proceeding or application:

• lawyers and paralegals who are members in good standing of a Canadian provincial or territorial law society
• Notaries who are members in good standing of the Chambre des notaires du Québec, and
• Immigration consultants who are members in good standing of the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council

The Government of Canada will not deal with non-authorized immigration representatives who charge for their services.

NEW: Other people who offer paid immigration advice

With the coming into force of Bill C-35, anyone who provides paid advice prior to the filing of an application or the commencement of a proceeding will need to be an authorized representative. This means that some third parties who were not formerly required to be recognized to provide paid advice will now have to refer people to an authorized representative or become authorized themselves. Some examples of paid advice or representation that will now be captured through the implementation of Bill C-35 include:

• representing the applicant during an immigration proceeding by speaking on their behalf.
• providing guidance to a client on how to select the best immigration stream and complete the appropriate forms.

Unpaid immigration third parties

Unpaid third parties, such as family members, friends, non-governmental or religious organizations will still be allowed to act on your behalf.

To protect your privacy, CIC will not share any of your personal information with your consultant, lawyer, and other representative unless you provide your written consent using the Use of a Representative (IMM 5476)form.

Other people who offer immigration advice or assistance

People who provide immigration-related advice or assistance for a fee before the application is filed are not obliged to be authorized consultants. However, be aware that non-authorized consultants, lawyers, and other representatives or advisors are not regulated. This means that they may not have adequate knowledge or training. It also means that you cannot seek help from the professional bodies (that is, the law societies, ICCRC, etc.) if that person provides you with the wrong advice or behaves in an unprofessional way.

THE SEVEN TOP TIPS FOR GETTING HIRED LONG DISTANCE

Source: MuchmorCanada

By now you’ve read every bit of advice that explains how to make yourself more attractive to employers. You know to clean up your online profiles, update your résumé, practice your interview answers, and network. But what if you’re looking for a job in a different time zone?

Long-distance job hunts bring with them a special set of requirements that can seem daunting at first, but aren’t all that much worse than a regular job search. With a little planning, you can conduct a long-distance job search that will land you a job in any city you want.

Choose locations

Hunting for a job in a single city is difficult. Hunting for one in all 50 states is virtually impossible. Rather than approach your job search as a nationwide Easter egg hunt, decide what cities you want to focus on. Although you might be open to any location that will offer you a job, you should make a list of five or 10 cities where you can see yourself working. For example if you hate to drive and love cold winters, then you should probably cross Los Angeles off of your list.

Know the job market

When you’re looking at potential locations for your job search, do some research on the local economy. Not all cities offer the same opportunities. Although you know that local unemployment rates differ from city to city, remember that industry vitality is just as diverse. One city might have a low unemployment rate, but your industry isn’t necessarily enjoying the same boom. Look at data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and peruse newspapers for localized information.

Use your network

The glory of social media is that networks aren’t confined by geography anymore. Look at your Facebook friends and you probably know people in dozens of states, if not countries. Use your contacts from all of your social media profiles to publicize your job search and ask for any information that could guide you toward the right opportunity. When it comes to job hunting, you can’t ever have too many people looking for jobs on your behalf.

Brush up on your phone skills

Phone interviews typically come before any in-person interview, but the likelihood of them increases greatly when you’re searching long distance. In most cases, employers won’t expect you to fly out for a first-round interview, so a phone interview is most common, and you shouldn’t take it lightly. Practice speaking at a calm pace, be certain your phone signal is strong and do a few dry runs with a friend.

Perhaps most importantly, job seekers are often afraid to appear impolite when interviewers call and say, “Sure, I can talk right now.” If you are caught off guard or if you are in the middle of feeding your children and doing laundry, you can be honest. Even if you ask for 15 minutes to go to a quieter room, you want to create the best setting for your interview.

Decide if you’ll travel for an interview

Sometimes you’ll get to a second or third round of interviews when the employer wants to meet you in person. Sometimes the company pays for travel, but other times they don’t. Set a few ground rules for yourself in order to determine what opportunities you consider worth your time and money. Also, if asked to travel, find out as much information as possible about so that you can make the arrangements that work best for you. See what dates are available (so you can book the most affordable flight) and how long the process takes (so you know if you can fly home that day and save hotel fare). You want to know as much as possible beforehand so you can make the most informed decision possible.

Travel

Relocating for a job is a big move that can pay off for your career, but it can also require sacrifices. Leaving behind your friends, paying for the move, and spending the time on the move itself all require a lot of energy. You want to be certain the city you’re moving to is worth it, so if you haven’t visited in a while or ever, find a way to visit before you move. Not only will you find out if the culture is right for you, but you will also get a better idea of the layout. You could realize that you should extend your job search to nearby suburbs or towns, which can open up a new set of possibilities.

Know your own relocation plan

The most important part of your long-distance job search is having a flexible game plan. Without a job offer, you might not have a definitive move date, but you should have an idea of what is possible in case you get an offer. Employers know you’re not a local candidate, so they will want to know how soon you can start and when you plan to be in the city.

If you get an offer and then say you need time to put your house on the market, find a good school for your children, and decide where you want to live, you’ll probably lose out on the opportunity. Most employers understand the complexity of a long-distance job search, but they don’t have six months to wait for you, either. A flexible plan allows you and the employer to negotiate a mutually agreeable start date while also showing that you’re serious about relocating.

Writers Bio: Anthony Balderrama is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.

Related articles

• Best Way to Find a Job - Job Search Networking 101 (CPACareerCoach.com)
• Common Job Interview Questions (jobinterviews.attorneyfountainhills.com)
• How to Plan For the 3 Phases of Your Job Search (news.dice.com)
• How to Use Linkedin Effectively in Your Job Search (CPACareerCoach.com)
• Seven Reasons to Keep Searching Even Though It's Summer (news.dice.com)

Quebec growth slows, but the outlook is brightening

BY JAY BRYAN, THE GAZETTE JULY 7, 2011

 

 

Quebec's economic growth will slow this year, but it's expected to remain healthy enough to keep unemployment edging down and to lay the foundation for more robust expansion next year.

That's the latest forecast from Scotia Capital, where economist Alex Koustas sees a number of strengths that will help to soften the negative impact of tax increases, slowing consumer spending and the province's long-standing difficulty in attracting skilled immigrants.

The rising tax burden, however, is "really going to cause a bit of a drag" on growth, Koustas said yesterday. New taxes will pull $2.7 billion out of Quebecers' pockets this year in the form of health levies and increases in the provincial sales tax and gasoline tax.

All these will rise again next year, boosting the total cost to taxpayers in 2012 to $4.2 billion, according to provincial finance department estimates.

The dampening impact of these tax hikes on consumer spending, combined with a slowdown in Quebec's important U.S. export market, will leave the province with growth of just 2.3 per cent this year, the country's slowest outside Atlantic Canada.

Ontario, where the big auto-manufacturing sector is still rebounding from a disastrous slump during the recession, will do a little better than Quebec this year, growing by 2.5 per cent.

But the growth champions will be in Western Canada, where rising values for oil, potash and other resource products will help Alberta to expand by 4.2 per cent, Saskatchewan by 3.7 per cent and British Columbia by 2.9 per cent.

However, Quebec's performance still has a number of bright spots. A key one is the unemployment rate, which dipped below Ontario's in the recession year of 2009 for the first time in 30 years.

Back then, this looked as if it might be a temporary blip caused as much by the nearcollapse of Ontario's automakers as by Quebec's job creation.

on provincial economy

But the Quebec advantage has persisted, reinforced by the province's heavy spending on roads and power projects.

Unemployment in Quebec will fall to an average of 7.7 per cent this year from 8.0 per cent in 2010. This year's jobless rate will be higher than the national average of 7.5 per cent, but it remains below Ontario's forecast 8.1 per cent.

And now, a number of big Quebec industries are showing signs of strong expansion, suggesting that growth in the province will strengthen in 2012.

A key example is information technology, which accounts for more than five per cent of the provincial economy.

After hiring in this sector had stagnated during most of the past decade, it's been ramping up this year, Koustas said.

The prospects for further expansion are helped by a growing flow of venture capital, where Koustas said Quebec ranks among the top five or six destinations in North America.

Another keystone industry is aerospace manufacturing, whose turnaround is finally gaining momentum.

Orders for everything from business jets to components like flight simulators and landing gear have been rising.

This should be translated into actual shipments by late this year, bringing a positive contribution to economic growth in 2012.

Less visibly to those of us in Montreal, mining is becoming "one of the pacesetters for growth" in Quebec, said Koustas in his forecast:

"Multibillion-dollar investments are in play in the northern regions of the province, with gold and ironore mining set to make significant contributions to the economy. Mining investment and exploration have nearly doubled since 2005."

And finally, the cross-Canada cooling in home construction is being more than offset in Quebec by new projects in the industrial, mining and utility sectors, leaving the overall construction sector enjoying robust health.

Indeed, says the report, "the construction industry in Quebec finds itself in its best position since the 1970s, having grown by over 50 per cent since 2000," or faster than most of the province's other industries.

Over the longer run, though, Koustas noted that it remains "kind of worrisome" that Quebec still fails to attract many immigrants, leaving it vulnerable to stagnating growth as its workforce ages and begins drawing public pensions.

By far the largest chunk of Canada's international immigrants settle in Ontario, while in Quebec "the influx of talented workers is not exactly what you'd want it to be."

jbryan@ montrealgazette.com

© Copyright (c) The Montreal Gazette

Read more:http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/Quebec+growth+slows+outlook+brightening/5062246/story.html#ixzz1RSG4OafT