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Ray of hope - FSW - 1

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Emil1

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Aug 18, 2019
352
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assume you started your program tomorrow (which is impossible). for a PGWP your program needs to be at least 8 months long, and there are no 8 month long programs and the quickest one you can take is a 1 year long program. in that case, the soonest you can get your PGWP is 31.03.2022, which doesn't qualify you for CEC because you need to work in canada for 1 year. 1 year program usually gives you 1 year PGWP and let's assume you got employed right on the day you graduated (which is also impossible). then you'd qualify for CEC on 31.03.2023. exactly two years from now.

it'll take you at least 6 months to 1) get admitted to a program 2) get your study visa stamped and land
and at least another 6 months to get employed after you graduated. so that's at least another year.

In short, go down the study path and you can qualify for CEC in 3 years (IF you get lucky enough to be employed for 1 year in canada - you might run out of PGWP while looking for a job and starting late). It doesn't look like a great plan if you ask me. I think the study path is for people with really low FSW scores. 478 is great and you'll be sitting on that for another 13 months. Do you think you can get an ITA in 13 months? I'd guess so.
Actually, I was looking for a way to get to Canada faster. Since there are no FSW I'm not able to plan my life. If I knew how much time I have left I would be able to decide whether to move to another city while waiting for PR or staying in my city. I'm basically living for each day right now.


Your score is great and i guess general draw will be back in the coming months but to get an ita sooner there may be ways to decrease your score to be eligible for tech draws of ontario, for example by getting clb 9 in ielts instead of clb 10. I think ircc has really made me crazy.:)
Even if I take the IELTS again and get CLB 9, my score will decrease to 469, and the cut-off for Ontario tech draws is 467, so no way to to that. Plus I don't think I'm good enough in English to take an exam and know exactly what to do to get less than what I got before and still get an 8777.
 

_frankenstein

Star Member
Nov 18, 2020
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Hey guys, I don't really get why they're not resuming FSW. I mean, it usually takes like 6 months to get a visa after ITA, right? And in 6 months, the restrictions will be probably lifted, or eased out, given the vaccination rate. If they start today, people won't be entering Canada for another 5-6 months!
 

scylla

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My score is nowhere this good and never will be unless I do masters or learn a whole new language. It's been 48 hours I'm in the EE pool as an FSW candidate with CRS score 471. I was originally thinking of requesting EOR (to max out writing; from 7 to 7.5), but then I decided not to. Just an hour ago I wrote here why. I'd love to hear your opinion about my assumptions & current position, if you please.
If immigrating to Canada is a priority for you, then you should do whatever it takes to increase your score, even if this is just by a few points. A single point can make the different between being selected - or missing the cut off, then waiting a bunch of months for the score to drop, then losing points due to age which then reduces your chances further and ultimately missing your chance of being selected. This has happened to many people here.

You've made a bunch of assumptions about what is going to happen regarding the draws and scores. No one here can tell you what will happen. However new people enter the pool each day and my guess is that there's a lot more than 11K now in the pool with more points than you.

Ultimately this comes down to priorities. If immigrating is a big priority, increase your score, even if it's just by a few points. If not as much of a priority, then don't bother. It's your call.
 

Carmen01

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Oct 13, 2020
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Hey guys, I'm trying to increase my IELTS scores to get that 8-7-7-7. I got so close with my first try, but even if I get it I will score a CRS of 464.
In other words, I don't seem to stand a chance building on what I read in the past couple of pages. I have no way of hitting 471 or over. Even more, taking IELTS is almost 2/3 of my monthly salary. So I guess I should just give up and limit my losses, right? Or do I stand a chance later on in your opinion?
What’s your NOC? Have you considered PNP?
 

guelphite

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Jan 22, 2021
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Hey guys, I'm trying to increase my IELTS scores to get that 8-7-7-7. I got so close with my first try, but even if I get it I will score a CRS of 464.
In other words, I don't seem to stand a chance building on what I read in the past couple of pages. I have no way of hitting 471 or over. Even more, taking IELTS is almost 2/3 of my monthly salary. So I guess I should just give up and limit my losses, right? Or do I stand a chance later on in your opinion?
I don't see a future in which FSW draws go back down to 464. I don't think it is worth spending 2/3 of your salary on the IELTS to get to that.

I don't say this lightly because I know it is hard, but unless you can do a PNP stream I think learning French might be your best/only option. The government is highly committed to maintaining a certain level of Francophone immigration outside of Quebec, and FSW-type streams (either provincial or country level) are the only way to achieve that.

@mushymush has good strategies for learning French from scratch. I did it but started from A2/B1 so didn't have as far to go. You may need to adapt in your case bc of finances but it is probably a better investment than sitting the IELTS just to get a score that will never get you an ITA. And it will be way less than a degree. Plus, you won't need to spend as much money to learn once you get to the B1 level.

Bottom line, if you can score at high B2 level across the board in French I think you have a high chance of immigrating to Canada. And this can be done in a year with a lot of work.
 
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I don't see a future in which FSW draws go back down to 464. I don't think it is worth spending 2/3 of your salary on the IELTS to get to that.

I don't say this lightly because I know it is hard, but unless you can do a PNP stream I think learning French might be your best/only option. The government is highly committed to maintaining a certain level of Francophone immigration outside of Quebec, and FSW-type streams (either provincial or country level) are the only way to achieve that.

@mushymush has good strategies for learning French from scratch. I did it but started from A2/B1 so didn't have as far to go. You may need to adapt in your case bc of finances but it is probably a better investment than sitting the IELTS just to get a score that will never get you an ITA. And it will be way less than a degree. Plus, you won't need to spend as much money to learn once you get to the B1 level.

Bottom line, if you can score at high B2 level across the board in French I think you have a high chance of immigrating to Canada. And this can be done in a year with a lot of work.
I just have to add here that @Talal205 mentioned they currently have a score of 404. So even a high B2 in French would only get them to 468. It might actually be lower than that because the bonus for french is contingent on getting an NCLC7 in IELTS as well. So their best bet is to actually increase IELTS to get to 460+ and then french to get to 470+ (with a low B2) or 500+ (with a high B2). Unfortunately, one of the two will not suffice.

I'd say go mess around with the CRS calculator to see what combination you actually need. Based on what they've mentioned, high IELTS + french is the only way they stand a chance. Or PNP if they are in the right field of work. Incidentally 460 also seems to be the sweet spot for Ontario tech draws.
 
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jp9

Newbie
Sep 7, 2020
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I don't see a future in which FSW draws go back down to 464.
The last draw where 464 was enough to get an ITA was in October 2019. However, before the FSW draws were paused in December the cutoffs where actually trending down, so 464 would not necessarily have been out of reach with a few more draws. See for example this CRS cutoff score chart.

When FSW draws resume in earnest – hopefully in the summer or earlier – it is entirely possible that an increase in ITAs per round can get us down to 464 levels again. In the meantime, exploring alternative strategies as you suggest may be a good idea.
 

guelphite

Hero Member
Jan 22, 2021
318
303
Ontario, Canada
Category........
FSW
NOC Code......
2173
AOR Received.
28-10-2020
Med's Request
03-12-2020
Med's Done....
07-01-2020
The last draw where 464 was enough to get an ITA was in October 2019. However, before the FSW draws were paused in December the cutoffs where actually trending down, so 464 would not necessarily have been out of reach with a few more draws. See for example this CRS cutoff score chart.

When FSW draws resume in earnest – hopefully in the summer or earlier – it is entirely possible that an increase in ITAs per round can get us down to 464 levels again. In the meantime, exploring alternative strategies as you suggest may be a good idea.
Anything is possible I suppose but holding out for an FSW ITA at 464 is a dream not a plan. Definitely wouldn't advise someone to spend 2/3 of their monthly salary on that.
 

guelphite

Hero Member
Jan 22, 2021
318
303
Ontario, Canada
Category........
FSW
NOC Code......
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AOR Received.
28-10-2020
Med's Request
03-12-2020
Med's Done....
07-01-2020
Totally agreed. I was just pointing out that the scores may come down to that level eventually after FSW draws are resumed :)
Makes sense. It's just a different world now :(. People are looking for security, and there are so few attractive English speaking countries now that Aus immigration is closed down and the US is a sh*thole...
 
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Makes sense. It's just a different world now :(. People are looking for security, and there are so few attractive English speaking countries now that Aus immigration is closed down and the US is a sh*thole...
Hahahah aren't you a US citizen?

I lived in the US for 9 years and I loved it there, but I have to agree. The immigration policy there has destroyed my future. It is my fault though, I should've noticed it sooner and left many years ago, but I foolishly stuck with it thinking I'd get lucky (and that's all the US immigration system is. Luck.)
 
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guelphite

Hero Member
Jan 22, 2021
318
303
Ontario, Canada
Category........
FSW
NOC Code......
2173
AOR Received.
28-10-2020
Med's Request
03-12-2020
Med's Done....
07-01-2020
Hahahah aren't you a US citizen?

I lived in the US for 9 years and I loved it there, but I have to agree. The immigration policy there has destroyed my future. It is my fault though, I should've noticed it sooner and left many years ago, but I foolishly stuck with it thinking I'd get lucky (and that's all the US immigration system is. Luck.)
Ha yeah I am. The US has benefits for sure but half the country is insane and the government is cruel and dysfunctional. Sorry you got screwed over.
 

starlordavuthu

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Apr 13, 2020
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Hahahah aren't you a US citizen?

I lived in the US for 9 years and I loved it there, but I have to agree. The immigration policy there has destroyed my future. It is my fault though, I should've noticed it sooner and left many years ago, but I foolishly stuck with it thinking I'd get lucky (and that's all the US immigration system is. Luck.)
I dont think luck has anything to do with US immigration, I know I wont get my green card till 2031 or may be longer so does anyone who applied for green card, it just depends on where you are born (may be that has to do something with luck). US has its advantages and disadvantages but its a great place to live and build your life.
 
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