Good morning all,

Please I need your advice on the next steps to take.

I already bought a return ticket to travel for my annual vacation next week Tuesday (July 5) on my B1/B2 Visa before I got an offer from the University of Maryland for MBA/MSc Information Systems (Fall 2022) with partial funding and a graduate assistantship.

I have made the first deposit and the school has sent the I-20 with the earliest admission date of July 23 and a program start date of August 22. However, I am yet to apply for a student visa because the available dates are way after the start date.

Please I need your opinions on whether it is wise to proceed with my travel as planned and try to change to F1 after I arrive in the US either by going to Mexico or wait in Nigeria till a date becomes available because I don't want complications. A newly admitted student in the same program told me that she paid an agent for an interview date but hasn't gotten in more than 2wks. I don't want to pay an exorbitant fee to change my ticket and still not get an interview date to enable me to join this cohort. That would mean deferring till January 2023 and the funding isn't guaranteed.

Please is there anyone here who has gone the route of applying for an F1 visa from neighbouring US countries or changed from B1/B2 to F1 in recent times? Please what is the success rate? I know that applying from Nigeria isn't certain and I am mindful of that as well because if the student visa is denied, entering the US on a visit visa becomes questionable because of a change of intent.

I have extensive travel history and never overstayed my visas. I have renewed my US Visa multiple times without issues and do not want to jeopardize that.

Please help.

Thank you

Hello @onward4life

onward4life:


Am a Panasonic sales man.
What's ur Location please
08067149907

Such a beautiful morning it is! So excited for the house!!! Had to come out of my silent mode, this is too much. Today is looking good already... Thank you Lord for answered prayers! Congratulations QSola, Ethelia, and Adlib007 on your PPR. Today's ITA clinchers, may your timeline be a speedy one.

Newmum0615, Osaze007 and all others expecting, the PPR mail would come through in no time by God's grace. Certainly, the end is near.

Congratulations ArabianRose, may I testify soon too. 16th week BC! *deep sigh*

To everyone one of us pre-ITA, may favour fall on us. e-hugs

Pheww I have given up on BC. 15th week! same old story.

ArcUgo:
As in eh mine is 9weeks today. I was even at BC today, still no show

Congratulations Opotuniti! That speed from the dreaded LVO... your case is truly different. It’s worth the wait after all.

Simply means the quality of the certificate you sent is not good enough, scan a better quality and resend. Not a big deal, I got the same when I sent mine initially.

frostfr89:
Morning Newmum0615,

Please i need your help, i just checked my mail and noticed WES required me to update my document. tried using fax and got this response.

Reason: The document received is of poor quality and cannot be read.

Instructions: Please request that your institution send clear and legible documents directly to WES. Note the keywords

Hi sthillz, it is via email. You don't have to travel there. I have sent you the contact of the person who does the verification. You need to be polite and be ready to answer the basic questions she would ask you. Her name is Mrs Kaka.

sthillz:
Good morning everyone

I have a question for Olabisi Onabanjo University alumni

How did the school receive the verification request from WES? Was it via email or physical mail?

WES has received my documents and status says it's reviewing them. I just want to prepare myself ahead for the verification request.

Thank you

Part 4 already! A big thank you to GS and all other selfless people here, God bless you all. Congratulations to those who got ITA yesterday! In this new thread, may ITA and PPR fall on us all.

Thank you so much Newmum0615. God bless you. Any suggestions on that?

Newmum0615:
Yup. I think you are fine. If you have the liberty to flesh it up more, it'd be ok but I think you can make do with this.

Please help with my NOC, 1122 seems to be the most similar. Is this in order? Thank you all for keeping the thread alive, the contributions in the past few days has been hilarious.

AM, Linkage and Strategy
• Prepare attainable short and long term work plans to measure organizational performance and efficiency
• Conduct assessments, develop strategic plans which recommend improvements on areas such as performance, operations, positive outlook and achieving other mandates of the Council
• Assist in preparing reports, correspondences, research papers and perform secretarial duties for the department
• Work cross-functionally with other departments to formulate and review policies that translate into beneficial results
• Assist in coordinating linkage programmes with tertiary institutions in Nigeria to promote education in the fields of accounting and financial reporting

Mr Aina 08056563877

The transcript itself is 51k, sent him an extra 5k for his stress and 16k for fedex to WES after the transcript was ready. He sent the tracking num thereafter.

sthillz:



Please we need Mr Aina's number too.

Im working out my transcript from OOU as well..thank you!

Jezme:
Is there anyone that can help me with WES verification for OOU/OSU? Any help would be appreciated

Call Mrs Kaka on 07052112362, I think she's in charge of the verification process. I called her on the same day I observed the school verification notice on my WES profile and got a mail the following day that it's been done and the review was in progress. Just ensure you tell her you got her num online from an ex-student if she asks, have your reference number and date the mail was sent at hand. Thanks to all the beautiful people on this forum! My second transcript from OSU was a speedy one despite the strike, got it without stepping a foot in the school even postage to WES was done by one Mr Aina I got his num from this forum. All I did was send money to him. There are still some good people! God bless you all! All the best!

I got a mail that mine is now at Sheba Event Centre
20, Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Ikeja, before FORD MOTORS. Anyone writing in the same centre?

Jezme:
Is there anyone writing IELTS exam tomorrow (6th)in Lagos? I got a text and email notifying me that test venue is no more at Ikeja but Gbagada

Quite a long post but hopefully worth reading. Thought it might help new immigrants and those planning to arrive soon.

https://www.quora.com/Many-have-said-Canada-gives-a-red-carpet-welcoming-to-your-immigration-application-but-it’s-not-easy-finding-a-job-Is-it-worth-going-there


5 EASY TIPS ON HOW TO GET CANADIAN EXPERIENCE

Here's a sad Canadian joke:

What's the safest place to have a heart attack?

At the back of a Canadian cab. Because the driver is most probably a doctor from a foreign country.

You start to giggle until you realize that you were once the driver, or you might be in his place very soon.

The Canadia experience issue has been a double edge sword for many immigrants for a long time - No Canadian experience, no job. No job, no Canadian experience. It's a vicious circle that has kept talented professionals unemployed or underemployed.

New Canadians are wondering why there were approved for permanent residency with their industry, only to be rejected with a "No Canadian experience" stamp at job interviews

We are going to take on the Candian experience challenge and uncover 5 ways you can obtain this biased credential and get the job you deserve to have.

I. Understand the disconnection

Let's start from the beginning. You were approved for permanent residency with your credentials as you were classified with the right NOC, and you got your college or university certificate attested by WES.

Yet, job offers never turned up. Heck, even job interviews never happened. And for the few times, when you did get an interview, you heard the dreaded "You don't have enough Canadian experience" or "Have you done this in Canada?"

And then you start to question the whole immigration process, screaming self-doubt, false hopes and even feeling cheated out of a better life.

Let's do a reality check for a quick second.

Hiring managers have three things in mind when they interview you:

1. Can you solve the problem I have?
2. Do you want this job?
3. Can you fit in with this company and my team?

Do you see any connection between their questions and the immigration process? No.

So even if the Canadian government welcomes you to the country or the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) is putting a policy (not law) in place to curb the Canadian experience problem, if you can't successfully answer these three questions for the hiring manager, you don't get the job.

And research by local universities and the OHRC has confirmed, the Canadian experience problem is closely tied to question 3. So let's expand on that.

II. Workplace Culture

Communication plays the biggest role in a team's culture. The hiring manager knows this. Langage barriers are seen as a big hurdle in any team environment.

Discussions, team meetings, water cooler gossip, arguments, and ideas are all sources of a team's progress and development. And if you have someone who does not communicate effectively, that's a serious problem.

English and French are the country's spoken languages. If you don't converse well in these languages, you most likely won't get past the interview. Accents are not so much of an issue as many companies in Canada accept and acknowledge diverse ethnic backgrounds.

If your English or French is not up to the mark, fortunately the Canadian government is here to help. The Ontario government, for example, offer Language Training for the workplace (LTFW), to assist immigrants in finding work in a specific field by offering sector-specific English as a second language (and French). For all provinces, you can check the Canadian government website here.

Now you might be thinking, I have worked for a Canadian company in my home country, so this doesn't apply to me. Not true. Every company, every branch, even every team inside the same company, has a different culture to varying degrees, and the hiring manager knows this.

III. Bridging the gap

When you touch down in Canada, you don't have Canadian experience. Period. But you can change that. Here's how:

1. Volunteering

Companies may reject you, but I've yet to see an organization turn me down for a volunteering opportunity. When you volunteer your services, it's a great way to connect with Canadian professionals and see first hand what this so-called "Canadian experience" is like.

You get to understand communication styles and professionally collaborate with others in a professional manner. These volunteering opportunities that you've taken advantage of goes a long way in your resume and your LinkedIn profile. Do include it there as a professional experience. If you're suffering from the Canadian experience problem, and the hiring manager will look at this and think - "OK, so this person does have some experience with professional Canadian culture."

A good place to start with volunteering is with Volunteer Canada.

2. Internships

My cousin was looking for jobs in accounting. She struggled with the Canadian experience problem. She eventually started a newcomers program with COSTI at the end of which they placed her into an internship with a reputable logistics company. The person she was working for ended up leaving the company three months after she joined, and she got the full-time job in her place.

There are several newcomer service programs that will promise you an internship position if you work hard at the program. Just because it's free for you doesn't mean you slack off. Tax dollars are paying for these courses so management of these programs want to make sure the government is providing them a healthy budget with promising candidates.

CareerEdge is another popular resource for internships. Take advantage of them!

3. Bridging Programs

If you are in a regulated industry, such as teaching, accounting, medical, engineering, architecture, understand that these industries are governed by strict policies and procedures.

Where I originally came from, my own family members suffered from medical malpractice and the doctors got away with it Scott free. Out here, in a regulated industry, a mistake can cost a company several millions of dollars in a lawsuit.

If you are a manager in Canada, would you hire a doctor from a country where malpractice has no repercussions? Or if you were the principal of a school, would you hire a teacher from a country where student abuse was ignored?

These bridging programs are here to help you understand the policies and regulations in Canada in your regulated industry that hiring managers and companies in the field must abide by.

Take on these bridging programs as early as possible to close the gap. Many educational institutes in Canada offer these.

4. Mentoring

Finally, while mentoring may not be something you put on a resume, finding a Canadian mentor can be beneficial to your knowledge in understanding Canadian workplace culture and the Canadian market in your industry.

Ten Thousand Coffees is a Canadian based organization dedicated to doing just that. You can contact industry leaders over Skype or, more ideally, over a cup of coffee.

Everwise and Canada Infonet are mentoring sites that we have personally used ourselves as well. When I immigrated to Canada, my mentor from Infonet was a project manager from the banking industry who gave me valuable advice on Canadian work culture, my resume, and job interview tips.

IV. Canadianize your job search strategy

Job searching has evolved beyond endless machine-gunning your resume to online job boards. You have to take a targeted approach to your job search strategy.

There are some additional points for new immigrants to consider to prevent hiring managers from playing the Canadian experience card.

1. Local References - Till date, I get called and emailed by hiring managers or recruiters about former employees who worked for me in Canada. Asking for references is common practice in Canada, and if your references are not based in Canada, that could be a problem.

This is why volunteering also adds value to your job search because you can use the contacts that you've established as local references. As a thank you for your free service, I'm sure that organizer of the volunteering event would be happy to act as a reference for you if you asked.

2. Networking - You've heard it many times before and you'll hear it again from us. Networking is the most important aspect of your job search. It plays even more of a critical role when you have a Canadian experience problem.

As we stated earlier, when a hiring manager looks at a resume, and they see foreign work experience, unconscious bias creeps into their mind. They may automatically assume you have a communication problem and lack of workplace cultural knowledge. One quote from a job seeker from the OHRC survey even stated that he felt his foreign name was working against him.

If there is one thing a resume cannot do, it cannot portray your personality. You may be from Timbuktu and have a 50 character name, but you have a winning personality and are the best fit for the job - hiring managers will not know this, until they meet you.

So don't just spray and pray your resumes on the online job boards. Get off the couch, and attend meetups. Google your industry and search for association and communities that you can become a part of and attend their events.

3. Local certification - If you can afford it, look for any certification from a local education institute. For example, project management is a transferable industry, as I like to call it. It's a skill that most hiring managers appreciate, and it is taught in several local educational institutes.

Likewise, find an educational program in Canada that's right for your job goals. This will positively be perceived as Canadian experience in the eyes of the recruiter and hiring manager.

V. Look for companies embracing diversity

The good news is, with Canada's immigration population on the rise, companies are more and more starting to embrace diversity in the workplace. Many types of research and studies have shown that diversity actually improves business performance and innovation.

Have a look at this list from Canadastop100 site that covers the top 100 companies renowned for diversity in the workplace.

If you take a targeted job search strategy and network with these companies and get into direct contact with them, this reduces the Canadian experience burden for you.

Fear Not

We understand that immigrating to a new country can be one of the most challenging times of your life. We've been there. A job search is a very stressful time, and it's even more stressful if you feel that your suffering from something you cannot control.

The Canadian experience problem is not out of your control. Take the necessary steps we spoke about on this post. It's not going to be easy and it will take more time and more effort.

Zero2Hired has always advocated that job searching is a job in itself. Think of the Canadian experience problem as being no different from a problem you face in the office. Meet the challenge head on and you'll be back in the workforce in no time.

Culled from: http://www.zero2hired.com/blog/5-easy-tips-on-how-to-get-canadian-experience

More useful links from him

http://www.zero2hired.com/blog/5-critical-changes-you-need-to-make-to-canadianize-your-resume

http://zero2hired.com/blog/the-canadian-job-market-how-to-discover-your-industry-%28even-if-you-live-abroad%29

Dear all, I ran into this and thought it might help.

https://www.quora.com/Many-have-said-Canada-gives-a-red-carpet-welcoming-to-your-immigration-application-but-it’s-not-easy-finding-a-job-Is-it-worth-going-there

5 EASY TIPS ON HOW TO GET CANADIAN EXPERIENCE

Here's a sad Canadian joke:

What's the safest place to have a heart attack?

At the back of a Canadian cab. Because the driver is most probably a doctor from a foreign country.

You start to giggle until you realize that you were once the driver, or you might be in his place very soon.

The Canadia experience issue has been a double edge sword for many immigrants for a long time - No Canadian experience, no job. No job, no Canadian experience. It's a vicious circle that has kept talented professionals unemployed or underemployed.

New Canadians are wondering why there were approved for permanent residency with their industry, only to be rejected with a "No Canadian experience" stamp at job interviews

We are going to take on the Candian experience challenge and uncover 5 ways you can obtain this biased credential and get the job you deserve to have.

I. Understand the disconnection

Let's start from the beginning. You were approved for permanent residency with your credentials as you were classified with the right NOC, and you got your college or university certificate attested by WES.

Yet, job offers never turned up. Heck, even job interviews never happened. And for the few times, when you did get an interview, you heard the dreaded "You don't have enough Canadian experience" or "Have you done this in Canada?"

And then you start to question the whole immigration process, screaming self-doubt, false hopes and even feeling cheated out of a better life.

Let's do a reality check for a quick second.

Hiring managers have three things in mind when they interview you:

1. Can you solve the problem I have?
2. Do you want this job?
3. Can you fit in with this company and my team?

Do you see any connection between their questions and the immigration process? No.

So even if the Canadian government welcomes you to the country or the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) is putting a policy (not law) in place to curb the Canadian experience problem, if you can't successfully answer these three questions for the hiring manager, you don't get the job.

And research by local universities and the OHRC has confirmed, the Canadian experience problem is closely tied to question 3. So let's expand on that.

II. Workplace Culture

Communication plays the biggest role in a team's culture. The hiring manager knows this. Langage barriers are seen as a big hurdle in any team environment.

Discussions, team meetings, water cooler gossip, arguments, and ideas are all sources of a team's progress and development. And if you have someone who does not communicate effectively, that's a serious problem.

English and French are the country's spoken languages. If you don't converse well in these languages, you most likely won't get past the interview. Accents are not so much of an issue as many companies in Canada accept and acknowledge diverse ethnic backgrounds.

If your English or French is not up to the mark, fortunately the Canadian government is here to help. The Ontario government, for example, offer Language Training for the workplace (LTFW), to assist immigrants in finding work in a specific field by offering sector-specific English as a second language (and French). For all provinces, you can check the Canadian government website here.

Now you might be thinking, I have worked for a Canadian company in my home country, so this doesn't apply to me. Not true. Every company, every branch, even every team inside the same company, has a different culture to varying degrees, and the hiring manager knows this.

III. Bridging the gap

When you touch down in Canada, you don't have Canadian experience. Period. But you can change that. Here's how:

1. Volunteering

Companies may reject you, but I've yet to see an organization turn me down for a volunteering opportunity. When you volunteer your services, it's a great way to connect with Canadian professionals and see first hand what this so-called "Canadian experience" is like.

You get to understand communication styles and professionally collaborate with others in a professional manner. These volunteering opportunities that you've taken advantage of goes a long way in your resume and your LinkedIn profile. Do include it there as a professional experience. If you're suffering from the Canadian experience problem, and the hiring manager will look at this and think - "OK, so this person does have some experience with professional Canadian culture."

A good place to start with volunteering is with Volunteer Canada.

2. Internships

My cousin was looking for jobs in accounting. She struggled with the Canadian experience problem. She eventually started a newcomers program with COSTI at the end of which they placed her into an internship with a reputable logistics company. The person she was working for ended up leaving the company three months after she joined, and she got the full-time job in her place.

There are several newcomer service programs that will promise you an internship position if you work hard at the program. Just because it's free for you doesn't mean you slack off. Tax dollars are paying for these courses so management of these programs want to make sure the government is providing them a healthy budget with promising candidates.

CareerEdge is another popular resource for internships. Take advantage of them!

3. Bridging Programs

If you are in a regulated industry, such as teaching, accounting, medical, engineering, architecture, understand that these industries are governed by strict policies and procedures.

Where I originally came from, my own family members suffered from medical malpractice and the doctors got away with it Scott free. Out here, in a regulated industry, a mistake can cost a company several millions of dollars in a lawsuit.

If you are a manager in Canada, would you hire a doctor from a country where malpractice has no repercussions? Or if you were the principal of a school, would you hire a teacher from a country where student abuse was ignored?

These bridging programs are here to help you understand the policies and regulations in Canada in your regulated industry that hiring managers and companies in the field must abide by.

Take on these bridging programs as early as possible to close the gap. Many educational institutes in Canada offer these.

4. Mentoring

Finally, while mentoring may not be something you put on a resume, finding a Canadian mentor can be beneficial to your knowledge in understanding Canadian workplace culture and the Canadian market in your industry.

Ten Thousand Coffees is a Canadian based organization dedicated to doing just that. You can contact industry leaders over Skype or, more ideally, over a cup of coffee.

Everwise and Canada Infonet are mentoring sites that we have personally used ourselves as well. When I immigrated to Canada, my mentor from Infonet was a project manager from the banking industry who gave me valuable advice on Canadian work culture, my resume, and job interview tips.

IV. Canadianize your job search strategy

Job searching has evolved beyond endless machine-gunning your resume to online job boards. You have to take a targeted approach to your job search strategy.

There are some additional points for new immigrants to consider to prevent hiring managers from playing the Canadian experience card.

1. Local References - Till date, I get called and emailed by hiring managers or recruiters about former employees who worked for me in Canada. Asking for references is common practice in Canada, and if your references are not based in Canada, that could be a problem.

This is why volunteering also adds value to your job search because you can use the contacts that you've established as local references. As a thank you for your free service, I'm sure that organizer of the volunteering event would be happy to act as a reference for you if you asked.

2. Networking - You've heard it many times before and you'll hear it again from us. Networking is the most important aspect of your job search. It plays even more of a critical role when you have a Canadian experience problem.

As we stated earlier, when a hiring manager looks at a resume, and they see foreign work experience, unconscious bias creeps into their mind. They may automatically assume you have a communication problem and lack of workplace cultural knowledge. One quote from a job seeker from the OHRC survey even stated that he felt his foreign name was working against him.

If there is one thing a resume cannot do, it cannot portray your personality. You may be from Timbuktu and have a 50 character name, but you have a winning personality and are the best fit for the job - hiring managers will not know this, until they meet you.

So don't just spray and pray your resumes on the online job boards. Get off the couch, and attend meetups. Google your industry and search for association and communities that you can become a part of and attend their events.

3. Local certification - If you can afford it, look for any certification from a local education institute. For example, project management is a transferable industry, as I like to call it. It's a skill that most hiring managers appreciate, and it is taught in several local educational institutes.

Likewise, find an educational program in Canada that's right for your job goals. This will positively be perceived as Canadian experience in the eyes of the recruiter and hiring manager.

V. Look for companies embracing diversity

The good news is, with Canada's immigration population on the rise, companies are more and more starting to embrace diversity in the workplace. Many types of research and studies have shown that diversity actually improves business performance and innovation.

Have a look at this list from Canadastop100 site that covers the top 100 companies renowned for diversity in the workplace.

If you take a targeted job search strategy and network with these companies and get into direct contact with them, this reduces the Canadian experience burden for you.

Fear Not

We understand that immigrating to a new country can be one of the most challenging times of your life. We've been there. A job search is a very stressful time, and it's even more stressful if you feel that your suffering from something you cannot control.

The Canadian experience problem is not out of your control. Take the necessary steps we spoke about on this post. It's not going to be easy and it will take more time and more effort.

Zero2Hired has always advocated that job searching is a job in itself. Think of the Canadian experience problem as being no different from a problem you face in the office. Meet the challenge head on and you'll be back in the workforce in no time.

Culled from: http://www.zero2hired.com/blog/5-easy-tips-on-how-to-get-canadian-experience

More useful links from him

http://www.zero2hired.com/blog/5-critical-changes-you-need-to-make-to-canadianize-your-resume

http://zero2hired.com/blog/the-canadian-job-market-how-to-discover-your-industry-%28even-if-you-live-abroad%29

All the best. Got the mail as well. Mine is on the 8th while others are on the 6th.

sleekchic:


I just got the mail now. I am having my speaking test on the 2nd and the others on the 6th of January

I rushed hurriedly to British Council but was assured no need to worry. They would start sending from tomorrow, more so it re-opens Jan 2nd. I initially called their num no luck, sent mail which failed too. All the best to us all. Congratulations to those who got their ITA! Ours is on the way!

sleekchic:
Good morning,

If you are scheduled for IELTS on the 6th of January and you haven't gotten any email about your speaking test date. Try to visit their office today or before 12noon tomorrow or send someone as they are closing for the year tomorrow.

All the best

Update, I just left British Council, they said the notifications haven't been sent out but speaking test is scheduled to hold btw 30th of December and 4th of January. So fingers crossed.

Lol, thanks

mcstan18:


Please save your $10, you will surely have better need for it in the coming weeks/months. Unless you want to bless a brother cos in this journey, even the widow's mite counts
Anyway, the free version will serve the purpose

Thank you Favoredme, I appreciate.

Favoredme:


@unstoppable, use hellofaxdotcom or myfaxdotcom or faxzerodotcom and follow their instructions. Use a plain sheet of paper to indicate your reference number and name. Then fax both that and your certificates to WES via 4169729004.

Thank you Mcstan, God bless you
That's where the confusion is. Would I need to receive anything from them subsequently, so I would know if the paid packages are better. I don't mind paying the $9.99 a month.
Thanks for the prompt response!

mcstan18:



- Visit https://app.hellofax.com/home
- Click on "Get started"
- Sign up with google or create an account using any email address you operate
- You may only be able to send (but not receive) fax messages except you pay a subscription fee

I have used this service and WES received my document and updated my profile accordingly in less than 4 hours. That's how efficient it is. I am sure the hard copies I sent via post would still be on it's way while this one had already resolved my issues. Enjoy!

Hello everyone,
Please help with an answer on how to go about sending my certificate to WES via fax. I have read the threads 1 and 2 for several weeks and can't seem to figure out how to go about it clearly. I have registered with WES Canada and hellofax.com and hope to pay the fees online soon. From extensive research, got several resources and I intend to write the IELTS ASAP. I once applied for transcript in OOU which I ended up not using and don't want to pay 80k applying for another. Kindly help! I need to set the ball rolling, want a different story in 2018! Seniors please come to my rescue o. By the way, your efforts are all commendable! Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedules to help people you barely even know.

Hello everyone
Please help with an answer on how to go about sending certificate to WES via fax. I have read the two threads for over two weeks and can't seem to figure it out clearly. I

Please help check VIN 4T1BK36B77U171114. Thank you.