PR or Student Visa

[nadiakhalid2]

Hello any guidance would be highly appreciated

I am from Pakistan and I recently got admission in University of Ottawa in PhD for Fall2017. I also have CRS points( around 429) so i qualify for express entry too. I have ECA reports and general ielts also(8.5). I am really confused whether to go for study permit or EE.
My situation is little tricky. I am planning to take my family with me( 3 kids and husband) so study permit has a very low chance. If i apply for EE then it will take more time and i will turn 39 next year in Feb and my points will automatically fall so EE is basically possible only in current year.
On the other hand, someone told me that if i come on study permit I have to pay my kids fees for school which is around 1500$ per month for a kid. what should I do? and if I apply for both study permit and PR, wont it will be a conflict of interest and in case of study permit, it will weaken my case? Kindly anyone, especially from Pakistan, can help me in this regard?

Thanks a lot

 

[Que Em]

If you are planning to settle in Canada apply for the PR.

 

[charsi]

if I apply for both study permit and PR, wont it will be a conflict of interest and in case of study permit, it will weaken my case?

PR applications are treated independently of any other visas you apply for. The proofs you'll have to provide to prove you have enough ties to your home country won't change either. So, if you want to be in Canada in time for the course apply for the student visa and simultaneously proceed with the PR application. They do not conflict.

 

[Dreamer06]

Depends on how you are calculating your score. Does 429 include both your and your husband's points? If you want them to move with you, then you will need to calculate combined score. Even if the combined score is lower lets say around 415 or 420, it wont hurt to try EE.
PR via EE is a better option overall. If you have the documents completed it shouldnt take that long. The scores are currently low so the chances of getting an ITA with 429 are high. Your husband as well as children can move with you, no child education expense plus your pHD expense will also be much lower if you study with PR in Canada. Your age is locked when you accept the ITA so lets say you enter the pool this month, you may receive an ITA within a month.
If possible, you could also try to defer your admission to Spring 2018 if you need time to decide or try for EE.

 

[picklee]

Probably worthwhile to point out also that the points to be gained from a 4-year PhD program in Canada is more than what would be lost for age.

+30 points for Canadian education
+13 points for PhD (assuming you have masters)
-20 points for age 42
= +17 points

If you say your current CRS is around 429, then by the end of your PhD prorgan it will be around 446, which is quite competitive. Depends on your spousal factors, too.

 

[nadiakhalid2]

Thankyou for answering my query. You people are so helpful. Still my major concern regarding Study permit is kids' expenses especially their school fee. Anybody who is in similar situation or knows someone who came with dependent school age kids?I want to have the rough idea about the monthly expenses with two school going and one younger kid.
Secondly about EE, can i create profile now without my spouse ECA and IELTS as they will take almost a month and then add them in my profile afterward to boost my scores? Or do I have to make a new profile with his IELTS and ECA?

 

[iamxty]

Hello any guidance would be highly appreciated

I am from Pakistan and I recently got admission in University of Ottawa in PhD for Fall2017. I also have CRS points( around 429) so i qualify for express entry too. I have ECA reports and general ielts also(8.5). I am really confused whether to go for study permit or EE.
My situation is little tricky. I am planning to take my family with me( 3 kids and husband) so study permit has a very low chance. If i apply for EE then it will take more time and i will turn 39 next year in Feb and my points will automatically fall so EE is basically possible only in current year.
On the other hand, someone told me that if i come on study permit I have to pay my kids fees for school which is around 1500$ per month for a kid. what should I do? and if I apply for both study permit and PR, wont it will be a conflict of interest and in case of study permit, it will weaken my case? Kindly anyone, especially from Pakistan, can help me in this regard?

Thanks a lot

At 429, you will likely receive an ITA in the next draw. Good luck.

 

[carborundum]

Probably worthwhile to point out also that the points to be gained from a 4-year PhD program in Canada is more than what would be lost for age.

+30 points for Canadian education
+13 points for PhD (assuming you have masters)
-20 points for age 42
= +17 points

If you say your current CRS is around 429, then by the end of your PhD prorgan it will be around 446, which is quite competitive. Depends on your spousal factors, too.

Anything can happen in 4 years. The EE may not even exist in 4 years, or may become unrealistically competitive. I would suggest not waiting until the end of your PhD to enter the EE pool.

 

[Dreamer06]

If you receive an ITA with just your points in the profile then you cant add spouse to the same application. You have 90 days to accept an ITA. You could enter the pool now, hopefully get an ITA and wait till your spouse scores come in. You could then recalculate the points and create a new profile with your spouse added to the application in which case the first ITA will need to be declined. The advantage is you will atleast have one ITA on hand before spouse scores are processed since there are no guarantees the score will remain the same or increase. Furthermore the next few draws will give u a better idea if what the trend is. As an alternative you could just wait till your spouse scores come in and then create a profile all together.

 

[picklee]

Anything can happen in 4 years. The EE may not even exist in 4 years, or may become unrealistically competitive. I would suggest not waiting until the end of your PhD to enter the EE pool.

Yes, of course the OP should enter the pool now. With the trend in scores, I wouldn't be worried about getting an ITA in the short term. But to my point, having the PhD would give better chances to the OP in the long term for getting PR, EE or not, and it outweighs age.

 

[sailorshinde]

If you get PR, you will be able to get OSAP later on for your studies and child care. So just get the PR

 

[Que Em]

Yes, of course the OP should enter the pool now. With the trend in scores, I wouldn't be worried about getting an ITA in the short term. But to my point, having the PhD would give better chances to the OP in the long term for getting PR, EE or not, and it outweighs age.

If the ultimate goal is to get Canadian permanent residency then no need to spend a lot of money on the PhD, living costs, and children school fees.

If OP can get an ITA with current credentials and has a competitive score why not apply now? Who knows what will happen in the future (after 4 years). And those extra 17 points you're mentioning are coming at a very high cost, with no guarantees.

Being a permanent resident, OP will have to pay very less fees for her PhD, and for her children's school. And by the time she completes her PhD, she will be on her way to become a Canadian citizen.

 

[picklee]

If the ultimate goal is to get Canadian permanent residency then no need to spend a lot of money on the PhD, living costs, and children school fees.

If OP can get an ITA with current credentials and has a competitive score why not apply now? Who knows what will happen in the future (after 4 years). And those extra 17 points you're mentioning are coming at a very high cost, with no guarantees.

Being a permanent resident, OP will have to pay very less fees for her PhD, and for her children's school. And by the time she completes her PhD, she will be on her way to become a Canadian citizen.

I never said OP shouldn't apply now. Read before you reply.

My earlier post points out the fact that age is not very relevant if you spend the time getting a PhD.

Also, usually the tuition for PhD programs is paid by scholarships from the unviersity and the student earns a stipend in the meanwhile, which is not taxable. I don't think costs are really the biggest factor here.

I am interested in knowing more about why a temporary resident would pay more for child's school than PR. Is this a provincial issue? Never heard of this in B.C.

 

[nadiakhalid2]

Actually I have visited many consultants just to have a general idea about both scenarios. My conclusion is that, atleast in Pakistan, Consultant are not very familiar with the PhD study permit process. Infact they are mostly dealing under graduate admissions so they dont have any idea about the issues a PhD candidate can face. So i think they gave me wrong information regarding international students paying more for their kids education than PR.
Thanks all of you for your valuable suggestions. Really appreciate it.

 

[Que Em]

• Tuition fees for international students is more as compared to the students who are Canadian citizens/permanent residents (even for PhD, whether or not there is a stipend). Here's the link for University of Ottawa: https://www.uottawa.ca/university-fees/tuition-fees

• International students are not eligible for the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP). Public universities generally offer the University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP), while colleges and private universities use other plans. These plans are not free.

• For children, not sure whether there would be a difference in fee but I guess, as they wont have any Canadian status (citizenship/permanent residency) they will be treated as international students, as well. And that might include extra fees and expenses. Here are a couple of links:
  International Students - Kindergarten to Grade 12
  Toronto International Student Programs Fee Schedule: 2017 - 2018

If OP is considering settling in Canada, and is able to secure an ITA with her existing credentials, PR at this time seems to be the best option to me. But, it's her who has to decide.
Good luck Nadia!