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Nigerian Students In Canada: How Do You Survive? - Travel (19) - Nairaland

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Re: Nigerian Students In Canada: How Do You Survive? by Saintp(m): 4:59pm On Jan 23, 2013
Hello Everyone,

I have read through this thread from the first page to the last, i must say this is one of the best threads i ve seen on this site. Kudos to Fhemmy and co for making this thread great.

I want to know if someone on a taught masters(1 year self sponsored masters) can also get the 3 years work permit given to research masters guys(2Yrs masters) after graduation? Can that person also proceed to get a PR and maybe citizenship later in life? How many years Visa will they give the person on a taught masters?

How easy is it for someone on PG studies to bring his wife to canada? Is is possible during studies or after studies in case of a taught or research masters?

Thanks for your response.
Re: Nigerian Students In Canada: How Do You Survive? by ifegy: 3:57pm On Jan 24, 2013
@SaintP,
the following is from the Canadian Govt official immigration site. You can read more at the links.

You can get a post graduation work permit that is the same as the length of the study program, up to a maximum of three years.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/study/work-postgrad.asp

If the official length of your program of study is two years or more, you MAY get a three year permit.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/study/work-postgrad-who.asp

To obtain a work permit after your graduation, please read the requirements on the website:
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/study/work-postgrad-who.asp

You can qualify to immigrate under the Canadian Experience Class if you use the post graduation work permit route. These are the conditions:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/cec/apply-who.asp

It is possible for your spouse to accompany you and obtain a work permit if you are a full time student with a study permit. Work permits for your spouse or common-law partner are valid for the same period of time as your study permit, and are open, meaning they can work for any employer.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/study/work-spouse.asp

Note that either you or your spouse can apply under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) to immigrate. If you are married or live with a common-law partner in Canada, and that person also meets the conditions , you can decide which one of you will apply under the CEC as a principal applicant. Therefore it might be beneficial to have your spouse accompany you and work while you study.

Hope this helps. You can also reach out to the High Commission in Lagos (or check their website)for the visa application process for yourself and your spouse.

There is also another thread for people looking to study in Canada:
https://www.nairaland.com/962116/travelling-canada-part3/335

1 Like

Re: Nigerian Students In Canada: How Do You Survive? by Saintp(m): 9:38am On Jan 25, 2013
@ Ifegy

Thank you very much.
Re: Nigerian Students In Canada: How Do You Survive? by olalekan46: 12:34pm On Feb 10, 2013
Dear Forum,
Please I need a response soonest !!!
I was refused a Canadian visa in 2007 & I want to apply again but claim in d Canadian form that "I have never applied before" . Is it advisable ? Or will the Canadian Embassy know that I have applied before ??
Re: Nigerian Students In Canada: How Do You Survive? by ifegy: 4:55am On Feb 11, 2013
olalekan46: Dear Forum,
Please I need a response soonest !!!
I was refused a Canadian visa in 2007 & I want to apply again but claim in d Canadian form that "I have never applied before" . Is it advisable ? Or will the Canadian Embassy know that I have applied before ??

You should be honest. In all likelihood they've got your records readily available at their fingertips.
Re: Nigerian Students In Canada: How Do You Survive? by olalekan46: 6:09pm On Feb 12, 2013
thank you for ur response and I will really appreciate if you can advise me forther. 2007 when I was denied visa, I lied about M̶̲̥̅γ̲̣̣̥ age but now, I want 2 apply with M̶̲̥̅γ̲̣̣̥ real age haveing acknolege that lies can never take one far in Life. What do u foresee their decision may most likely be ??

1 Like

Re: Nigerian Students In Canada: How Do You Survive? by Fhemmmy: 7:35pm On Feb 12, 2013
olalekan46: thank you for ur response and I will really appreciate if you can advise me forther. 2007 when I was denied visa, I lied about M̶̲̥̅γ̲̣̣̥ age but now, I want 2 apply with M̶̲̥̅γ̲̣̣̥ real age haveing acknolege that lies can never take one far in Life. What do u foresee their decision may most likely be ??

Nice to make sure you dont lie, however, you have to be real as well . . . What program are you going for and what age bracket are you?
Re: Nigerian Students In Canada: How Do You Survive? by olalekan46: 8:32am On Feb 14, 2013
Thank u so much & this is d basic Truth: am going for Masters program and am 31years. These are my mistake & Regret: I applied in 2007 as an undergraduate which I lied about My Age & not to contradict myself, I changed My age also on My WAEC result & d year I wrote d exams.
When Canadian Embassy verify My WAEC result, it was Frudulent becos of d changes in d year I wrote d exams & My Age. I stand 2 regret My action but I move forward & graduated from OAU.
Now I want to re-apply for a Masters programm & this is my concern- Telling Canadian embassy that I had applied b4 wit this reasons why I was denied; Is My formal act (2007) Pardonable ? Considering d fact that I want to apply now wit ALL neccesary document which are very authentic & subject to Verification.
Wot do u think is likely to be there decesion ??
Re: Nigerian Students In Canada: How Do You Survive? by ifegy: 4:06pm On Feb 14, 2013
olalekan46: Thank u so much & this is d basic Truth: am going for Masters program and am 31years. These are my mistake & Regret: I applied in 2007 as an undergraduate which I lied about My Age & not to contradict myself, I changed My age also on My WAEC result & d year I wrote d exams.
When Canadian Embassy verify My WAEC result, it was Frudulent becos of d changes in d year I wrote d exams & My Age. I stand 2 regret My action but I move forward & graduated from OAU.
Now I want to re-apply for a Masters programm & this is my concern- Telling Canadian embassy that I had applied b4 wit this reasons why I was denied; Is My formal act (2007) Pardonable ? Considering d fact that I want to apply now wit ALL neccesary document which are very authentic & subject to Verification.
Wot do u think is likely to be there decesion ??

Well, the best course of action is of course to be completely honest and present only genuine. verified documents. If you can explain why you did what you did in the past, that might help. But you'd be basically counting on the visa officer's discretion, and I really don't know how they would react. Bear in mind you still have to meet the hurdle of proving you have sufficient ties to your home country to return, and your prior actions may make it seem like you were really desperate to leave. In other words, you really need a very solid application. Here is information from the Canadian Government's immigration site on document fraud:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/protection/fraud/document.asp

Document Fraud (Misrepresentation)
It is a serious crime to misrepresent yourself by making false statements, or submitting false information or false documents when dealing with CIC.

Document fraud includes both false and altered documents, such as:

•passports and travel documents
•visas
•diplomas, degrees and apprenticeship or trade papers
•birth, marriage, final divorce, annulment, separation or death certificates
•police certificates
Lying on an application or in an interview with a CIC officer is also fraud and a crime.

The Government of Canada has officers in Canada and overseas who are highly trained to detect fraud.

If you submit false documents or information, your application will be refused. You will also face serious consequences. Depending on the situation, these may include:

•no entry into Canada for at least two years
•a permanent record of fraud in CIC’s database
•having your permanent resident status or Canadian citizenship revoked
•being charged with a crime or
•removal from Canada
Re: Nigerian Students In Canada: How Do You Survive? by olalekan46: 8:22am On Feb 15, 2013
God bless u, u have given me an indept knowlegde which I really appreciate. If I had known this forum 7years ago,I would not have being mislead by wrong friends. I will give u an update as things goes and hope u will still be there for me with respect to ur sincere advise ?
Re: Nigerian Students In Canada: How Do You Survive? by ifegy: 3:23pm On Feb 15, 2013
olalekan46: God bless u, u have given me an indept knowlegde which I really appreciate. If I had known this forum 7years ago,I would not have being mislead by wrong friends. I will give u an update as things goes and hope u will still be there for me with respect to ur sincere advise ?

I wish you all the best. If you post any further questions here, I and others who frequent this thread will help if we can. Cheers.
Re: Nigerian Students In Canada: How Do You Survive? by olalekan46: 9:27pm On Feb 15, 2013
Thank you and u are d only person that has given me an advise, all the same- u gave me wot I want. Cheers smiley
Re: Nigerian Students In Canada: How Do You Survive? by shiborobo: 6:29am On Feb 19, 2013
how can I apply for a student loan in bc canada and do I have to work before I can get a loan?
Re: Nigerian Students In Canada: How Do You Survive? by shiborobo: 6:51am On Feb 19, 2013
@ifegy I still dey wait for your response on how I can get a student loan in canada?do you have any ideal on student loan in campus or off campus in any of the banks in canada?
Re: Nigerian Students In Canada: How Do You Survive? by Paschal137(m): 8:24am On Feb 19, 2013
@Shiborobo, Are you a PR or citizen of Canada?
Re: Nigerian Students In Canada: How Do You Survive? by ifegy: 4:34pm On Feb 19, 2013
shiborobo: @ifegy I still dey wait for your response on how I can get a student loan in canada?do you have any ideal on student loan in campus or off campus in any of the banks in canada?

You can't get a student loan unless you are either a permanent resident or a citizen, unfortunately.

If you go to a publicly funded college or university, you can work after 6 months, but you are very, very unlikely to be able to earn enough to cover your school fees by working as a student.

1 Like

Re: Nigerian Students In Canada: How Do You Survive? by fendorf(m): 11:10pm On Feb 19, 2013
My wife is a nurse and we want to apply under the skilled labour visa program.please how can she get a job while still in nigeria cos I read frm the site that it makes the process easier.thanks
Re: Nigerian Students In Canada: How Do You Survive? by shiborobo: 11:56pm On Feb 19, 2013
ifegy:

You can't get a student loan unless you are either a permanent resident or a citizen, unfortunately.

If you go to a publicly funded college or university, you can work after 6 months, but you are very, very unlikely to be able to earn enough to cover your school fees by working as a student.


Thanks brother....can I have another means to work in canada without my student visa?
Re: Nigerian Students In Canada: How Do You Survive? by shiborobo: 11:59pm On Feb 19, 2013
Paschal137: @Shiborobo, Are you a PR or citizen of Canada?

I have not been to canada but soon by GOD's grace my applications is in queue, waiting to be processed.
Re: Nigerian Students In Canada: How Do You Survive? by shiborobo: 12:21am On Feb 20, 2013
naijasexy: As an international student here in Canada, one is not eligible to work outside campus for the first six months. To gain eligibility, you must spend a minimum of 6 months as a FULL-TIME student and with a minimum GPA of 2.0 (during those six months) then you can apply for your OCWP (Off campus work permit). This takes about a month to process and processing time for online applications are always faster. Upon procurement of your OCWP, you can then apply for a social insurance number (takes only about 5 minutes). This number ensures that taxes are duly deducted. With this, you can find employment off campus.

Note that if for any reason your GPA drops below 2.0 after procurement of your OCWP, your working privileges would be withdrawn by the Canadian government and they might even ask you to mail your OCWP back to them until you are able to raise your GPA.

If however, you come as a landed immigrant, you dont need to wait six months. just get your SIN and find employment.
As for getting jobs, McDonalds is literally always hiring. So is Tim Hortons. Whatever job you get be it serving coffee or flipping burgers, be sure to accept if you must survive as living cost is relatively high.
If you dont get a job off campus, there are numerous job opportunities on campus. You could work in your school cafeteria, at the library. All you need do is ask questions and look out for fliers. You should be fine.

Accommodation: I would suggest that in your first year, you live in residence (on campus). Living off-campus right from the first year is not advisable because you have to give yourself time to acclimatize to the new environment of your school. Typically, general information gets to those who live on campus first before those who dont and one thing you always wanna ensure is that you are in the know all the time. It is only after first year you can confidently move out of residence if you want to and get cheap accommodation outside.
Try to make friends with people (Nigerians and other nationalities) during your first year so that you can at least find someone to co-rent an apartment then you can split your bills equally and save some money. The average cost of a 2 bedroom apartment is $700. You pay half of that if you split.

That said, try to find an apartment where all the utilities (light, electricity and internet) come in the bill. You dont wanna be paying $350 for rent and pay an extra $60 for utilities.

To call home at cheap rates, always use a calling card. NEVER try dialing an international number directly on your mobile. That is so expensive.

Woww there's nothing to ask again you have said it all...one more question can I have another means to work in canada without my student visa?

1 Like

Re: Nigerian Students In Canada: How Do You Survive? by fendorf(m): 12:26am On Feb 20, 2013
fendorf: My wife is a nurse and we want to apply under the skilled labour visa program.please how can she get a job while still in nigeria cos I read frm the site that it makes the process easier.thanks
Re: Nigerian Students In Canada: How Do You Survive? by shiborobo: 12:39am On Feb 20, 2013
shiborobo:

Thanks brother....can I have another means to work in canada without my student visa?

@ifegy.....a friend told me he's brother travel to canada on a student visa and he applied for a srudent loan off campus in one of there banks there and a loan of 5kcad was given to him not in cash but with credit card and he said he can get more up to 20k......how about that?
Re: Nigerian Students In Canada: How Do You Survive? by ifegy: 3:23am On Feb 20, 2013
shiborobo:

@ifegy.....a friend told me he's brother travel to canada on a student visa and he applied for a srudent loan off campus in one of there banks there and a loan of 5kcad was given to him not in cash but with credit card and he said he can get more up to 20k......how about that?

Well, I can't speak for him unless I know the exact details of his experience. If there was a credit card involved, then what I can say is that banks do offer students, including international students, credit cards. A credit card will typically have a dollar limit up to which you can borrow, although I have to say that a 5K limit for a credit card for an international student with no credit history in Canada sounds very high. As well, increasing the credit limit on a credit card typically requires that you convince the credit card company you have good reason, such as increased income, for requesting that increase. However, assuming the figures quoted are correct, bear in mind that credit card debt is VERY high interest (typically 20% or higher), and unless you pay off the entire balance on the card every month, you will end up owing some serious money. And if you don't make regular payments, or fail to make payments, your credit history and rating will be negatively impacted. This could impact job applications, future loan applications (eg a mortgage, car loan), etc.
All in all, credit card debt is not recommended.
Re: Nigerian Students In Canada: How Do You Survive? by ifegy: 3:26am On Feb 20, 2013
shiborobo:

Woww there's nothing to ask again you have said it all...one more question can I have another means to work in canada without my student visa?

You will need to have work authorization of some sort to be able to work in Canada.

If you're thinking of working without authorization, please think again. You could lose your student status and be deported, not to talk of getting ripped off by people who take advantage of you, because they can.

1 Like

Re: Nigerian Students In Canada: How Do You Survive? by ifegy: 3:32am On Feb 20, 2013
fendorf: My wife is a nurse and we want to apply under the skilled labour visa program.please how can she get a job while still in nigeria cos I read frm the site that it makes the process easier.thanks

To be honest, it won't be easy to apply from outside the country. Bear in mind that she will be competing against people who are here, and have the same skills, and went to schools that are familiar to the recruiters, and don't have to be sponsored by the employer.
Having said that, you could do some searching on the internet as to whether there are health industry focused recruiters who look for health professionals based outside Canada and help them get recruited. You just have to remember there's quite a few people who look to take advantage of job seekers that way (eg asking you to pay them money in order to get hired).
Another thing to consider is that your wife could look into what she will need to do (eg take certain professional exams, etc) in order to be qualified to work in Canada as a foreign graduate. You can look into the information on foreign credentials evaluation on the government of Canada immigration website:
http://www.credentials.gc.ca/

1 Like

Re: Nigerian Students In Canada: How Do You Survive? by shiborobo: 3:24pm On Feb 20, 2013
ifegy:

Well, I can't speak for him unless I know the exact details of his experience. If there was a credit card involved, then what I can say is that banks do offer students, including international students, credit cards. A credit card will typically have a dollar limit up to which you can borrow, although I have to say that a 5K limit for a credit card for an international student with no credit history in Canada sounds very high. As well, increasing the credit limit on a credit card typically requires that you convince the credit card company you have good reason, such as increased income, for requesting that increase. However, assuming the figures quoted are correct, bear in mind that credit card debt is VERY high interest (typically 20% or higher), and unless you pay off the entire balance on the card every month, you will end up owing some serious money. And if you don't make regular payments, or fail to make payments, your credit history and rating will be negatively impacted. This could impact job applications, future loan applications (eg a mortgage, car loan), etc.
All in all, credit card debt is not recommended.

@ifegy.....thanks a lot for your advice you are more than a million
Re: Nigerian Students In Canada: How Do You Survive? by bumdish: 12:53am On Feb 25, 2013
@ifegy
Respect your opinions. Backed with facts and figures
Re: Nigerian Students In Canada: How Do You Survive? by jimmyjerry07(m): 1:16am On Feb 26, 2013
Please can anyone give me a list of 3 skools in Canada where I can do Msc with CGPA 3.2 that will not require GRE or TOEFL. Thanx
Re: Nigerian Students In Canada: How Do You Survive? by Aduke02(f): 1:46pm On Feb 27, 2013
naijasexy: As an international student here in Canada, one is not eligible to work outside campus for the first six months. To gain eligibility, you must spend a minimum of 6 months as a FULL-TIME student and with a minimum GPA of 2.0 (during those six months) then you can apply for your OCWP (Off campus work permit). This takes about a month to process and processing time for online applications are always faster. Upon procurement of your OCWP, you can then apply for a social insurance number (takes only about 5 minutes). This number ensures that taxes are duly deducted. With this, you can find employment off campus.

Note that if for any reason your GPA drops below 2.0 after procurement of your OCWP, your working privileges would be withdrawn by the Canadian government and they might even ask you to mail your OCWP back to them until you are able to raise your GPA.

If however, you come as a landed immigrant, you dont need to wait six months. just get your SIN and find employment.
As for getting jobs, McDonalds is literally always hiring. So is Tim Hortons. Whatever job you get be it serving coffee or flipping burgers, be sure to accept if you must survive as living cost is relatively high.
If you dont get a job off campus, there are numerous job opportunities on campus. You could work in your school cafeteria, at the library. All you need do is ask questions and look out for fliers. You should be fine.

Does this apply to PG students also?

Accommodation: I would suggest that in your first year, you live in residence (on campus). Living off-campus right from the first year is not advisable because you have to give yourself time to acclimatize to the new environment of your school. Typically, general information gets to those who live on campus first before those who dont and one thing you always wanna ensure is that you are in the know all the time. It is only after first year you can confidently move out of residence if you want to and get cheap accommodation outside.
Try to make friends with people (Nigerians and other nationalities) during your first year so that you can at least find someone to co-rent an apartment then you can split your bills equally and save some money. The average cost of a 2 bedroom apartment is $700. You pay half of that if you split.

That said, try to find an apartment where all the utilities (light, electricity and internet) come in the bill. You dont wanna be paying $350 for rent and pay an extra $60 for utilities.

To call home at cheap rates, always use a calling card. NEVER try dialing an international number directly on your mobile. That is so expensive.
Re: Nigerian Students In Canada: How Do You Survive? by oreroyce(m): 7:50pm On Mar 10, 2013
Any student of University of Regina here..just got offered admission there and still need help on somethings and what to expect on getting there...
Re: Nigerian Students In Canada: How Do You Survive? by Nobody: 4:38pm On Mar 11, 2013
Pls house. Like how much must be in one's sponsors acc to be eligible to apply for a college in canada with N2million tuition fee? Tanx. Anticipating a swift response.

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