New Policy for International Students - April 12th, 2021

[SatNight]

I just want to say something about the stream. I don't like how we were pitted against each other, to the point of deciding who is more "worthy" of getting a PR. Let's face it: the stream was announced in the last minute, and it was mainly down to luck (who had language results ready, who managed to book a spot, etc.) I can't fault anyone who happened to have their language results ready. Furthermore, these are all university graduates - not "low skill" immigrants. Just because someone happens to work at a fast food joint at the moment, doesn't mean they are low skill.

However, I feel that there was something profoundly unfair about this stream. It was announced last minute and many highly skilled immigrants who have NOC 0, A or B jobs didn't get to apply. Because of this, I feel the only fair thing to do would be to keep CEC-only draws in the future or to make application easier for these candidates. Don't leave us hanging just because we didn't happen to have our language test ready on the day this stream opened. My wife has a PhD from a Canadian university and teaches at the university. She is highly qualified and with a skilled job all throughout the pandemic. And I know she is not alone in terms of highly skilled candidates that we know Canada wants to attract. I feel these candidates deserve a chance to apply and not to have to compete with months of outland candidates and unreasonably high scores.

 

[mikeymyke]

The whole thing was crappy from the start. I can't imagine how the people who paid to take the IELTS tests for this week are feeling, since they can't get their money back and have an upcoming test that's probably useless to take. Seeing as how the student stream went so fast, I wonder how many of the 40,000 are just desperate ineligible people and how many actual eligible people have missed out.

 

[SatNight]

The whole thing was crappy from the start. I can't imagine how the people who paid to take the IELTS tests for this week are feeling, since they can't get their money back and have an upcoming test that's probably useless to take. Seeing as how the student stream went so fast, I wonder how many of the 40,000 are just desperate ineligible people and how many actual eligible people have missed out.

My wife had her test today! She was bummed yesterday but we still need a language test results, so this was needed. I feel for those who had their test early in May but their results are not out yet!

Yes, I also wonder about ineligible candidates. Like I said, it was down to luck who got to apply, so I am not mad at that. But ineligible candidates applying... I admit, I don't feel good about that. They essentially took spots from someone else and wasted 1000+ dollars in the process.

I wish they could open spots that were taken by ineligible candidates, but I am not sure this hope is particularly realistic.

 

[bongoman]

I actually don't think I have seen a requirement that you remain employed until PR is granted, only at time of application.
This whole thing was a terrible way to do things, even providing clarity about what the portal would look like and exactly how you would need to upload forms, loes and extra sheets would have helped a lot of people.

 

[bongoman]

My wife had her test today! She was bummed yesterday but we still need a language test results, so this was needed. I feel for those who had their test early in May but their results are not out yet!

Yes, I also wonder about ineligible candidates. Like I said, it was down to luck who got to apply, so I am not mad at that. But ineligible candidates applying... I admit, I don't feel good about that. They essentially took spots from someone else and wasted 1000+ dollars in the process.

I wish they could open spots that were taken by ineligible candidates, but I am not sure this hope is particularly realistic.

About half the amount will get refunded.

 

[nagn]

Hey everyone, I’m super anxious right now. I’ve only recently started working on May 3rd and got my letter on May 5th, no paystub yet but I was able to write a LOE. However, instead of submitting the letter in the “Proof of work” section I uploaded the LOE for paystub instead. I freaked after checking and immediately submitted a Webform with the right document and my UCI. I never received any submission confirmation for the Webform. I thought I was fine but someone called IRCC this morning and apparently they said that they don’t receive webforms without an application number. So, my question is, would they straight up reject my application because I’m missing the letter or would I have the chance to receive the application # before they start processing it?

 

[SatNight]

About half the amount will get refunded.

Right. I apologize. They wasted 500 dollars.

 

[bongoman]

Hey everyone, I’m super anxious right now. I’ve only recently started working on May 3rd and got my letter on May 5th, no paystub yet but I was able to write a LOE. However, instead of submitting the letter in the “Proof of work” section I uploaded the LOE for paystub instead. I freaked after checking and immediately submitted a Webform with the right document and my UCI. I never received any submission confirmation for the Webform. I thought I was fine but someone called IRCC this morning and apparently they said that they don’t receive webforms without an application number. So, my question is, would they straight up reject my application because I’m missing the letter or would I have the chance to receive the application # before they start processing it?

Employment is a basic requirement of eligibility so I could see not providing it causing a problem.

 

[Frisk]

I just want to say something about the stream. I don't like how we were pitted against each other, to the point of deciding who is more "worthy" of getting a PR. Let's face it: the stream was announced in the last minute, and it was mainly down to luck (who had language results ready, who managed to book a spot, etc.) I can't fault anyone who happened to have their language results ready. Furthermore, these are all university graduates - not "low skill" immigrants. Just because someone happens to work at a fast food joint at the moment, doesn't mean they are low skill.

However, I feel that there was something profoundly unfair about this stream. It was announced last minute and many highly skilled immigrants who have NOC 0, A or B jobs didn't get to apply. Because of this, I feel the only fair thing to do would be to keep CEC-only draws in the future or to make application easier for these candidates. Don't leave us hanging just because we didn't happen to have our language test ready on the day this stream opened. My wife has a PhD from a Canadian university and teaches at the university. She is highly qualified and with a skilled job all throughout the pandemic. And I know she is not alone in terms of highly skilled candidates that we know Canada wants to attract. I feel these candidates deserve a chance to apply and not to have to compete with months of outland candidates and unreasonably high scores.

There are changes coming to EE as well according to the 2021 budget, IMO the best course of action would be to keep separate draws and decrease the number of ITA's per round. For example, hold 4 draws per month BUT rotate the program: one week PNP, one week CEC, one week FSW and one week FST. It's the only way I can see of keeping reasonable scores/program

 

[bongoman]

They didnt even implement the language test check thing like they already have for Express entry where you need to enter test scores and number/pin. A lot of people submittted LOEs for language eating up space when they didn't qualify.

 

[captainarabiia]

How much does it cost to get medicals done?

 

[captainarabiia]

They didnt even implement the language test check thing like they already have for Express entry where you need to enter test scores and number/pin. A lot of people submittted LOEs for language eating up space when they didn't qualify.

Agree, was expecting something stringent in place. But the forms did specify language test results (yes or no) and then no had " do not apply " , but people are well known to provide LOE's

 

[bongoman]

Agree, was expecting something stringent in place. But the forms did specify language test results (yes or no) and then no had " do not apply " , but people are well known to provide LOE's

Number one rule of data entry, never trust the user.

 

[SatNight]

There are changes coming to EE as well according to the 2021 budget, IMO the best course of action would be to keep separate draws and decrease the number of ITA's per round. For example, hold 4 draws per month BUT rotate the program: one week PNP, one week CEC, one week FSW and one week FST. It's the only way I can see of keeping reasonable scores/program

I like your idea, Frisk. I feel it would be a fair thing to do. Hopefully, they themselves are aware what mess this stream proved to be. Nothing against you or any other eligible candidate who applied, but it was handled badly and I hope they'll do something not to be unfair to highly qualified candidates working in skilled jobs who didn't have a chance to apply for this. For example, by not making CEC more difficult.

 

[Frisk]

I like your idea, Frisk. I feel it would be a fair thing to do. Hopefully, they themselves are aware what mess this stream proved to be. Nothing against you or any other eligible candidate who applied, but it was handled badly and I hope they'll do something not to be unfair to highly qualified candidates working in skilled jobs who didn't have a chance to apply for this by making CEC more difficult.

I just think that the gap between CEC and FSW is too large to be considered a competition. CEC applicants and FSW bring to Canada very different things.

Express Entry is flawed, and this comes from long before covid, in 2019, in a matter of a few months average cutoff scores went from 440's to 470's for all-program draws and have stayed like that ever since. The backlog now is bigger and if you look at the current composition of the pool, you don't need a PhD to figure out that once FSW draws resume we'll get the highest cutoff score ever for an all-program draw.

Future CEC applicants who couldn't get their 1 year before this happens, will have to wait for months until scores go back to the 460's.