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Study Permit Challenges for Nigerian Applicants

Omeikechuka

Newbie
Aug 22, 2019
2
0
Please am a Pharmacist and am just about to conclude my internship program here in Nigeria am 24, and looking to do my masters at Canada, i have my transcript and am still in the process of applying for a college of choice, please I need guidance through the process, another challenge I have is that my Dad is late, and my sponsor is my Aunt in the UK, does this in any way affect the visa application?.. Since she isn’t a Parent of mine and we don’t bear the same surname.
 

moetariq

Newbie
Jun 10, 2019
6
2
Hello Moetariq,

I hope well. Please note that I have no affiliation with the people who helped you to get the caips/gcms notes. I have no knowledge of their success rates. You will have to take a personal decision whether you want to go with them or not.

I wish you the very best.

Omofar
Your dissociation is Noted Omofar.
I just want your opinion please.
I read the V.O's note on page 45 of the GCMS, it was brief and his concern was my "vague study plan which was poorly documented." There's no mention of my age or why am I doing a certificate after having a Masters degree?

Does this mean if I reapply and send a detailed and well-documented study plan i have a chance? Cos no other reason was given. Pls reply with ur thoughts
 

Omofar

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Jul 13, 2013
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Your dissociation is Noted Omofar.
I just want your opinion please.
I read the V.O's note on page 45 of the GCMS, it was brief and his concern was my "vague study plan which was poorly documented." There's no mention of my age or why am I doing a certificate after having a Masters degree?

Does this mean if I reapply and send a detailed and well-documented study plan i have a chance? Cos no other reason was given. Pls reply with ur thoughts
You will have to address that specific query as well as the one on the refusal letter. I feel the VO's comments are still in line with what I said. He/she does not really understand why you are applying for such a program. You need to either apply for an appropriate qualification or respond and clarify the reason for applying for such a qualification, and the merits to you. Please note that it must be compelling enough to convince the VO. While it may not be directly mentioned, age is a big factor in your application. you need to justify why you are pursuing this degree at such an advanced age and not earlier. It is suggestive of dual intent, meaning you may not have an intention to return to your home country upon completion of your studies. The guys that got your gcms notes should have interpreted it for you as well, perhaps you did not pay for that service.

All the best.
 

Omofar

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Jul 13, 2013
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GIS Session #3: Guidelines for a Decent SOP

Hi Everyone, I hope you are all well. I thought I should give a simple guideline on how to write your SOP. A lot of people fill the SOP with irrelevant things that do not matter. I hope the guide below will assist someone in how to write their SOP. Happy reading.

So what is the SOP in the first place? In simple terms, it is a summary of why you are applying for the study permit. It should clearly address the 3 key fundamental issues that concern every study permit application. A clear purpose of visit, demonstrable proof of financial capacity, and intention to return to one's own country upon completion of the program.

A good SOP should follow a simple structure as described below

a) It should not be more than 500 words or a page. The VO does not have time for long stories. Too many applications to deal with. The longer your story, the less convincing it becomes. It should be straight forward. There could be exceptions to this rule, but generally, a page should be sufficient to convey what you want to say.

b) 1st Paragraph- Simple introduction of yourself. Your excitement at being offered admission to study the course of your dreams. If you are working, this will be a good time to mention your work, job description and how it ties into the course of study and how it will further enhance your career prospects. This should not be more than 5-6 lines in total.

c) 2nd-Paragraph- You need to explain here that you have paid x amount of your tuition and let them know that you have included an official receipt from the school. You also need to explain the source of funding, whether its personal savings or in conjunction with that from your parents. You also need to explain why it is a worthwhile investment, why it is a better program than the ones being offered in Nigeria and how it will enhance your career prospects upon completion of the program.

d) 3rd-Paragraph- You need to elaborate on your plan to reintegrate into the Nigerian labor market in Nigeria upon completion of your studies, how you plan to re-establish yourself etc.

e) Final Paragraph- You close here with what you believe you stand to gain by [pursuing a Canadian education, and your reasonable expectation for a positive outcome of the application.

All the best

Omofar (Theophilus1980@gmail.com)
 
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Omofar

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Jul 13, 2013
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Hello Everyone,

Bad news guyz, you need to know what you are doing before putting in a study permit application to Canada. Even at that, your sucess is not guaranteed.

https://studentimmigration.ca/who-gets-a-study-permit-for-canada/


Canada’s high rejection rate of international students is being driven by study permit refusals from a handful of countries, most of them in Africa, Central Asia and the Middle East.

Immigration officials rejected more than a third of all study permit applications this year and last year, but the refusal rate varied widely by the student’s citizenship.

International students from 31 countries had a less than two in 10 chance of getting a permit to study in Canada. That group includes students from Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Angola, Togo, Eritrea, the People’s Republic of the Congo and several conflict zones, including Afghanistan and Yemen.

In many cases, the refusal rate has increased dramatically in recent years. For example, more than half of all Nigerian applicants won a study permit in 2013, but fewer than 20 per cent of Nigerian applicants were granted a study permit in the first four months of this year.

The refusal rates in the map above and table below are based on statistics provided by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

“There have been no significant policy or processing changes that would affect the approval rate of study permits.”

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship communications advisor Shannon Ker provided this statement about the trend:

“We can tell you that officers assess study permit applications, like any other type of application, on a case-by-case basis, based on the facts presented by the applicant.

“Officers treat all applications in the same manner, though external factors, such as changes in socio-economic conditions in the country of origin, can have an impact on the assessment of an application. There have been no significant policy or processing changes that would affect the approval rate of study permits.”

Victor Satzewich is a sociology professor at McMaster University who has studied how immigration officers make decisions.

He said there are several reasons that a cluster of countries in Africa could be seeing higher refusal rates than other countries, and higher refusal rates than they had in the past.

Many of the asylum seekers crossing into Quebec have come from Nigeria. That may be colouring how officers are viewing applications from Nigerian students, he said.

“The Nigerian case is interesting in light of broader concerns about Nigerian refugee applicants. It wouldn’t surprise me that people applying to be students would get caught up in that. The mesh might be tighter for students who want to come from Nigeria (because) the visa officer there might have concerns about the genuineness of travel.”

Officers will reject a study permit application if they don’t believe the applicant will return to their home country after finishing their studies or the applicant does not have enough money to support themselves in Canada. Applications may also be rejected if the student has a criminal record, is a security threat, has a medical condition that poses a danger to the public or has a history of immigration violations in any other country.

“The broader concern for an immigration officer is, ‘Will they go back to their country of origin?'”

Another reason for the high refusal rates for African students could be simple economics, Satzewich said.

“A general issue for people from Africa and students more generally are the funds they have available,” he said, referring to a rule that requires students to prove they have enough money to support themselves in Canada and that the money was legally obtained.

“In poorer countries, it’s harder to accumulate those funds. If a country has a lower GDP, it may be harder to do show sufficient funds and it may be harder to obtain the paperwork to show the funds are legitimate.”

Two other factors make it harder for students from poor countries and conflict zones, he said.

If a country is in trouble and citizens are desperate to leave, immigration officers may wonder if they really want to come to Canada to study, or if they just want to get in the country to stay.

Satzewich said some students are disadvantaged because it is harder for them to travel internationally. Applicants who have travelled to a wealthy nation and returned to their home have an advantage, he explained, because that is an indication to the immigration officer that they are likely to return home after studying in Canada.

But may wealthy nations require tourists from many African countries get a visa just to visit. Applying is costly, takes a long time and the visa is not guaranteed. That means many African students don’t have the same opportunity to bolster their study permit application with international vacations, he said.

“The broader concern for an immigration officer,” he said, “is, ‘Will they go back to their country of origin?'”

All data provided or published by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Data for 2018 in the map and table reflect study permit applications processed between January 1 and April 30, 2018.
 
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Maggybest

Newbie
Aug 22, 2019
7
1
Many thanks to @BHA@1234 for your assistance. Prisca with regards to the lump sum in your dad's account you have to truth fully explain the source. 1. Is it truly your Father's money, if it is then explaining how the money got there should not be a problem. It could be from his salary or his business interests, inheritance, or business transaction such as a sale of a property etc. But if the funds belong to your dad truly, explaining its source should not be a problem.

Also the SOP is not the place to explain the source of funding for your studies, the proof of financial support is the place to explain source of income. Your father will have to explain what he does for a living and show proof of the income generated.

All the best.

Omofar
Hello I submitted my second study visa application after a previous denial on 30th of August via paper submission and my classes is supposed to start in September but I've not received any response from cic yet. Please I want to know if they can still issue a study permit after
 

obabyboo

Newbie
Apr 24, 2019
1
0
Hi Omofar. Good day to you. Great job you are doing to help people achieve their goals, may God in his infinite mercies bless you. I am new here and i will like your help, assistance in my quest to study in Canada please this is my Email : minduminobe@yahoo.com please do send me your whatsapp no or Email. Thank you and once again God bless you for the time you give to assist people
 

Brian prince

Star Member
Mar 5, 2019
61
4
Hello good day everyone.
Please apart from the UK (London) and Kenya (Nairobi) visa offices, are there any other visa offices that process student visa for us (Nigerians)
 
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Omofar

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Jul 13, 2013
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Hello good day everyone.
Please apart from the UK (London) and Kenya (Nairobi) visa offices, are there any other visa offices that process student visa for us (Nigerians)
Hello Brian prince,

I think this is an excellent question. I wish I knew the answer. In my opinion, the Ghananian office was much more lenient, but when things were moved to the Nairobi and London offices, things went south for Nigerian applicants. Unfortunately, for now, it appears its only those two offices.

Unless you are living in another country legally and you submit by hand, all applications for people living in Nigeria, and applying from Nigeria goes to either of the two.

All the best.

Omofar
 

Brian prince

Star Member
Mar 5, 2019
61
4
Hello Brian prince,

I think this is an excellent question. I wish I knew the answer. In my opinion, the Ghananian office was much more lenient, but when things were moved to the Nairobi and London offices, things went south for Nigerian applicants. Unfortunately, for now, it appears its only those two offices.

Unless you are living in another country legally and you submit by hand, all applications for people living in Nigeria, and applying from Nigeria goes to either of the two.

All the best.

Omofar
Thank you very much
 

Juliebz

Newbie
Aug 7, 2019
2
0
Dear Omofar,

Goodmorning, please I need your urgent assistance on my application. I have been refused a study visa on grounds of funding. Kindly send your contact details to my email address juliebz@yahoo.com.

I really can’t wait to testify here like others. Thanks in anticipation of your response
 

Omofar

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Jul 13, 2013
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Dear Omofar,

Good morning, please I need your urgent assistance on my application. I have been refused a study visa on grounds of funding. Kindly send your contact details to my email address juliebz@yahoo.com.

I really can’t wait to testify here like others. Thanks in anticipation of your response
Hello Juliebz,

I hope well. Thanks for visiting this thread. Until I critically assess your situation, I cannot say. But if the main reason for your denial is the issue of funding, then that is what needs to be addressed and resolved.

I have sent you an email.

Take care.

Omofar
 

OmaEzunu

Newbie
Aug 16, 2019
1
0
Goodmorning Omofar,

I want to thank you for everything you have been doing in this platform.
please I need your urgent assistance on my application. I have been refused a study visa on grounds of
*funding
*purpose of visit
*family ties in Nigeria.
Kindly contact me through my email address vivasprofile@gmail.com

I hope to hear from you, thanks.