Applying for PR, can I apply for a Master's degree?

[kyc221]

Hello everyone,

I'm currently applying for Permanent Residency in the FAM category. My husband's from Edmonton, and we plan on settling there once I (hopefully) get my PR. If everything goes as planned, there's a good chance we'll get my PR by August; worst case scenario, December 2013.
I am a professional psychologist in my country. While I lived in Canada, I got my designation assessed by IQAS, which I understand is the correct institution for these evaluations in Alberta.

Because of the differences between the Chilean and Canadian educational systems, my degree was qualified as a BA in Psychology, which is not enough to practice as a Psychologist in Alberta. Considering this, hubby and I are planning for me to study in U of A, so as to get a Master's in Psychology and thus be able to practice in Edmonton.

My questions are as follows:
-Can I apply to start my MA in Sept 2013, considering I may not have my PR on time?
-If I am not able to be in Edmonton by Sept 2013, can I start my MA during the second semester?
-Would my application count as an international student's application? In that case, can I change my status for my 2nd year of studies?

I'll appreciate any insights, thank you!

 

[scylla]

You can certainly start the MA program before you have PR.

Whether you can start your MA in the second semester will depend on how the program is structured. You'll need to ask the school directly.

What fees you pay (foreign vs. domestic) will be up to the school and you'll have to speak with them directly on this item as well. Each school sets its own policies.

 

[kyc221]

You can certainly start the MA program before you have PR.

Whether you can start your MA in the second semester will depend on how the program is structured. You'll need to ask the school directly.

What fees you pay (foreign vs. domestic) will be up to the school and you'll have to speak with them directly on this item as well. Each school sets its own policies.

Thanks a lot. I've tried to contact Uni of A, but haven't been lucky so far. Will keep trying; thanks again!

 

[scylla]

Keep bothering them. I'm sure they'll respond eventually.

 

[kyc221]

Keep bothering them. I'm sure they'll respond eventually.

I finally contacted them today, and their news were not the best. Seems the educational systems are so different, that I was completely confused as to which program I had to apply to. I'm currently trying to re-assess my options, and the best one has an application deadline only 10 days from today ???

Anyway, I have a new question. Let's say I apply to a program and get accepted.
Could I apply to a student's visa so that I make sure I start on September 2013, considering I'm already applying for PR?
Let's say I am granted the student's visa. What happens with my PR application?
If there's no problem with going to Canada through a student's visa while my PR is being processed, what happens to my student's visa once my PR is approved? ???

 

[nakulgoenka]

I think, its better for you if you apply for your Master Degree after PR, because then have higher chances of getting Scholarship/Financial Aid. Secondly, the Fees for PR and Canadian is very low compare to international student.

Can you please tell me your view about pyscologist practice in canada, I mean does it have good scope ? Because my girlfriend is has also completed Masters in psychology and we are interested to bring her to canada as well

 

[kyc221]

I think, its better for you if you apply for your Master Degree after PR, because then have higher chances of getting Scholarship/Financial Aid. Secondly, the Fees for PR and Canadian is very low compare to international student.

Can you please tell me your view about pyscologist practice in canada, I mean does it have good scope ? Because my girlfriend is has also completed Masters in psychology and we are interested to bring her to canada as well

Thanks for your input. Hubby and I talked about it yesterday, and we agree it will be better for me to apply once I've got my PR. If everything goes as planned, I'll take all the required papers with me when I land in Canada, and then apply as a PR.

To answer your question, I've been looking at the prospects of a psychologist in Canada, and they're pretty good. There's currently a lack of psychologists (we're one of the 19 required professions for the Skilled Worker permit), so it's pretty easy to find a good, well paid job if you're registered in the College of your province. The problem is not whether you'll get a job as a psychologist or not, the problem is to get your studies recognized and thus allowed to register in the proper college.

In Alberta, psychologists require a Master's degree in order to be allowed to go through the registration process; in all other provinces you need a PhD. If you're not registered with your college, you can not call yourself a psychologist. It is a regulated industry (for obvious reasons).

Personally, I went through a 6 year program, which included 5 years of classes (up to 8 different subjects per semester, minimum of 5 per semester), a 5 month long internship (40 hours a week), and a research thesis that took 14 months to complete. According to IQAS (the institution that qualifies your studies' worth in Alberta), all of that was equivalent to a 4 year-long Bachelor in Psychology. That means I can't practice as a psychologist, nor apply to be a Registered Psychologist, unless I complete a MA degree in AB.

I think your girlfriend's case is better. If she already has a MA in Psych, it will depend on the province you plan to reside in. If you guys are planning to live in AB, then it'll depend on whether IQAS thinks her MA degree is equivalent to a MA degree obtained from a Canadian university.

I wish you the best of luck, and you're welcome to ask if you have further questions