₦airaland Forum

Latest update: Intl Students route to PR pathway in New Brunswick finally shut down, AIP slot reduced by 50%.

Canada is not smiling.

Thank you, Bro
I am going for Fall (September) starting date


Good evening bro. Congrats on the achievements so far and your LOA being issued to study in Canada. I'm equally waiting for my PAL to be issued before proceeding for my visa application for May intake.
I believe the gurus in the house will give you great advise on how to go about the SOP. Good luck

Hello!
Gurus in the house, please comment on this. Your contribution is highly appreciated.

Viewoliver:
Hello everyone!

Firstly, please I would like to know if it's possible to secure a study permit to Canada for 2 years diploma program after one has completed a masters program in the UK. I did MSc Automation and Control and the delivery didn't meets my carrier objectives because it was more theoretical than I expected. I like hands-on skills and the college in Canada offers that with internship term for practical and industrial experience. I have already received LOA from college to study Power Engineering Technology, first year fees all paid and I am currently waiting for PAL to be issued so that I can proceed on visa application. My first degree back in Nigeria was in Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Power System Engineering Option). Please I need some valid points for my SOP to be convincing enough to secure me a study permit. I know some people might say I should not declare my masters to the visa officer but I have done that already to the college while applying for admission. I think the visa officer might be asking what brought me to the UK because I am still there on my post study work visa. I am open to good ideas and suggestions on how to convince the visa officer that my study plans are genuine. Thank you!

In my opinion, the challenge here is not even the MSc, but your undergrad. Doing power engr tech after a BSc in elect/elect does not show a progression in studies. Most of what you will learn during a power engr tech would have been learnt during your BSc (even more so, with power systems option).

That being said, it's easier to justify doing a diploma after your MSc in control systems. For example, you could claim you want to apply control systems theory to power systems modelling; and before modelling any system, one needs to sufficiently understand how it works. You can then link that back to our power systems challenges in Nigeria, grid instability, controlling smart grids, etc.

Once again, the main hurdle I see here is your previous BSc. Try and see if the diploma would bring you significantly different knowledge (I would advise against mentioning practical skills as the main reason) . Best of luck!

Viewoliver:
Hello everyone!

Firstly, please I would like to know if it's possible to secure a study permit to Canada for 2 years diploma program after one has completed a masters program in the UK. I did MSc Automation and Control and the delivery didn't meets my carrier objectives because it was more theoretical than I expected. I like hands-on skills and the college in Canada offers that with internship term for practical and industrial experience. I have already received LOA from college to study Power Engineering Technology, first year fees all paid and I am currently waiting for PAL to be issued so that I can proceed on visa application. My first degree back in Nigeria was in Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Power System Engineering Option). Please I need some valid points for my SOP to be convincing enough to secure me a study permit. I know some people might say I should not declare my masters to the visa officer but I have done that already to the college while applying for admission. I think the visa officer might be asking what brought me to the UK because I am still there on my post study work visa. I am open to good ideas and suggestions on how to convince the visa officer that my study plans are genuine. Thank you!

Thank you for your opinion. I have got some valid points here. I understand that most of the courses in the program were taught during my B. Eng, but I want to consolidate my theoretical knowledge with the technical skills and hands-on practical experience the diploma stands to offer. Secondly, the program offers internship term in the industry which is what appeal to me the most.

technix:
In my opinion, the challenge here is not even the MSc, but your undergrad. Doing power engr tech after a BSc in elect/elect does not show a progression in studies. Most of what you will learn during a power engr tech would have been learnt during your BSc (even more so, with power systems option).

That being said, it's easier to justify doing a diploma after your MSc in control systems. For example, you could claim you want to apply control systems theory to power systems modelling; and before modelling any system, one needs to sufficiently understand how it works. You can then link that back to our power systems challenges in Nigeria, grid instability, controlling smart grids, etc.

Once again, the main hurdle I see here is your previous BSc. Try and see if the diploma would bring you significantly different knowledge (I would advise against mentioning practical skills as the main reason) . Best of luck!

Viewoliver:
Thank you, Bro
I am going for Fall (September) starting date


Good evening bro. Congrats on the achievements so far and your LOA being issued to study in Canada. I'm equally waiting for my PAL to be issued before proceeding for my visa application for May intake.
I believe the gurus in the house will give you great advise on how to go about the SOP. Good luck

Awesome! Hopefully the PALS will be out soon for us all.

Good evening all,
Please, I will be needing suggestions on colleges that accept HND (lower credit) for cyber security or any related IT field that would not be more than 1 year.
Thank you.
techgen Viewoliver

Jeboy:
Latest update: Intl Students route to PR pathway in New Brunswick finally shut down, AIP slot reduced by 50%.

Canada is not smiling.

What is remaining is still not bad but will be more competitive

How long does University of new Brunswick takes to give admission decision?
Submitted since first week of December last year and till now nothing yet. That's for September intake

They take their time and pray they don't come back to tell you waitlisted. That college do my siblings strong thing. My sincere advice is to look for additional colleges as back up.

chrisifeanyi:
How long does University of new Brunswick takes to give admission decision?
Submitted since first week of December last year and till now nothing yet. That's for September intake

NSCC , KPU my suggestion

ev4real:
Good evening all,
Please, I will be needing suggestions on colleges that accept HND (lower credit) for cyber security or any related IT field that would not be more than 1 year.
Thank you.
techgen Viewoliver

Lawstriker:
They take their time and pray they don't come back to tell you waitlisted. That college do my siblings strong thing. My sincere advice is to look for additional colleges as back up.

Not NBCC,
I mean University of New Brunswick

I do not know about University of News Brunswick. Thought it was NBCC.

chrisifeanyi:
Not NBCC,
I mean University of New Brunswick

Hello house wanted to ask if admitted for master degree, do you need PAL for visa application

Yes.

ehiremen2002:
Hello house wanted to ask if admitted for master degree, do you need PAL for visa application

Previously it wasnt needed and there was plan to have it started in January. But not sure

technix:
Yes.

What is a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL)?
Following a new international student cap imposed by Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) in January of 2024, some international students wishing to study in Canada will now need a PAL in addition to a letter of acceptance (LOA) to apply for their study permits.

The study cap—which in 2024 will allow up to 360,000 approved study permits this year—is divided among Canada's provinces and territories, based on their respective populations. In 2025, this figure will be revised to 437,000 study permits, a figure which will newly incorporate master's and PhD students as well.

The PAL is a method by which province's verify that the acceptance of a specific international student contributes to their respective allocation of international students. Students must now receive an LOA from their Designated Learning Institution (DLI)—the only schools in Canada allowed to accept international students—as well as a PAL from the province or territory that their DLI is located in, before applying for their study permits.

Who needs a PAL?
PALs are a requirement for:

Most post-secondary study permit applicants (i.e. undergraduate university and college students); and
Most non-degree granting graduate programs (for example, certificate programs and graduate diplomas).
PALs are not required by:

Primary and secondary school students;
Master’s or doctoral degree students;
In-Canada visiting or exchange students studying at a DLI;
In-Canada study permit and work permit holders (including existing study permit holders applying for an extension);
In-Canada family members of study permit or work permit holders;
Students who have already been approved for a study permit and intend to travel to Canada for an upcoming program; and
Students whose application was received before 8:30 a.m. EST on January 22, 2024.
Basic steps towards getting a PAL
Under the new PAL issuance systems, some international students looking to study in Canada will first need an LOA from their chosen DLI, and to confirm their acceptance with their school (usually by way of a deposit). The exact details around the monetary amount and nature of the deposit can vary depending on the specific DLI that an international student attends, thus IRCC recommends that students correspond directly with the school to understand the specific information relevant to them.

Once admission is confirmed, DLIs will then apply to the relevant provincial government on the student's behalf for a PAL. Once a PAL is received, schools will make it available to the student, who may then use the letter, along with their LOA and other needed documents, to obtain a Canadian study permit.

What information should be included in a PAL?
According to ministerial instructions released by IRCC, at a minimum the following information should be included in a PAL for an international student:

An applicant (international student's):

Full name;
Date of birth; and
Address.
Getting a PAL in Ontario
As of March 28th, 2024, Ontario has begun issuing PALs to international students.

Ontario has been allocated 235,000 study permits from the federal government in 2024.

The province's study permit allocations also come with certain conditions for DLIs. The vast majority of allocations determined by the provincial government have been given to public post-secondary institutions (96%), with a much smaller allocation (4%) being delivered to private post-secondary institutions and language schools.

Getting a PAL in Quebec
Quebec has begun issuing PALs to international students. The province has received an allocation of 117,917 study permits in 2024.

IRCC has confirmed that a Certificat d'Acceptation du Quebec (CAQ) can function as a PAL, if the document contains the following line: "This attestation letter confirms that the applicant has a place in Quebec’s share of the distribution of study permit applications or is exempt from it.”

A CAQ is a document issued by the Quebec provincial government, to certify that an applicant has met the province's admission criteria. International students must submit a CAQ (in addition to an LOA) as part of their application for a study permit, to IRCC.

For more information on studying in Quebec, visit our dedicated webpage here.

Getting a PAL in British Columbia
As of March 4th, 2024, British Columbia (B.C.) has begun issuing PALs to international students.

B.C. has been allocated 83,000 undergraduate study permits under their provincial allocation from the federal study cap. The province says that 53% of PALs will be for public post-secondary institutions and the remaining 47% will be for private institutions.

Getting a PAL in Alberta
As of March 1st, 2024, Alberta has begun issuing PALs to international students. The province has been allocated 40,894 study permits in 2024, representing a slight increase in potential international students from 2023.

As with other provincial systems, international students looking to study in Alberta should inquire with their specific DLI to better understand the process of obtaining the document, and subsequently applying for a study permit.

Getting a PAL in Manitoba
As of March 4th, Manitoba has begun issuing PALs to international students. The province has been allocated a total of 18,652 potential study permits in 2024.

Similar to other provincial systems, students must inquire with their chosen DLI about the specific process of receiving a PAL from the Manitoban government. More information will be available here once announced publicly.

Getting a PAL in Nova Scotia
As of March 28th, Nova Scotia has begun issuing PALs to international students.

The province has been allocated 20,378 study permits by IRCC in 2024. Most (89%) of this allocation will be given to the province’s universities and Nova Scotia Community College, with the remaining allocations assigned to private career colleges and language schools.

Getting a PAL in Saskatchewan
As of March 13th, Saskatchewan has begun issuing PALs to international students.

The province has been allocated a potential 15,054 study permits in 2024, representing a modest increase from 2023.

As with other provincial systems, students should inquire with their selected DLI for more details on obtaining a PAL in Saskatchewan.

Getting a PAL in New Brunswick
As of March 18th, New Brunswick has begun issuing PALs to international students. The province has been allocated 14,651 potential study permits in 2024.

Similar to other provinces, students should inquire with their chosen DLI about how to apply for and acquire a PAL.

Getting a PAL in Newfoundland and Labrador
As of March 19th, Newfoundland and Labrador has started issuing PALs to international students. The province has been allocated a total of 3,153 potential study permits in 2024, representing a slight increase from the previous year.

Students must inquire with their chosen school in the province about how to receive a PAL. More information will be posted here when announced by the provincial government.

Getting a PAL in Prince Edward Island
As of March 27th, Prince Edward Island (PEI) has started issuing PALs to international students.

The province has been allocated 2,312 study permits by the federal government in 2024. The majority of these allocations—59%—will go to the University of Prince Edward Island, with a remaining 35% allocated to Holland College, and 6% to College de l’Ile.

techgen:
NSCC , KPU my suggestion

Thank you very much.

It all depends on the type of credential you are looking for? Be it diploma or graduate certificate program, I think you are qualified with your HND (lower credit)

ev4real:
Good evening all,
Please, I will be needing suggestions on colleges that accept HND (lower credit) for cyber security or any related IT field that would not be more than 1 year.
Thank you.
techgen Viewoliver

Viewoliver:
It all depends on the type of credential you are looking for? Be it diploma or graduate certificate program, I think you are qualified with your HND (lower credit)

Thank you.
I am looking at a graduate certificate program.
I have applied to Seneca & centennial, they rejected the application due to the grade.

Yeah. It started January 22, 2025.

jamespi2008:
Previously it wasnt needed and there was plan to have it started in January. But not sure

Thanks, I later saw that they paused the student EE pathway and created employers options like you have shared

chrisifeanyi:
What is remaining is still not bad but will be more competitive

Can full-time professional internship be taken as a consideration for SOWP if the job code is in the NOC code for SOWP issuance. My fear is not about the professional nature of internship job, its the duration especially those that are three month. Should dependent spouse apply when their student spouse is undergoing professional internship or wait till they get a long term job?

chrisifeanyi:
What is remaining is still not bad but will be more competitive

technix:
In my opinion, the challenge here is not even the MSc, but your undergrad. Doing power engr tech after a BSc in elect/elect does not show a progression in studies. Most of what you will learn during a power engr tech would have been learnt during your BSc (even more so, with power systems option).

That being said, it's easier to justify doing a diploma after your MSc in control systems. For example, you could claim you want to apply control systems theory to power systems modelling; and before modelling any system, one needs to sufficiently understand how it works. You can then link that back to our power systems challenges in Nigeria, grid instability, controlling smart grids, etc.

Once again, the main hurdle I see here is your previous BSc. Try and see if the diploma would bring you significantly different knowledge (I would advise against mentioning practical skills as the main reason) . Best of luck!

Kai... Wahala.

I think my application is somehow like Oliver's own.
I studied mechanical engineering BSC but has already gotten LOA to study Welding Engineering Technician Co-op at CNA.

I just got the LOA two days ago and was already given a deadline to pay 5k cad before the 20th of this month or will lose my admission seat.

Good morning House and happy weekend to you all. My PAL was released yesterday and I'm so happy! Thanks to everyone that gave good suggestions and encouragement. Hopefully soon, I'll give my testimony right here.
Good luck to us all.

At this point, I would advise you go for a 2 years diploma so that your O level will be used as the requirement for admission.

ev4real:
Thank you.
I am looking at a graduate certificate program.
I have applied to Seneca & centennial, they rejected the application due to the grade.

Wowooo 💃💃💃💃
Congratulations Bro,
I also got LOA for the Welding Engineering Technician Co-op at CNA because it was my secondary program. A week ago, I got LOA on Power Engineering Technology which was my primary program. Fees paid, offer accepted, and request for PAL submitted. Now waiting for PAL to be issued so that I can proceed to study permit application. I pray we all make it to CNA.... Amen

TabletMan:
Kai... Wahala.

I think my application is somehow like Oliver's own.
I studied mechanical engineering BSC but has already gotten LOA to study Welding Engineering Technician Co-op at CNA.

I just got the LOA two days ago and was already given a deadline to pay 5k cad before the 20th of this month or will lose my admission seat.

Congratulations 🙌🙌
Please which school and what starting date? May, 2025 or September, 2025?

Kaykaychizzy:
Good morning House and happy weekend to you all. My PAL was released yesterday and I'm so happy! Thanks to everyone that gave good suggestions and encouragement. Hopefully soon, I'll give my testimony right here.
Good luck to us all.

See all the direct foreign investment Canada is raking from Nigeria and other countries in terms of education to permanent immigration with our pleading oh. Nigeria needs to really step up in economy and other infrastructure.

Viewoliver:
Congratulations 🙌🙌
Please which school and what starting date? May, 2025 or September, 2025?

Thank you bro. It's Fanshawe College Ontario and for May 2025 intake.

Good afternoon guys
Please how long does the university of saskatchewan take to respond with an admission offer for the September 2025 intake I applied in Dec 2024. I am applying for a masters program

Bro, thank you for your swift response.
It seems most province are currently issuing PAL to May 2025 intake, and yet to start with September 2025 intake.

Kaykaychizzy:
Thank you bro. It's Fanshawe College Ontario and for May 2025 intake.