₦airaland Forum

@ Marcleo and ACCA 247 - education for International Student is essentially expensive in Canada. There isn't anywhere you go that you won't have to pay substantially. This is due in part to the differential fees that is added on top of the regular tuition fee for Canadians and permanent residents. So, the assumption is, if you're coming to study in Canada, you have a way to finance yourself. I don't think it is intended for those who cannot finance their way and I believe that explains why the visa office is often reluctant in granting some individuals that are considered financially not ready for student visa to Canada. So, the bottom line, it doesn't matter if you study in Vancouver or St. John's, you're are going to have to pay big time.

Having said that, the cheapest tuition can be found in the province of Quebec as it is highly regulated by the provincial government. The only problem of course is that you have to deal with the French Language in Quebec unless you're planning to study at Mcgill.

And speaking of Cost of living, Marcleo, I will say, welcome to Canada, that's what we all have to go through here, you work hard, and you're taxed hard for your hard earned money. But the joy of it all is that I will never trade the benefit of living in this society for any, ever! By the way, if you've lived in other provinces, you'll quickly discover that Toronto is not that bad after all. By the way, I lived in Toronto for 6 years before relocating to Nova Scotia 13 years ago and I still visit every year.

@ Cavad4real I was quite aware of what you intended but didn't want to make any assumptions. So, what are you applying for? Student Visa, Work Visa, Tourism Visa or are you trying to apply for Permanent Residency?

That will help us to stir you in the right direction.

@ Cavad4real - "Personal Statement of purpose", How can anyone know what is personal to you and what your purpose is? Looks like you've got your work cut out for you here. If it's personal, it must come from you. Why don't you write something and have people here critic it and give you suggestions and recommendations?

@ sunky644 - Be very careful, please read my post here about using a representative or agent to immigrate to Canada - https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=449482.msg7908295#msg7908295

Believe me, I am very suspicious about this Belvic people especially with respect to thier ludicrous claims about what they can do for you to immigrate to Canada. Be careful and don't lose your hard earned money to some unscrupulous individuals who are out to prey on the despiration and vulnerability of others. Again, I strongly recommend you read that thread above.

If you're so desperate and want an agent to represent you (which in all honesty you really don't need), you can check out the Canadian Society of Immigration Consultant and find someone that can represent you their. Apart from lawyers who specialises in immigration issues, these are the people that are "legally" allowed to get paid for assisting someone with their immigration process. Note the emphasis on the word "assisting" as no Immigration consultant or agent can guarantee your admissability to Canada but they can guide you, advise you and make sure that you go through the process properly without getting inundated by the seemingly intricate process. Here is the general website - https://www.csic-scci.ca/find/

Be very very careful. So, the conclusion about Belvic is if it looks too good to be through, you're probably right. And I can stick my neck out in this case to say don't even thing about it!

@ everyone, do not, and I repeat, do not allow yourself to be scammed in the name of coming to Canada. First of all, everything you need to know about immigrating to Canada is readily available on the Citizenship and Immgiration Canada website at www.cic.gc.ca

Also, it is important to know that the use of an Authorized Agent does not, and I repeat does not guarantee that your application will be successful. These so called agents do not have any influence on the final decision of Citizenship and Immigration Canada. All they are doing is making sure that you have all the correct informaion on your application to CIC, and also assist you as you put your package together. They can also advise you on the next step should your application come back unsuccessful. So, essential, these agents wether Nigerian or Canadian based are not the one to determine your admissability into Canada. Here is a direct quote from CIC websites about the use of an agent:

Immigration consultants, lawyers, and other representatives give immigration advice and help to visa applicants, usually for a fee.

You do not need to hire an immigration consultant. It is up to you. Your application will not be given special attention or guaranteed approval if you use a consultant.

All the forms and information that you need to apply for a visa are available for free on this website. If you follow the instructions in the application guide, you can complete the application forms and submit them on your own.

And you can read further on this link http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/representative/index.asp

Now having said that you are planning on using a representative, check to make sure that they are legit and if they are promising to do more than they can do (such as telling you that you will have guaranteed employment, accommodation, or telling you that you will be making X amount of money in compensation, it is certainly too good to be through).

Wages various across Canada. It all depends on where you reside each province has their own economic strategies. Minimum wage in Vancouver, British Columbi is not the same in St. John's, New Foundland, so it all depends. Again, be very very careful, don't be fooled.

A word is enough for the wise.

@ ACCA 247 - Per information obtained from AUCC, the following universities offer the program you are interested in at undergrad level. Without some research, it will be difficult to tell you offhand which one will be considered "cheap".

University of Alberta
Athabasca University,
University of Calgary
University of Lethbridge
Mount Royal University
The University of British Columbia
Kwantlen Polytechnic University
University of Northern British Columbia
Simon Fraser University
Thompson Rivers University
Trinity Western University
University of Manitoba
University of New Brunswick
Cape Breton University
Dalhousie University
Mount Saint Vincent University
St. Francis Xavier University
Saint Mary's University
Algoma University
Brescia University College
Brock University
Carleton University
Huron University College
King's University College at The University of Western Ontario
Lakehead University
University of Ottawa
Redeemer University College
Ryerson University
University of Toronto
University of Waterloo
The University of Western Ontario
Wilfrid Laurier University
University of Windsor
York University
Bishop's University
Concordia University
McGill University
University of Regina
University of Saskatchewan

I wish you all the best as you try to see how far you can get with the ACCA program. By the way, I don't think a denial with this one will affect your future applications to the High Commission.

@ ACCA 247 - after reviewing your letter of intent, it just doesn't sit right with me personally and I had to put myself in the shoes of the visa officer. The ACCA program can be taken in Nigeria, thus, that presents a snag in making a case as to why you have to pay substantially to get that in Canada when you can do exactly the same thing in Nigeria (I know the whole thing about foreign credentials having more weight), but the bottom line is, it is a professional designation, which on the first look most people will not really care where and how you get your ACCA.

However if you were to apply for a full degree program in Canada I believe it may work better in your favour.

Believe me, these visa officers are well trained and the last thing you want to do is give them the tool to prove you wrong. If I were you, I would probably review my plans and see if I can go for a degree program rather than a professional certification.

I'm not an accountant but I've spoken with some friends here in Canada (by the way, they are Nigerias and studied here before receiving their designations - CA, CMA, CGA etc.) and they are not positive about your situation.

Studying overseas definitely is not as easy as a lot of people would have thought. At the end of the day you are faced with many issues that, if you're not strong willed (thank God that we all came from Nigeria), it is enough to want to make you quit. You deal with issues of racism on one hand, understanding the alien system, trying to deal with working part time (and for some of us full time) and combining that with your studies, trying to take care of the people back home (not all of us were born with silver spoon). You are a student and at the same time your families and students are looking up to you to take care of them, the amount of responsibility can be overwhelming. Amidst all of these, you also have to deal with incliment weather (I'm sure those who have experienced winter can attest to this), one that you never experienced before.

Now, having said that, the joy of studying overseas can be numerous. You have all the best resources for your success, books are readily available (you don't have to worry about buying prof's notes). Laboratories are well equipped and up to standard, access to up-to-date technological tools that will aid your studies are also readily available. Moreover, you cannot even put a value on the exposure to other cultures, people and ideas. Also, noteworthy is that fact that you never have to worry about NEPA. The environment is created to bring out the best in you academically. You also have professors that are easily approachable and if you're a woman, you don't have to worry about constant harrasment by lecturers (not that any society is completely immune to that).

The other thing is that if you deserve an A, an you work hard for an A, the profs are excited to give you your mark. There is no such thing as it being a taboo to graduate with first class standing. I mean graduating Summa Cum Laude or Magna Cum Laude is not a rarity as it is the case in Nigeria where people often bost that "he's the only one to have graduate 1st class in the history of the department". You get what you right worked for at the end of the day, and I believe that is very rewarding.

In terms of the volume of work, while it can be overwhelming if you're studying overseas, it is not, within the context of the academic standard an anomaly. In fact, anything less will be an indication of a substandard education. The reality is that, Nigeria can do the same if only we can get our acts together. We need to create the culture where students will see that there every action from day one will ultimately affect their overall performance - attendance in classes, papers and other continuous assessments tools count not just the almighty final examination - which results in cramming and regurgitation.

Studying in Nigeria is not easy because you have to deal with everything that goes contrary to a normal society where the goal of the school is to graduate top notch students. Studying overseas is challenging as you have to deal with adapting to a new environment, deal with pressure from within and without and ultimately having it at the back of your mind that you're here to succeed and failure is not an option.

Believe, me, this is coming from someone that studied a year at UI, and have gone through complete undergraduate and graduate studies in North America.

@ dell_net - you're right, you do not appear in person when applying for a visiting visa. Thus, this puts the onus on the applicant to make sure that their application stands the chance of being considered. I will tell you from my experience that majority of our people can be tardy in their approach (I'm not saying this is the case in this situation). I've seen immigration forms that were not properly filled, I've seen conflicting information, verbosity in the name of appeasing the immigration officer and other things imginable that will only make the officer suspicious of your motive. You see, we live in an environment where people often depend on others to do things for them, hence, that mindset often deprived people the opportunity of doing their own personal research and making sure that they have all their facts together. Imagine, people still falling for the scam of paying for embassy application forms when there are websites where these form could be downloaded.

I am not doubting Shakers genuine motive here, but I believe that at the end of the day, immigration officer are left with making a decision and they can either say yes or no. I have seen situations where somone who is a Canadian citizen trying to bring his pregnant wife to Canada only for the heavily pregnant woman who went all the way to Accra for an interview to be denied access into Canada to join her husband! That is one of the dilemma of being an immigration officer, you have to make decisions even when it is unpopular. So, Shakers, there is nothing stopping you from trying again, only that you want to prove your case and shows how, even though with limited travelling experience you still consider yourself vast and knowledgeable about Canada and about the various tourism places you plan to visit during your stay in Canada just as dell_net suggested.

@ ACCA 247 - I will review what you just posted, and give you my take on it. Stay tuned

@ ACCA 247 - I believe cuddlemii has brought some clarity to the matter. While your letter of intent has everything that you need to convince the visa office about the authenticity of your application, it does lack focus. So, without re-inventing the wheel, I would advise you tweak your letter of intent by using the highlighted points provided by cuddlemii. Once you have it revised, you can repost it and I'm sure we can be able to offer reasonable suggestions. I hope cuddlemii is still on board

@ cuddlemii - I would have sworn you were in Canada. Thanks for your contributions. I hope everything goes well with your visa application. I would be shocked if the visa office ruled otherwise. Such intelligence is needed as a fresh addition to the Canadian Academic scene. Looking forward to seeing soon.

@ scopusng, becareful what you're saying. This is a public forum and you don't know who is on Nairaland and remember every IP address is tracked too

@ Shakers - I'm sure it must have been very disappointing to have been denied a visiting visa to Canada. I can hear people on this forum thinking that there are some sinister reasons behind the denial of visa to our people. First of all, I should let you know that I do not envy the visa officers who have the undaunted job of screening out who may or may not be allowed into Canada. They've got the most difficult job. For them, it all boils down to gut instincts and it also boils down to you given them just a speck of reason to doubt the autheticity of your intention. That is all it takes.

If you've been denied, when you said you were visiting Canada as a tourist, it only makes sense for the immigration officer to evaulate your travelling experiences. Moreover, how grounded are you in Nigeria. How strongly connected are you? If an immigration officer suspects that you have nothing of substantial value (property, job, wife, children) that will make you not want to leave Nigeria for Canada, then there is the red flag.

I should also warn you that what worked for someone else does not necessarily work for another person. Every individual is dealt with on His own merit.

So, if you feel that there are things you could have done differently with your application, this is the time to review it and get yourself prepared for the next time you will be approaching them.

@ ACCA 247 - Honestly, there is no magic formula for convincing immigration officers that you are indeed embarking on a legitimate educational journey to Canada. If anything, you goal should be eliminate doubts and suspicion about your intent. You cannot, and I repeat, you cannot create a situation where the credibility of your application will be question:

1) succinct but strong rationale should be developed on why you have intended to embark on this studies. You are a business man, build a strong case for yourself however, without sounding incredolous.
2) Make sure you have a strong case to support that fact that you intent to study and leave Canada. Anything that remotely points to the possibility of your staying in Canada after your studies or abandonning your studies to become an illegal immigrant in Canada will surely raise a red flag that can lead to another futile effort. So, you have to guide against that.
3) You also need to fulfil the other requirements such as adequate funding and strong ties to Nigeria which will indicate that you honestly do intend to return to the country after your studies.
4) You must not, under no circumstances, even if you are 100% sure it will help your case use fake documentation. Don't let anyone fool you about that even if they had done it in the past and got away with it. You got to remember these guys have dealt with a lot of Nigerians and at this point in the game they've learned quite a lot to make it easy for them to weed out the bad eggs, so be very very careful and diligent.

All said and done, the main thing is for you to be confident when you approach them. As advised by Cuddlemi, don't show any sign of desperation but at the same time show that you're truly interested in studying in Canada. Above all, remember what worked for someone else will not necessarily work for you. Be yourself and be original.

I hope all goes well, looking forward to seeing you in Canada soon

@ Mikkyangel - are you currently in the US or just on your way? You can certainly apply for Student Visa from the US. You will still have to fulfil the same requirement that is required for International Students and have to provide a proof of your status in the US (i.e. your temporary status):

If you are in the United States on temporary status, please provide:
Your US Non-Immigrant Visa, (whether it is in your current passport or an expired passport)
The original I-94 card issued by US authorities at the time of your entry into the US
The document issued to you by US authorities to confer that status (e.g.: SEVIS I-20 or DS-2019 or I-797 form).

Reiview the Canadian Embassy information provided in this link - http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/washington/imm/permit_study-etudes_permis.aspx?lang=eng

And if you're contemplating Visitor's visa review this link http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/washington/imm/visa_temp.aspx?lang=eng

Essentially, it very possible to do this provided you meet all the requirement and you're also able to prove your status in the US.

@ACCA 247, just as the last person advised, I would strongly suggest you carefully sit down and come up with a credible and justifiable reason for wanting to study this program in Canada. Otherwise, you may be seem like someone who is desperately seeking a way out of the country. And it gets even more suspicious when it is a short term studies.

Having said that, one thing to remember that each application to the visa office is unique and everyone will be treated as individual so what worked for someone in the application does not necessarily work for another person (in fact, it could become a stumbling block). So, take your time, review the application, and come up with a solid plan that you are going to present to the visa office.

Hello Ifypaul, you can e-mail me at canadaforum@hotmail.ca and I should be able to provide some useful information and hopefully put you in touch with some former CMA students who might have gone through the same situation as you.

@ Lilema, I cannot believe that you will come on here and say that I tried to scam you. I specifically gave you the information that I receive from the admissions office at Carleton University. I think you insinuation is quite damaging to my character and reputation especially where all I've been doing here is to help people. I have decided to post here the originally e-mail that I received from Carleton University which I forwarded to you. It seems to me that you you interpreted Bank of Nova Scotia to mean a bank in Nova Scotia, Bank of Nova Scotia is a bank that is everywhere in Canada, it is just the name of the bank that Carleton University uses. Moreover, the address of the Bank is in Ottawa where Carleton University is based. I feel really insulted by your insinuation. Also, I gave you all the other options in my e-mail on how you can make the payment including using a credit card, and money order but coming on Nairaland to give the impression that I was trying to scam you is absolutely very disappointing. Here is the original e-mail that I sent to you per my communication with Carleton University:

>>> Sarah_Maccormack <Sarah_Maccormack@carleton.ca> 3/2/2011 11:17 am >>>
Good morning Ayo,
Thank you for your e-mail.

The $100 CAD Application Fee for International Students can be paid by using one of the following methods:

Mail:
Payments may be made by cheque, certified cheque, money order or bank draft and should be mailed to the following address:
Carleton University
Admissions Services
315 Robertson Hall
1125 Colonel By Drive
Ottawa, ON
K1S 5B6
Credit Card:
Please fax the following information to Admission Services (613) 520-3517:
- Student name and student number
- Credit card number
- Credit card expiry date
- Name of cardholder as it appears on the card
- Amount (in Canadian dollars) that the cardholder is authorizing (e.g. $100 for the international application fee)
- Cardholder signature
- 3 digit security code found on the reverse of the card


Bank Transfer (for International Students only):
We now have an international bank account to which payments may be wired to:
Bank of Nova Scotia
Main Branch
118 Sparks Street
Ottawa, Ontario, CANADA
Bank Transit Number: 40006-002
Bank Account: 3309-14
Swift Code: NOSCCATT OTT

Payments should be made in Canadian Funds (CAD).
*Be sure to include your student number, name, and the detail of what the payment is for (eg. international application fee) on the wire information. Wire transfers can take up to 10 days to be received and processed to your student account.
If you have any additional questions please do not hesitate to contact me.
Regards,
Sarah MacCormack
________________________________
International Administrative Assistant
Carleton University, Admissions Services
1125 Colonel By Drive, 315 Robertson Hall
Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6
Tel: +1 (613) 520-2400 Fax: +1 (613) 520-351



If you, or anyone wants to verify this information, you can call or e-mail Carleton University Directly. I guess this is why people get frustrated when they try to help others only to be grossly misunderstood.

@ Delta, not sure, we could know each other, are you in TO?

@ Delta - thanks for you advise to Kurungu

@ Uuche090 - why not try and apply for student visa right from Nigeria? Your application will carry more credibility applying from Nigeria rather than coming to Canada as a visitor and then deciding to change to a student or temporary worker. Moreover, you cannot predict how long the immigration officer at the port of entry will allow you to stay in Canada for. And, why would you want to live illegally in Canda when there are several options for you to be there legally? My advise: explore your options before settling for visitors visa.

@ Kay2000 - the finaly decision about your visa rest solely with the Immigration Officer in charge of your case. So, what worked for someone else may not necessary work for you. As you have listed in your posting. All you have to do is provide authentic documentation as required by the visa office, make sure you provide as much proof as to what ties you have to Nigeria to convince the visa office that you do plan to return to Nigeria.

@ obietrix, see response by anfano,

@virgo, can we make the assumption that you're talking about Student Visa? While CIC does have average processing times for the different visa categories, the reality is that each case is unique in it's own right. The horror stories you've heard from people may be due entirely to their peculiar situation and has nothing to do with the integrity of CIC. So, as a starter, be truthful when applying for any kind of visa. Provide legit documentations, make your application crisp and unambiguous. Above all, be very sure about why you want to go to Canada (honestly, this is where a lot of people get thumped! Believe me, the last thing you want to do is to give an immigration officer a jolt of reason to doubt the authenticity of your application and the rest is history.

Review the Canadian High Commission website to educate yourself about the processing times etc. http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/nigeria/visas/index.aspx?menu_id=2&menu=L and you can also check out the CIC website at www.cic.gc.ca

@ fflowers, your question "is it recognized" is a little ambiguous. Did you mean the program or the university? Well, it is an accredited University by the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada and the program is the same too. Most of the Universities in Canada are publicly funded and therefore need to meet certain criteria for accreditation - see this website for verification http://www.aucc.ca/can_uni/our_universities/index_e.html

Per getting a job after your studies, well, it all depends on the labour market and timing. Per the immigration rule, you are eligible to work under the Post Graduation Work Permit Program, through this program you can apply for work permit which can allow you to gain valuable Canadian experience in your field for up to a period of 3 years. I believe the main thing is to make sure that the job is in the field of study in order to be eligible (see the CIC website per this information) http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/study/work-postgrad.asp

The good news also is that there is the posibility of applying to jobs outside of the province should you not find something in your field. This will further increase your employability chance. If you require further assistance, feel free to contact me directly at canadaforum@hotmail.ca

@ Lilema, yes, you can do so from your bank, But if they do accept International money order you may just want to send that ASAP. I'm very sure you can transfer the money to them through your bank in Nigeria, but you will have to have the transfer information from Carleton.

If you're not sure you can contact their international admission's office. I have the e-mail address but will not post it here due to spammers (don't want them to start getting some mails from people who are making some dubious business proposers). Send me an e-mail and I will forward the mail to you - canadaforum@hotmail.ca (by the way, I've been receiving a whole lot of spams since I have that mail on Nairaland but I know what to do with them

@ eagle007, you can send your e-mails to canadaforum@hotmail.ca

@Lilema, you will have to send an e-mail to Carleton and request information about wiring the money to them. YOu should be able to do it through your bank here in Nigeria (I'm assuming you're in Nigeria). Unless they are willing to accept International Money Order, but coming from Nigeria (I'm not sure)

@  reloaded11 - I was fortunate to be a student studying Neuroscience at Laurentian University in 1995/96 session. While Laurentian is not as big as most other Canadian Universities, it does stand as a reputable university considering it's location in the largest city (Sudbury) in Northern Ontario. Sudbury is a wonderful place to study as it keeps you away from the distractions that are common in larger cities. The one year I spent at Laurentian before transfering to University of Toronto was one of the best highlights of my academic life and I do occassionally regret leaving the institution - that's my own personal experience of Laurentian and Sudbury.

With regards to your brother as a sponsor, he can certainly sponsor you as your brother. You can always explain the reason for the discrepencies in the names (Rilwan and Ridwan), should that come up as an issue. But I don't see that being an issue since your brother does not live in Canada and since you're going to be assess on your own merit not on your brother's visitation to Canada. All you will have to provide is a proof of your ties to your sponsor (in this case your brother), and that he's willing to sponsor you throughout the duration of your studies.

With respect to your last question - if I understand what you are getting at - I will advise that whatever you do, make sure that you do not, and I repeat, do not submit any documentation that will give the Canadian Visa office any inclination that you're not being truthful. Even if's going to be not getting the visa this time around, make sure all of your documenations are legit and there are no discrepencies.  If you don't get the visa the first time, you can always try again but you have better chance of being considered if you have legit documentation rather than forgery. So, be very very careful not to give any reason for the immigration officer to be doubt the authenticity of your submitted documentations

So, whatever documentation you submit to the school for your admission process, should be exactly the same that you will be sending to the visa office. Hope this answers your questions

@ kodewrita - I think that sums it up. Nuff said

@ aocelle, you're welcome and I do hope you will be able to make the right choice soon, looking forward to seeing you in Canada some day.

@ sunky644, first of all, thanks for you kind words, I consider it a duty to be able to guide people and provide relative information with respect to immigrating to Canada. Now, about Belvic Global Ventures, here is my conclusion on that: do not throw your money into the dumpster! This company is not recongnized as part of the Certified member of the Canadian Immigration Consultants in Canada. Here is the website to the Asscoations Website https://www.csic-scci.ca/find/ you can do a search and see the names of all of the recognized and certified consultants.

With respect to using an agent, here is my take and opinion and I do hope this will help to clarify some confusion about the whole thing. Citizenship and Immigration Canada, the government department responsible for Immigration matters in Canada has clearly stated that " Immigration consultants, lawyers, and other representatives give immigration advice and help to visa applicants, usually for a fee.

You do not need to hire an immigration consultant. It is up to you. Your application will not be given special attention or guaranteed approval if you use a consultant." - see http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/representative/index.asp. So, in a nutshell, you really do not need any agent or anyone for tha matter to represent you when it comes to dealing with Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Having said that, it is however important to be able to have an individual who can educate one about the intricacies sorrounding immigration issues in Canada, this is where Immigration lawyers and the certified Immigration consultants come into place. So, basically these people are charging you for their expertise and making sure that you have the right information and you have your application forms filled out correctly. So, you can look at them as a third eye in the process. One of the things that have caused headache/heartache for people in the past is omissions and errors in their application process. So, these experts are able to make sure that this doesn't occur. Now, does using a Lawyer or Representative put you at an advantage with CIC over other applicants, the answer is NO. It only helps to make the process easier on you but the final decision rests with CIC. Now, in Nigeria we live in a society where people have lost the concept of doing things the right way. We all want things done immediately and we tend to belive that if we can pay our way it will happen quicker and it will help us to jump the queue, as a result people often end up being taken advantage of by nefarious individuals who are quick to take advantage of the situation. So, be very careful! One certified Immigration Consultant who is also a Nigerian that I have personally investigated to make sure is legit is one Mrs Folusho Baiye - http://www.fbips.com/. She is also a member of the Canada Society of Immigration Consultants (she is fromt he province of Manitoba) I believe she has an office in Lagos if you check her website. Now, I am in no way promoting her here but I'm just presenting her as per informational purposes. If you have friends or relatives in Canada they can also be your representative if they understand the immigration process. I have volunteered to help people in the past but it's a time consuming process and that is why the consultatns will charge you in the upwards of $3000 for their assistance (I should also let you know that they do pay a lot into their association dues as this covers the cost of insurance should they get sued by an unhappy client). So, I can certainly help a few people but it would be impossible to do with family and a full time job.

So, the decision is yours if you want to be represented or if you want to do it yourself. Just remember not to get swindled in the process. For those who cannot afford to pay an agent, you can do it yourself with patience, diligent and research.

@ sunky644 - work permit in Canada requires some form of employment confirmation by a Canadian employer - see http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/work/apply-who-eligible.asp#outside. Yes, it is very possible for people to come to Canada as temporary worker via Employment Authorization. Regarding the agent that is going to take 950 K from you, believe me, there's got to be more to that. What is this agent's name? Provide the name and I will investigate if He/She is truly a certified Canadian Immigration Consultant. Be very careful and don't get swindled.

@ Lilema, Athabasca is a very special university in that most of their courses are offered distant ed. As a result, tuition tend to be lesser than traditional university because of reduced administration cost. With respect to GPA, each student considering Master's Degree Program are accessed individual, and it will be surprisign that some people can get in with a GPA of 2.1 while others won't, it all depends on your situation - reference, work experience and other supporting documentation. Generally most institutions will tell you that minimum requirement is a B average.

@kurungu, how far along is your friend? Being pregnant should not affect the issuing of employment authorization. Now with respect to medicals, it's usually advised that pregnant women don't because of exposure to radiation from X-ray, But she will have to speak with the Visa office about this, but being pregnant should not pose any problem provided she has fulfiled all the requirement for admisability into Canada as a student



@ tomiwaoluy - have you garthered all the required documenations? Generally if you're planning to come to Canada as an International Student, this is what is required by the visa office - read this information on the High Commission Website in Lagos - http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/nigeria/visas/study-etude.aspx

@ charlie193

Thanks for the comment bro. I've made it my mission to educate people as much as I can about anything relating to Canada, and I mean anything. I mean having been here for 18 years, I can confidently say that I have enough experience to be able to educate people in this regards. By the way, where in Canada do you reside? Feel free to drop me a note anytime. Thank you for sharing your experience too, we need to make sure that people get the right information and that they do not become victims of unscrupulous individuals who are out to swindle people especially those desperate to travel out of the country.

@ charlie193 - thanks for reminding people the importance of not using forged and fraudulent documents.

@ fflowers - Well, if you're thinking about fall admission (September), you're probably cutting it too close. Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia offers the program and application deadline for International Student is April 1. So you will have to put in your application ASAP - see http://dalgrad.dal.ca/prospectivestudents/deadlines/

However if you'd like to check other Universities I've done a search of the Association of Canadian Universities and Colleges for your program and the link below is the result of all the universities that offer the program. You will have to check the websites of this universities to see when the application deadlines are
http://oraweb.aucc.ca/pls/dcu/dcu_e2?REF_ID=34336901&SORT_BY=1

Feel free to contact me should you require further assistance - canadaforum@hotmail.ca