Study in Canada: A hub for vocational courses

Team Careers360Updated on 16 Dec 2013, 12:25 PM IST

Academic Cycle

Application begins: 15 to 18 months prior to beginning of admission.
Sessions begins: September (Often, this winter session is split into two terms running September to December and January to April. Various forms of summer studies may be offered from May to August)
Visa cycle: Takes 3 to 4 weeks to process the Visa. Apply for it at least 2 months prior to start of semester (around July)

MORE students go to Canada to study vocational courses rather than pure academic or professional courses. These courses are popular as the students have immediate employment on their mind. The country does offer immense scope for working owing to its low population density. Thus, in Canada there are more takers for Postgraduate diploma in areas like Business Management, Engineering, Media, Hospitality and Computer Science among the Indian student population. University of Toronto, McGill University and University of British Columbia remain popular among those who wish to pursue academic courses.

There is equally large demand for vocational colleges like Humber College, Centennial College and Fanshawe College. Since there exists a very structured national curricular framework, movement is easy between streams. The country is believed to be extremely picturesque and clean.

As a result, most Universities and colleges have large sprawling campuses and provide accommodation to the students. The Canadian winter is extremely harsh and ruthless. Indian woollens usually do not serve the purpose. As a result, it is advisable to buy the woollens from the country. Students in their final semester should start looking for jobs as the postgraduate work visa takes 90 days to process. However, now with the two-years of degree programme, the student can obtain three years of work permit to work anywhere.

VISA GUIDELINES

Before applying for Student Visa (study permit), you should have the letter of acceptance from a recognized college or university and a valid passport. One should also possess the relevant financial documents that show sufficient funds to support the entire duration of stay in Canada.
The Visa Application fee is 125 Canadian Dollars (equivalent to Rs. 5,470) and Rs. 700 as processing charges.
Processing Time for Study Visa varies from 15 days to 30 days for receipt of initial response. Upon receipt of initial response, students have to submit Medical Examinations reports.

DUPED BY AN EDUCATION AGENT

Shivang Daswani
Returned from Canada this August

AS one notices, he is still under the process of healing from his unpleasant experience of Toronto, Canada. He returned within eight months of stay with no qualification and a whopping loss of Rs. 12 lakhs.

The story began in early 2009 when he landed at a consultant’s office. The office told him that he can pursue 2-year diploma in Business Administration-Accounting (Major) from any college in Canada and can get enrolled in Chartered General Accountants Course or CGA, which is a globally recognized professional degree course. Shivang agreed. By January 2011, Shivang was in Toronto.

The horrible truth dawned then- unless he completes a 4-year degree course in BA-Accounting he is not eligible to get admission in CGA which is a 4–year degree course. A total of 8 years of study, it meant. The credits from Centennial College where he was enrolled were not transferable for CGA enrolment. Shivang was devastated. Then another reality hit him hard. It was regarding work opportunity while studying. Though the consultant told him that students can earn up 15-18 (Canadian) dollars for an hour, Shivang discovered that earning beyond 10-11 dollars is not a possibility, provided one finds a job on-campus. The agent’s office didn’t tell him that in order to get a job on-campus one must possess a degree in subjects like computers, PR, marketing etc., or must have three-four years of prior work experience. As a fresh student, Shivang automatically didn’t stand a chance. Further, he learnt that only after six months of sticking to one college can a student obtain permit to work outside campus. “But again, one needs to have a certain Grade Point Average or GPA,” he says, having learnt the conditions later. There are many such kinds of criteria to be fulfilled to obtain work permit. “It is an expensive country and I was trying to get a job all the time but was unable to,” he says. A helpless Shivang returned to India after completing only two semesters.

“We sold our house to pay for the studies,” says the Delhi boy whose father is a government employee. Shivang is now pursuing a degree in BCom (P) from Delhi University through correspondence. He still finds himself at crossroads but his bad experience has taught him to take each step wisely from now on.

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