₦airaland Forum

Congratulations on your PR and soft landing in Calgary. I'm also in Calgary, it's my 8th month here already.

canadagal24:
Landing Gist


I’m jet lagged and awake at 2am calgary time writting this post, I’m excited for this new chapter, scared that i moved by myself because people say its lonely without being married first but i guess i have coconut head. so if you are in Calgary lets hangout! if you know any eligible bachelor in calgary send them my way.

Gboyswags:
Good day @Frankrobbn1, @lekkiboboe, @makano, @justmellow and any other person with information, I have a bachelor's degree in Material Science and Engineering and I graduated with a CGPA of 3.58/4. Please can I get any suggestions on Master's degree courses with scholarships and funding and how I can go about it especially in countries like Canada. Thank you for your time.

Use Google to your advantage. Search U15 universities and check the faculty of engineering page to see the department you could fit into. Your research experience can come in handy here for you to get a supervisor that will fund your program. You can mail Graduate coordinator to know more about how graduate students are funded in your program of interest.

Backcheck:
Hello teejhaay! Congrats and welcome to UofC in advance. Are you coming for a graduate program? If yes, lets connect and get added to the group chat of great Nigeria students

Thank you! Yes, I'm coming for a Master's degree program. How can I get added to the group?

I have sent you an email

Afolavid:
You can pay with Barter by Flutterwave or Klasha

Ensure you pay in USD so you won't be charged more.

Thanks alot. What's the exchange rate like on Klasha, black market too 600+ right?

Hello everyone,

I'll be needing any assistance or direction on how to get a one bedroom accommodation in Northwest Calgary. My budget is between 500-600 CAD. I would also like to know how I can pay for Airbnb from Nigeria since it's quoted in CAD/USD and our cards cannot make such payment.

Thanks in anticipation

Everygirl:
Furnished Airbnb room to rent in Downtown Calgary. Short term only.
Contact me at everygirlng@gmail.com if you are interested

If you have anyone in Northwest Calgary, I'll very much appreciate that. I'm coming in by August and need a place for about a week before renting. Thank you. Please do you have an idea of rent around Northwest for a one-room, I'll be attending UofC and Northwest is the closest

Good afternoon guys, congratulations to all recent ppr holders, many more to come by God's grace.

Please I'd like to know how one can book Airbnb from Nigeria considering the listings are in CAD/USD on the website.

Thanks in anticipation

ebyprecy:
Avoid US please unless you have transit visa.

Thank you

Osemigho:
Aviod any airline transiting USA except you have a valid USA visa. Aviod any fare that have two transit locations in Europe too. All the best.

Wow, thanks. I'll keep in mind.

Hello guys,

I have a question I'm a bit confused about something. I am heading to Calgary by August and so far from my research, airlines with connecting flight through the US have the cheapest fare. However, I have also googled to see that a transit visa is needed to pass through the US to another country. Please can anybody help clarify this for me. God bless.

Chinny90:
I am very much interested in how you were able to secure funding. I am thinking of seeking for admission into Ucalgary for fall 2023. Comp Sc

Go to the school's website, the department of computer science and see the profiles of all professors. Those that are accepting students often indicate it there. Then you can shoot your cold email to those you are interested in their research work. Check other U15 universities, they are money bag when it comes to funding.

Chinny90:
Congratulations. Please what was your grade point?

Thank you. 4.24/5.0

hotboss:
Congratulations brother. We are going to same school. Same course but mine is course based . We can connect .

Thanks alot, glad to meet you. I'd send you a message now

PPR ALERT GUYS

My Application Timeline and documents

Background
Undergraduate course: BSC Mechanical Engineering
Intended course in Canada: MS Mechanical Engineering
School: University of Calgary, Alberta
Previous Visa refusals: US study visa twice ( declared this in my application form, didn't discuss at all in SOP).
Employment: Currently serving, to pass out July 2022.

Portal: New Portal
Upfront Medical: January 13th 2022
Submission: January 25th 2022
Biometric: January 28th 2022
Biometric passed same day
Medical passed: February 9th
Ordered first GCMS notes: March 3rd 2022, it came April 4th, info sharing still on, eligibility not yet started.
Ordered second GCMS note: May 16th, but yet to arrive.
Eligibility review: May 19th 2022
BVL: June 6th 2022
PPR: June 8th 2022
Webforms: Major 3 ( to add my father's company profile, emedical sheet, and more local purchase order from contractors). Other webforms were to disturb IRCC, probably up to 10.

After my eligibility started, I sent emails everyday to Abuja and Nairobi, even till this morning before ppr came in.

Documents submitted

Purpose of Visit

1. LOA from UCalgary (MSc Mechanical Engineering)
2. BSc Mechanical Engineering Transcript
3. BSc Mechanical Engineering Certificate
4. Nysc Posting letter to Ogun state water corporation (to finish July)
5. Congratulatory email from supervisor

Finance
1. Full funding letter from UCalgary (18k stipend plus full tuition) for year 1 and 2
2. Support letter from Research Supervisor
3. Gift deed of 4 million from Dad
4. MBS showing the 4 million in my personal account (I didn't present my father's SOA)
5. Invoices from Father's business to show his source of income

Home Tie
1. Letter of Notification of future employment from my father's business (an engineering company)
2. Pictures of me volunteering on some past projects (explained I have been passionate about the business despite not being employed there)
3. Site pictures of past projects
4. Father's company profile (submitted by webform)
5. CAC and memorandum of association to prove the company belongs to my Father.
6. My birth certificate showing my father's name as it is on all company documents.
7. Other siblings birth certificate
8. Picture with parent at BSc Convocation
9. Full family picture
10. Work ID and National ID of parents

These documents were shuffled to fit into the different section of the portal during submission. Many were supporting documents for my SOP. I hope this helps someone out there to prepare for this journey. Cheers��

PLEASE I NEED SUGGESTIONS ON THE BEST FLIGHT TO CALGARY FROM LAGOS, THANKS IN ANTICIPATION GUYS.

ninab:
Did anyone get BVL alone without a decision from IRCC ?

I got bvl yesterday, no final decision yet. January applicant

Teemenzo:
If your medicals will expire by November 2022, you are good. Just resend the slip you have with explanations of when it will expire. A friend did that recently and it was passed. So do it immediately.

But boss, you know, he will still need a valid medical to travel eventually. This current one is still valid, but what about by the time he chooses to travel?

Olashile147:
Langara college

Thank you very much

PatrickOkunima:
Fanshawe is the fastest to get admission so far. You can only apply through an agent e.g. applyboard.com

Thank you very much, I'd inform the person involved.

Teekay20:
Sorry about the refusal. KPU is still opened till July 1st. Kwantlen Polytechnic University.

Thank you very much, I'd inform the person involved.

Hello guys, I trust we are all doing well. Please guys this is really urgent. A friend just found out her school is having issues of being a DLI plus she just got a refusal.

So she wants to reapply to another school that Fall 2022 application is still on for and she can get fast admission. Kindly suggest schools you may know guys, we would check the course we are interested in if it is open (marketing or banking and finance related courses)

Thanks so much in anticipation guys.

feistymikey:
LANDING GIST
PArt 2
I got to Germany around 6am, my next flight to Toronto was around 9:30 am, so I checked the screen for the exact gate I’ll board my flight cause it wasn’t really stated on my boarding pass. During this process, I met two Nigerians, a young guy like me who was also going to my school in London Ontario, and an Old man who was trying to find his way. So we decided to move together

Eventually we found our gate, we had to wait for about 2 hours for the flight to Toronto. When it was 9:20am, we proceeded to Air Canada for our next flight that lasted for 8hours 30mins (Longest 8hours of my life lol)… eventhough , there was good food, drinks, entertainment, etc… I was still tired. Got up so many times to pee sef just to stretch my legs. Forced myself to sleep like three times,….. and eventually we arrived in Toronto airport.

When we got there, I initially thought my study permit will be gotten at my final destination but eventually one of the airport staffs told me I was wrong and I’ll need to get it at Toronto airport.

I proceeded to the self declaration machines to register and all, proceeded to get my study permit. I was only asked for my passport and LOA. The guy was even joking with me and asking me about Naija girls and girlfriends…. Lol anyway, I got my study and work permit.

Proceeded to my next flight to London, had to wait for 4hours, eventually I got to London airport, my luggages that I checked in Lagos were already waiting for me. Picked them up, called my friend, he came to pick me up…. Then we drove to his place.

So far I’ve been adapting, blending, meeting new people, going to stores, paid for my apartment, opened a bank account, gotten a SIM card, gotten my SIN etc…
But na Job I Dey find now.
My classes will commence May 3rd. I look forward to that.

Thank you all for everything, the help and love. I’m grateful to God for bringing me this far.

Lol abeg if anyone has a plug or can help me with getting a job in London Ontario. Kindly let me know, God bless you, thank you

Your journey soft, your story sweet. May the land favour you... can't wait to share my landing gist for fall '22

CharitoJames:
Good morning All...
So here is a list of food items you can comfortably take to Canada.

Cray fish (blend it to avoid poking)

Stock fish

Smoked fish

Powdered maggi (chicken flavor isn’t allowed but you can repack in a ziplock and name it spice... no shaa forget say na maggi when you wan use am)

Palm oil ( Freeze it for about a week before you travel, let it turn to stone so it won’t defrost easily)

Blended dry pepper ( Red ones or even Cameroon pepper)

Egusi, Osu, Okpei, Achi

Beans, Bean powder

Ogbono ( blend too, we want everything neatly packed and don’t forget to put names on them)

Dry Iru

Spices ( friedrice spice oh, jollof spice oh etc)
Pepper soup spice.( trust me, you will need pepper soup alot, cold no be here)

Suya spice/Yaji ( If you grill chicken with yaji eh! You go chop finger, walahi)

Garri (packed in ziplock oh! Domestic carry sack like Mr Okoro)

Ground nut and Peanuts ( our Nigerian groundnut is on another level, you can’t get same taste in Canada... in plastic bottle oh)

Your favorite snacks that are not in Canada, pack them too. Na you go pay for extra luggage size.

Medication (Very important... there are no mosquitoes there but you fit still carry malaria drugs.. getting drugs over there isn’t as easy as walking into a pharmacy here..Get your paracetamol, flagyl, ibuprofen, vitamin C, your supplements etc

Aboniki balm ( Very important please, you won’t get hot balm over there and aboniki is sooo expensive there, get a pack or 2 if possible.

Ogi/ Akamu/ Pap (If you are a pap lover like me, mbok carry am go especially ginger pap..you can put in a ziplock and freeze to stone or NOT! Pap no dey quick spoil).

Ukpaka/ Ugba/ Oil bean ( If you still want your roasted plantain and yam feel over there, carry this along, you can just refrigerate and put in your bag the day you are traveling )

Vegetables ,Ugu/ Ewedu/ Bitter leaf ( Wash your bitter leaf to the point you want the bitter taste,put in a ziplock and freeze, slice your ugu after washing... allow to dry again like water never touched it and put inna ziplock.. pick your ewedu too and do like the ugu)

For the stubborn ones that must carry yam... slice it up, peel and cut in sizes then put in ziplock and leave in the fridge before you travel... yam can last up to 3 weeks even when stored this way, it will still be fresh any day you want to use it.

Okpa flour/Bambara nut ( I already said flour so don’t forget to grind it and name it)

Abacha

For my ladies, Don’t forget...

Relaxer

Pads ( Some of us have a particular one we are used to and don’t react to...so pack some with you before you get another one that will replace it over there... you wouldn’t want to start searching for a suitable pad the moment you get there.

Milk isn’t allowed but people take it in. Just repack in a ziplock and name it a different thing like bean flour, bambara powder, yam flour, rice flour/tuwo etc.. Just any powder that look like milk and please when they pick interest in your milk particularly, stand your ground without shaking and tell them it’s what you named it and not milk, go ahead and ask them to taste it if they want and ask them why you would want to take milk in when it’s not allowed... Like who gets this far and ends up wasting time because of milk. But if you will start shaking, kuku no carry milk.

NB: Every packed food item must be in Ziplock or transparent bag so it can be visible enough.

There are other food items but these are the most common ones. From this list, you can have an idea of other things you can carry.

I don’t think seeds are allowed because they think you will plant them.
No poultry products like chicken maggi and the rest, anything with chicken on it is a No even benny and mivina used to season chicken.. so pour content in a ziplock and name Spice M and Spice B.

Then your personal things shaa.
Go with a Universal Adaptor oh, very important because their sockets isn’t same as ours so you don’t get stock incase your chargers don’t fit in.

Guys, don’t bother going with your Nigerian clipper, it can’t be used there or so i heard.

Thanks

Thanks for this detailed information

Belle110:
I submitted my app on Jan 15

Good news for us soon

Belle110:
Yes please do, my eligibility has started

Thanks, what's your timeline too?

Hello guys,

I have submitted my application since Jan 25th, it's around the 11th week now, yet eligibility review hasn't commenced, my notes arrived last week and info sharing is still on, with no comments or notes from the VO at all. Please should I start disturbing them with emails and mailing MP of my province. Thanks

Ojb555666:
Thank you for the prompt response Bro but what I'm asking is how to know if a course qualifies for the PGWP in a school that is qualified or all courses qualify for it?

Once you check for the DLI, scroll to the left you'll see another section "eligible for PGWP"

If it's yes(details) it means not all courses will be eligible.

Better still mail the program coordinator to confirm

lilangel20:
Here is what my notes says...
I am fully funded with 11,700cad left after school fees payment...

How do you think I can tackle this in my next application?

Did you provide any personal funds on your end?

If your program is for two years, did you indicate that your funding will be provided for year 1 and year 2?

You need to clearly explain your funds, possibly use a table in your loe.

You may need to strengthen your home ties too....

Best of luck

Gokkyshow:
Good day all,

I would like to ask if canada shares info with UK and US. Someone mentioned to me that UK does not share info with canada and US. I have had a US refusal.

US, Canada, UK, New Zealand, Australia all share information...read about five eyes and fourteen eyes alliance. Whatever refusal you have had in the past from any country whatsoever, make sure you declare it when filling your application in the part that says "have you been refused a visa before?". Please do not hide your refusal, it is termed misrepresentation. Selah

Ojb555666:
good morning Bro, please how do I know if a program qualifies for a PGWP Sir?

Just Google up "list of DLI schools that offer pgwp in Canada" or just ask Google "does X university/college offer pgwp in Canada"

Ibukunsweet:
Hi guys, Great job here… Please can one use a first bank account for the MyBankStatement for proof of fund? I see a list of banks but first bank isn’t part of them.

Has anyone here used firstbank for the student express MyBankStatement Proof of fund?

Yes, I used firstbank MBS, walk-in to the bank and meet the customer care, they'll direct you. It cost 1k+ sha.

Good evening guys,
Please is there a way to know if additional documents submitted through webform has been added to one's application. I only got a donotreply email after submitting the webform and it's been way past five business days and still no other response from them. Thanks in advance