Study Permit Challenges for Nigerian Applicants

[Omofar]

Thanks for this wonderful piece. But what about people whose visa application have been submitted online and have already paid their 1year tuition fees for the Fall semester 2020 which will likely commence by September 2020? Please what is your advice to me?
Thanks in anticipation for your kind response.

Hello Akuoma2020,

It is a tough decision, and I am not sure what would be the best approach, so look at some hypothetical scenarios, perhaps it could guide us to the best way forward for you.

1. We don't know if your visa will be issued or not.

2. Let's say your visa is approved, then you can start the online course with a view to travel when the borders reopen and flights resume.

3. The IRCC initially stated that students who got their permits on or before February would be allowed to travel. But I know for a fact that they have started to move the goal post. They are asking all students to get a letter or authorization to travel despite having their study permits and trvs approved.

4. Furthermore, if your course can be done online, the chances are that you will not be allowed to travel even if your visa is approved.

5. Let's say your visa is not approved, and you have already registered for online course and have even started, best believe the schools are unwilling to refund your money, they would urge you to continue with the program online.

6. The IRCC also claims that if international students do online study they would still be eligible for PGSW if they fly into Canada by December. Me I don't trust governments of this world especially when it comes to immigration matters.

7. To provide a bit more context, Canada's economy has take a real hit at the moment, jobs have been lost, government has paid billions in unemployed benefits to citizens and PR holders until they get back on their feet, It is my position that they may not be ready to take new people into the country when the economy is not ready to absorb them. On the other hand they need the money from international students to also help the economy get back on its feet, but they really do not want the international students coming in yet, so they are defaulting to online programs.

Based on these issues, your best bet is to ask the school for a deferral to May/June next year, and wait to see what the IRCC and CBSA would do about your visa and opening of borders respectively to international students.

All the best.

Omofar

 

[Akuoma2020]

Hello Akuoma2020,

It is a tough decision, and I am not sure what would be the best approach, so look at some hypothetical scenarios, perhaps it could guide us to the best way forward for you.

1. We don't know if your visa will be issued or not.

2. Let's say your visa is approved, then you can start the online course with a view to travel when the borders reopen and flights resume.

3. The IRCC initially stated that students who got their permits on or before February would be allowed to travel. But I know for a fact that they have started to move the goal post. They are asking all students to get a letter or authorization to travel despite having their study permits and trvs approved.

4. Furthermore, if your course can be done online, the chances are that you will not be allowed to travel even if your visa is approved.

5. Let's say your visa is not approved, and you have already registered for online course and have even started, best believe the schools are unwilling to refund your money, they would urge you to continue with the program online.

6. The IRCC also claims that if international students do online study they would still be eligible for PGSW if they fly into Canada by December. Me I don't trust governments of this world especially when it comes to immigration matters.

7. To provide a bit more context, Canada's economy has take a real hit at the moment, jobs have been lost, government has paid billions in unemployed benefits to citizens and PR holders until they get back on their feet, It is my position that they may not be ready to take new people into the country when the economy is not ready to absorb them. On the other hand they need the money from international students to also help the economy get back on its feet, but they really do not want the international students coming in yet, so they are defaulting to online programs.

Based on these issues, your best bet is to ask the school for a deferral to May/June next year, and wait to see what the IRCC and CBSA would do about your visa and opening of borders respectively to international students.

All the best.

Omofar

Hello Omofar,
Thank you once again for always coming through with your great responses/advices. I would contact my school ASAP. On the other hand, I would like to know the possibility of a DLI to transition a prospective student’s admission to online program without the consent of the student?
Thanks in anticipation

 

[Omofar]

Hello Omofar,
Thank you once again for always coming through with your great responses/advices. I would contact my school ASAP. On the other hand, I would like to know the possibility of a DLI to transition a prospective student’s admission to online program without the consent of the student?
Thanks in anticipation

Right now, its not something that is negotiable. All students in Canada right now are doing online classes, I don't know how effectively that would be for students in the medical and biomedical fields or students in Engineering. Learning is about interaction and actual hands on experience, I don't know how this online system will work for programs requiring actual human-human interactions. Even the lecturers and school administration are afraid to return to class. So most international students will not have a say as to whether their program will be transitioned to online classes or not. You ought to have received several emails by now asking (actually coercing) you to sign up for online programs. Its either you do that or you defer. If you have already paid your fees and choose to withdraw, they may write to the embassy to say that you have withdrawn you funds.

All the best

Omofar

 

[Akuoma2020]

Right now, its not something that is negotiable. All students in Canada right now are doing online classes, I don't know how effectively that would be for students in the medical and biomedical fields or students in Engineering. Learning is about interaction and actual hands on experience, I don't know how this online system will work for programs requiring actual human-human interactions. Even the lecturers and school administration are afraid to return to class. So most international students will not have a say as to whether their program will be transitioned to online classes or not. You ought to have received several emails by now asking (actually coercing) you to sign up for online programs. Its either you do that or you defer. If you have already paid your fees and choose to withdraw, they may write to the embassy to say that you have withdrawn you funds.

All the best

Omofar

Thank you for your prompt response. Stay blessed always and stay safe.

 

[Zoe44]

The

The VAC’s are currently temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But may reopen this July. That’s why you can’t schedule an appointment for your Biometrics. In my opinion, I thought you should have paid your tuition fees before submitting your study permit application?

Thank you

 

[Zoe44]

Do not pay any school fees for now. If you can you may request that the admission be deferred. The school wants you to pay, but will put you transition your program to an online one. If you accept to do an online program, you will not get authorization to travel. You don't even know if your visa will be approved.

Please hold your funds, and wait until this whole mess of covid-19 is over. International students need to know when borders will open, when flights will resume before proceeding for now.

My honest opinion.

All the best.

Omofar

Thanks

 

[Guddah]

Hello Omofar! please i deffer my course to winter intake and my visa is still in process soo i am asking whether i should send IRCC my new updated LOA through webform or i should relax

Right now, its not something that is negotiable. All students in Canada right now are doing online classes, I don't know how effectively that would be for students in the medical and biomedical fields or students in Engineering. Learning is about interaction and actual hands on experience, I don't know how this online system will work for programs requiring actual human-human interactions. Even the lecturers and school administration are afraid to return to class. So most international students will not have a say as to whether their program will be transitioned to online classes or not. You ought to have received several emails by now asking (actually coercing) you to sign up for online programs. Its either you do that or you defer. If you have already paid your fees and choose to withdraw, they may write to the embassy to say that you have withdrawn you funds.

All the best

Omofar

 

[Omofar]

Hello Omofar! please i deffer my course to winter intake and my visa is still in process soo i am asking whether i should send IRCC my new updated LOA through webform or i should relax

IHi,

I don't know for sure. My initial instinct would be to just relax, but again that can be used as an excuse to refuse your visa application. So I would say you should send it to them. Let them know that based on the uncertainty associated with opening of borders and resumption of flights, you felt it was in your best interest to defer the offer of admission to winter in order to make provision to get clarity on the way forward for international students wishing to study in Canada.

Nevertheless, still make your own decision on what to do.

All the best.

Omofar.

 

[Lollyp]

Hello @Omofar am 23yrs had my o'level result in 2015 and Ond result in 2018 in which I studied mass communication also have a baking certificate in which I learnt through apprentice want to apply to a Canadian college for a post secondary diploma in hospitality course (hotel and restaurant operation management/tourism recreation) now my concern is, is it advisable to go for a diploma and if so is the hospitality management course aligns well with my baking certificate or I should look into culinary?And please is applying to the likes of Seneca, Centennial and Algonquin college the best cause looking into getting the application form against fall 2021 intake once the application is available and also is having my step father as a sponsor best for me base on visa prospect, would really appreciate your response, thank you

 

[Toyosi08]

Good Day @Omofar please i need your advise, i just got a response from the embassy reuesting for a document which i have uploaded in the space provided by the embassy in my application by its showing not submitted to IRCC, am i supposed to pay the $150 application fee again or i don't need to do anything? please i will be grateful to hear from you soonest

 

[Guddah]

Just relax it will be updated,you dont need to pay again. When did you apply for your study permit?

 

[Toyosi08]

Just relax it will be updated,you dont need to pay again. When did you apply for your study permit?

November 2019, thank you it has been updated

 

[Guddah]

For which intake?.. Thats nice all the best in yout application

 

[Bojangles]

Could you recommend a

Omofar,

With all due respect, I would strongly recommend including a transcript. It’s better to err on the side of caution. You may have not included it in the past without issues, and I have seen applicants who didn’t include it and they were successful. However, those applications may have been approved based on other strong factors in their favour.

Away with the fact that Study Permit applications are now processed in Nairobi office, it’s still a Nigerian application and they treat the application as if though they were being processed in Lagos. Although the general study permit application checklist does not indicate that a transcript is required, the Lagos Office Study Permit application checklist requires you to include your academic transcripts.

To be in the right, I would recommend it for any student who is making the application themselves. A rogue visa officer may hold on to that as one of the justifications to give a stupid decision. Besides, he/she may delay your application because you don’t have it and he/she would be justified for doing so because your country-specific checklist requires it. Having said that, a lawyer who is good at writing a strong submission letter to support a study permit application or an immigration consultant may get away with not including one or two things, as your submission letter may be persuasive enough to convince the visa office to give a positive decision. However, this may not always be the case for all applicants who are making their applications themselves.

In summary, anyone who is including the Lagos Office Checklist as part of their application package should endeavour to, as much as possible, include all required documents.

My humble submission!

Could you recommend a lawyer or a consultant who could help me with a letter?
Thanks

 

[Bence]

ello Omofar. I'm 25 years of age and from Nigeria. I'm currently a National Diploma holder (OND) in secretarial studies. I intend to start an undergraduate program in Business administration in Canada next year January (2021). Please I need help on our to get admissions in any of the Canada Universities that charge less or not more 10000CAD for international students. Thanks