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Letter of explanation after refusal (Requesting your Review and comments)

J

Jumane Tx

Member
Jun 23, 2022
19
4
As per the heading; I received a refusal for my study permit and I have drafted a letter of explanation to address the refusal reasons. Please review this to help me make some modifications before submission hoping to also help others who are in the same situation like mine

Respected Authority,
Subject: Student Visa Permit Re-application Reference Application no: *******

I am writing this letter in reference to the re-application of my study permit. My previous application was refused based on two factors, which I have respectfully responded to in this letter. I have also made significant changes to my study permit application by adding more explanations about myself, and by adding new supporting documents as listed in each explanation section. In order to attend the university I was admitted to, I need a Visa approved by XXXX date, therefore I have endeavoured to provide as much supporting information as possible in order to leave no questions unanswered. First, I will address the two reasons given for denial in the correspondence letter in response to my first application. Then I will address a few other areas where there may be some concern in order to leave no doubts for the reviewer.

Please allow me to address the reasons that were stated in the correspondence letter, which are as follows:

I am not satisfied that you will leave Canada at the end of your stay as required by paragraph R216(1)(b) of the IRPR (https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/sor-2002-227/section-216.html). I am refusing your application because you have not established that you will leave Canada, based on the following factors:
  • The purpose of your visit to Canada is not consistent with a temporary stay given the details you have provided in your application.
  • Your assets and financial situation are insufficient to support the stated purpose of travel for yourself (and any accompanying family member(s), if applicable).

Justification:
  • The purpose of your visit to Canada is not consistent with a temporary stay given the details you have provided in your application.

I have been admitted to the University of Waterloo for a Master of Engineering in Electrical and Computer Engineering program, this program was designed especially for professionals seeking advanced training to enhance and strengthen a career in the field of engineering.

I hold a bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from ***** and I have been employed by ***** Rwanda Ltd for the past 4 years. In my current position which I have been holding for 3 years, among other duties I design, maintain, and test software tools used to manage geodata. My manager and I have realized that in order to increase my scope of work in software, I need to undertake graduate studies. There is a considerable amount of overlap between designing, maintaining, and testing software tools and the Software side of Computer Engineering. The Electrical and Computer engineering department at the University of Waterloo offers several courses in software specialization that incorporate this overlap very well (https://uwaterloo.ca/electrical-computer-engineering/graduate-students/courses/master-engineering-meng-specializations#SoftwareEngineering).

My sole purpose for visiting Canada is to attend the University of Waterloo for this program. I want to learn advanced software development skills that will help me expand my knowledge which in turn will expand my scope of work. During my visit, I wish to interact and work with my fellow students and my professors at the department to learn from their experiences.

Upon completion of this program, I wish to return back to Rwanda and resume my responsibilities at ***** Rwanda Ltd. There is immense potential for someone with advanced skills in software development at ***** Rwanda Ltd. A graduate degree from the University of Waterloo will help me to be able to pursue more challenging and rewarding projects at *****.

I have attached a letter from ***** which attests that I have been given the approval to take a sabbatical leave and join this program, provided I return to my employment at ***** Rwanda after one year.

To support the above points, I have attached the following documents
  • Exhibit A: The receipt of $57,000 CAD from University of Waterloo shows that my first-year tuition fee payment and housing fees have been paid in full.
  • Exhibit B: A letter from my employer attesting that they have approved a one-year sabbatical leave and that I will be required to continue with my employment after completing my studies.
  • Exhibit C: The bank statement for my savings account with XXXX, which is enough funds to cover my meals for the whole year along with my ticket to and from Canada.
  • Exhibit E: Statement of my UTT AMIS investment account with 96,955,166.7581 TZS (~$53,932.64 CAD) that I jointly hold with my father.
  • Exhibit F: Proof of a 20-year Treasury Bond with a value of 60,000,000 TZS (~$33,375.82 CAD) that I jointly hold with my father.
  • Exhibit G: A letter from my father to attest my ownership of the Treasury Bond and UTT AMIS investment account.
  • Exhibit N: Fee estimate for one year from the University of Waterloo for the program I have been admitted to.


  • Your assets and financial situation are insufficient to support the stated purpose of travel for yourself (and any accompanying family member(s), if applicable).

I would like to provide more evidence about my assets and financial situation that I did not provide in the first application. First, I would like to make it clear that my mentor and former colleague is the one who is funding my studies at the University of Waterloo. She is doing this using the funds she obtained from her equity in our company, something granted to US employees but not international employees (like me). Please see the letter she wrote for additional details and explanations in her own words.

I would like to confirm here that my sponsor has already paid a total of $57,000 CAD to the University of Waterloo for Tuition and incidental (non-tuition) fees which is $47,000 CAD, and University residence (one-year/two-term estimate) which is $10,000 CAD. Also, my sponsor has transferred to my personal savings account a total of $8,169 CAD which will help me to cover my meals and transport to and from Canada. To prove this, I have provided the following documents:
  • Exhibit A: The receipt of $57,000 CAD from the University of Waterloo which my first-year tuition fee payment & housing fee.
  • Exhibit C: The bank statement of my savings account with XXXX enough funds to cover my meals for the whole year and for my ticket to and from Canada.
  • Exhibit N: Fee estimate for one year from the University of Waterloo for the program I have been admitted to.
  • Exhibit O: Letter of support from my mentor how is funding my studies

Also, I would like to provide evidence that I am in a good financial situation to support my temporary visit to Canada by showing the investments I have back home. Together with my father, I have invested in Government of Tanzania treasury bonds. This 20-year bond with a coupon rate of 15.49% and a face value of 60,000,000 TZS (~$33,375.82 CAD) will mature on February 11th, 2041. I own 31% of this investment, which means I own about $10,346.5 CAD. Furthermore, my father and I jointly hold an investment account at a Tanzanian investment firm UTT Asset Management and Investor Services Plc (UTT AMIS). This investor account (*****) has a balance of 96,955,166.7581 TZS (~$53932.64 CAD), and I own 50% of this investment which translates to about $26,966.32 CAD. To further underline my financial ties to my country I have provided the following documents:
  • Exhibit E: Statement of my UTT AMIS investment account with 96,955,166.7581 TZS (~$53932.64 CAD) that I jointly hold with my father.
  • Exhibit F: Proof of a 20 year Treasury Bond with a value of 60,000,000 TZS (~$33,375.82 CAD) that I jointly hold with my father.
  • Exhibit G: A letter from my father to attest my ownership of the Treasury Bond and UTT AMIS investment account.
  • Exhibit M: My payslip for the past 4 months to prove that I have the income to do the above-mentioned investments
------continue as a comment---
 
J

Jumane Tx

Member
Jun 23, 2022
19
4
Other explanations:
Why am I applying from Rwanda which is not my country of citizenship?

I want to use this chance also to address the fact that I am applying for this study permit from Rwanda which is not my country of citizenship. I moved to Rwanda solely because my employer asked me to take responsibilities there, ***** has been sponsoring my work permit in Rwanda for all my time here.

***** also sponsored my work permit in Ghana from July 2019 to July 2020, during that time I spent an extensive amount of time working in Ghana.

It is also worth mentioning here that I was issued United States of America’s B1/B2 1 year visa in 2019 and 2021 (I travelled in 2022), in 2019 I stayed in the US for two months as I was being trained at *****’s US location, and in 2022 I stayed for 3 weeks.

I confirm here that all places I have travelled to including Rwanda, I travelled because my job required me to do so. I have been in Rwanda since 2018 only because my employer has asked me to be here; once my job is done I will return home immediately.

Also, I confirm here that I have always followed all rules and regulations associated with the permits and visas offered to me. I therefore humbly request that you reconsider my study permit application, knowing that I will respect and follow rules associated with this permit including leaving Canada after my studies.

To prove this point I have attached the following documents together with this application:
  • Exhibit H: My 2018-2020 H1 Rwanda Visa
  • Exhibit I: My 2019-2020 Ghana Resident Permit
  • Exhibit J: My 2020-2023 H1 Rwanda Visa
  • Exhibit K: My 2019-2020 B1/B2 USA visa
  • Exhibit L: My 2021-2022 B1/B2 USA visa
Why am I going to graduate school 8 years after my undergraduate degree?

I would like to use this chance also to explain the study gap between my undergraduate studies and graduate studies could be interpreted as suspicious in my application.

I earned my bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering in December 2013, while I enjoyed this program while studying I was not interested in continuing this path for my graduate studies. Instead of applying for graduate studies I accepted a job offer as Electronics Engineer, and it was during this time that I developed interests in computer programming which I had taken a few courses for in my undergraduate program.

Another reason I did not continue with the graduate school immediately after undergrad was because my mother had a brain tumor in 2012. So a year before my graduation my father had to use all of their savings to send her to India for further diagnosis and treatment. This meant that I graduated at a time when my family was struggling financially and we also needed me to be around to support my mother. I have also attached a discharge summary from the hospital where my mother had the tumor removed.

In 2018 I got a job at ***** Rwanda Ltd, at ***** I had more avenues to learn and show my programming skills. In 2019 I was promoted into the position I am today and among other responsibilities, I was trusted to work on designing, maintaining, and testing software tools.

This position helped me to learn more and practice more to be at a level where I could be accepted into a prestigious school like the University of Waterloo. Also, at ***** I met my mentor who was generous to offer to pay for my graduate studies, hence now is the only time since I graduated from undergraduate where I was able to be accepted into a program that I am passionate about and also able to pay for.

What ties do I have to my country of citizenship?
Allow me also to explain the connections I have to my country of citizenship, as I understand that my application did not do a good job of highlighting that.

I am Tanzanian by birth and I have spent all my life in Tanzania with my family until I was relocated to Rwanda for work. Although I live and work in Rwanda, I intend to return to Tanzania eventually and I still contribute to the welfare of my family because as the first born I assume the responsibility of the family when my father is absent.

When my father is not there, I have to take care of my mother and the rest of the family. To demonstrate this I have attached documents that show how I and my father have started two investments that will support the family in the future, this can show how tied I am to my family back home in Tanzania. I intend to leave Canada as soon as I graduate because my family is the most important thing for me and I want to be there to support my parents.

Apart from the ties to my family explained, I would like to state here that I also have the responsibility of helping my elderly mother who after the operation to remove the tumor in 2010 is now showing memory loss symptoms. At the moment my father is playing that role but as he himself is getting old, someone will need to live with them and help them in day-to-day activities. I want to come back home immediately after my studies so that I can take care of my mother as she does not have any other people to help than me and my father.

I humbly ask you to reconsider my reapplication for this permit considering the ties that I have to my country and to further prove this argument I will provide the following documents
  • Exhibit E: Statement of my UTT AMIS investment account with 96,955,166.7581 TZS (~$53932.64 CAD) that I jointly hold with my father.
  • Exhibit F: Proof of a 20 year Treasury Bond with a value of 60,000,000 TZS (~$33,375.82 CAD) that I jointly hold with my father.
  • Exhibit G: A letter from my father to attest my ownership of the Treasury Bond and UTT AMIS investment account.
  • Exhibit D: My mother’s Discharge Summary from ***** Hospital where she got her tumor removed.

Why did I choose Canada as the destination for my graduate studies?
While there are other universities in other countries offering similar programs, this program offered by the University of Waterloo was designed specifically for professionals seeking advanced training to enhance and strengthen a career in the field of engineering. Since my goal is to enhance my software development skills to be able to increase scope of my responsibility in my current position, I chose this program because other programs elsewhere did not suit my needs as well.
Additionally, I selected Canada because the quality of education offered is arguably better than the education offered in other places, especially Tanzania or Rwanda where I work. In Canada, apart from receiving a high quality of education, I will also have the chance to contribute to and learn from a cutting-edge and forward-thinking community.

Also, I chose Canada because, unlike other places I was considering, the community is more diverse. This is an important factor for me because I want to use my short time in Canada to also learn more about cultures that are different from mine, and contribute to those who want to learn about my culture. This would be harder in other places where the community is not more diverse.

To conclude, I thank you for the time taken to go through my humble explanation. I hope this letter of explanation provides the information needed with respect to my purpose of visit, my current financial situation, and my assets. I also hope the extra explanation I have provided will help you understand my background, motivation, and intentions. I am requesting that you reconsider my reapplication for the study permit and grant me approval so that I can pursue my graduate studies in Canada.

Regards,

*****
 
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J

Jumane Tx

Member
Jun 23, 2022
19
4
Abdullaharif said:
did you apply after refusal? you know what this rejection reason means?
Click to expand...
I applied after my refusal.

According to what I read online,
  • The purpose of your visit to Canada is not consistent with a temporary stay given the details you have provided in your application.-
    • This means that I did not do a good job explaining what is my study plan and what I will do after my studies. I was also told that my first application did not show that I intended to return back after my studies.
  • Your assets and financial situation are insufficient to support the stated purpose of travel for yourself (and any accompanying family member(s), if applicable).
    • This one was because I did not pay for my studies for the first year, and I did not explain my financial situation well in my first application.
 
J

Jumane Tx

Member
Jun 23, 2022
19
4
Jumane Tx said:
Other explanations:
Why am I applying from Rwanda which is not my country of citizenship?

I want to use this chance also to address the fact that I am applying for this study permit from Rwanda which is not my country of citizenship. I moved to Rwanda solely because my employer asked me to take responsibilities there, ***** has been sponsoring my work permit in Rwanda for all my time here.

***** also sponsored my work permit in Ghana from July 2019 to July 2020, during that time I spent an extensive amount of time working in Ghana.

It is also worth mentioning here that I was issued United States of America’s B1/B2 1 year visa in 2019 and 2021 (I travelled in 2022), in 2019 I stayed in the US for two months as I was being trained at *****’s US location, and in 2022 I stayed for 3 weeks.

I confirm here that all places I have travelled to including Rwanda, I travelled because my job required me to do so. I have been in Rwanda since 2018 only because my employer has asked me to be here; once my job is done I will return home immediately.

Also, I confirm here that I have always followed all rules and regulations associated with the permits and visas offered to me. I therefore humbly request that you reconsider my study permit application, knowing that I will respect and follow rules associated with this permit including leaving Canada after my studies.

To prove this point I have attached the following documents together with this application:
  • Exhibit H: My 2018-2020 H1 Rwanda Visa
  • Exhibit I: My 2019-2020 Ghana Resident Permit
  • Exhibit J: My 2020-2023 H1 Rwanda Visa
  • Exhibit K: My 2019-2020 B1/B2 USA visa
  • Exhibit L: My 2021-2022 B1/B2 USA visa
Why am I going to graduate school 8 years after my undergraduate degree?

I would like to use this chance also to explain the study gap between my undergraduate studies and graduate studies could be interpreted as suspicious in my application.

I earned my bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering in December 2013, while I enjoyed this program while studying I was not interested in continuing this path for my graduate studies. Instead of applying for graduate studies I accepted a job offer as Electronics Engineer, and it was during this time that I developed interests in computer programming which I had taken a few courses for in my undergraduate program.

Another reason I did not continue with the graduate school immediately after undergrad was because my mother had a brain tumor in 2012. So a year before my graduation my father had to use all of their savings to send her to India for further diagnosis and treatment. This meant that I graduated at a time when my family was struggling financially and we also needed me to be around to support my mother. I have also attached a discharge summary from the hospital where my mother had the tumor removed.

In 2018 I got a job at ***** Rwanda Ltd, at ***** I had more avenues to learn and show my programming skills. In 2019 I was promoted into the position I am today and among other responsibilities, I was trusted to work on designing, maintaining, and testing software tools.

This position helped me to learn more and practice more to be at a level where I could be accepted into a prestigious school like the University of Waterloo. Also, at ***** I met my mentor who was generous to offer to pay for my graduate studies, hence now is the only time since I graduated from undergraduate where I was able to be accepted into a program that I am passionate about and also able to pay for.

What ties do I have to my country of citizenship?
Allow me also to explain the connections I have to my country of citizenship, as I understand that my application did not do a good job of highlighting that.

I am Tanzanian by birth and I have spent all my life in Tanzania with my family until I was relocated to Rwanda for work. Although I live and work in Rwanda, I intend to return to Tanzania eventually and I still contribute to the welfare of my family because as the first born I assume the responsibility of the family when my father is absent.

When my father is not there, I have to take care of my mother and the rest of the family. To demonstrate this I have attached documents that show how I and my father have started two investments that will support the family in the future, this can show how tied I am to my family back home in Tanzania. I intend to leave Canada as soon as I graduate because my family is the most important thing for me and I want to be there to support my parents.

Apart from the ties to my family explained, I would like to state here that I also have the responsibility of helping my elderly mother who after the operation to remove the tumor in 2010 is now showing memory loss symptoms. At the moment my father is playing that role but as he himself is getting old, someone will need to live with them and help them in day-to-day activities. I want to come back home immediately after my studies so that I can take care of my mother as she does not have any other people to help than me and my father.

I humbly ask you to reconsider my reapplication for this permit considering the ties that I have to my country and to further prove this argument I will provide the following documents
  • Exhibit E: Statement of my UTT AMIS investment account with 96,955,166.7581 TZS (~$53932.64 CAD) that I jointly hold with my father.
  • Exhibit F: Proof of a 20 year Treasury Bond with a value of 60,000,000 TZS (~$33,375.82 CAD) that I jointly hold with my father.
  • Exhibit G: A letter from my father to attest my ownership of the Treasury Bond and UTT AMIS investment account.
  • Exhibit D: My mother’s Discharge Summary from ***** Hospital where she got her tumor removed.

Why did I choose Canada as the destination for my graduate studies?
While there are other universities in other countries offering similar programs, this program offered by the University of Waterloo was designed specifically for professionals seeking advanced training to enhance and strengthen a career in the field of engineering. Since my goal is to enhance my software development skills to be able to increase scope of my responsibility in my current position, I chose this program because other programs elsewhere did not suit my needs as well.
Additionally, I selected Canada because the quality of education offered is arguably better than the education offered in other places, especially Tanzania or Rwanda where I work. In Canada, apart from receiving a high quality of education, I will also have the chance to contribute to and learn from a cutting-edge and forward-thinking community.

Also, I chose Canada because, unlike other places I was considering, the community is more diverse. This is an important factor for me because I want to use my short time in Canada to also learn more about cultures that are different from mine, and contribute to those who want to learn about my culture. This would be harder in other places where the community is not more diverse.

To conclude, I thank you for the time taken to go through my humble explanation. I hope this letter of explanation provides the information needed with respect to my purpose of visit, my current financial situation, and my assets. I also hope the extra explanation I have provided will help you understand my background, motivation, and intentions. I am requesting that you reconsider my reapplication for the study permit and grant me approval so that I can pursue my graduate studies in Canada.

Regards,

*****
Click to expand...
If you are looking at this, I got my PPR on Sept 7th.

If you need advice on the process please let me know
 
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