Studying in Canada - a step-by-step example of moving

Shamil contacted us last year about studying at a college in Toronto. To get in without taking IELTS, he needed to raise his English level, which he did by taking an online course at a Canadian language school. I can't say it was easy, because he was combining his studies with his work.

In parallel, my wife, Ivanna, who is an immigration counselor, prepared the paperwork for the student visa, and it was successfully obtained last summer. We all met together before the start of school on the college campus, and Shamil gave an interview about his adventures. There is definitely something to learn there. I didn't publish this interview right away, I decided to wait until our hero finished his studies.

Shamil studied in the sought-after project management program, which lasts one year. During his studies, the guy could legally work up to 20 hours a week, which he took advantage of. As far as I know, he worked as a food delivery guy. The school year flew by quickly, Shamil got his degree from a Canadian college and improved his English significantly. Next, Ivanna applied for a one-year Post-Graduation Work Permit and Shamil found a full-time job.

The story isn't over yet, but I'm sure that after gaining work experience, the guy will qualify for some kind of immigration program and get a permanent residence in Canada.

You have the opportunity to follow in his footsteps, but there are better deals waiting for you. In fact, Shamil's college is offering a great deal to our clients who want to start their studies in the winter or spring of 2023: 12 weeks of free English and a $5,000 CAD scholarship per year — so instead of $16,000-$17,000 CAD per year, you will pay $11,000-$12,000 CAD per student. There are both one-year and two-year programs. The two-year programs are even better, by the way, because you can get a work permit for three years instead of one.

Of the training programs, in addition to project management, I would highlight computer programming, computer systems technician, and business management.

College admission

Shamil went to one of Canada's best colleges, Georgian@ILAC, which is located in the heart of Toronto. He is from Russia, and his English was below average. He started thinking about Canada after he heard about our immigration company and took a free immigration chances assessment with a good result. After that, he contacted us.

Initially, Shamil wanted to go to Vancouver, but there was no suitable college there, so he had to settle for Toronto. And it turned out to be for a good reason.

"I like everything here, I don't even know what to add," Shamil says of the city.

Shamil enrolled in the Project Management program, at first he was conditionally accepted, as his English level was not high enough for his studies. There are project managers in any organization, this profession is very popular in Canada. Georgian College was a perfect fit in terms of program, budget, and other criteria.

English language

Moreover, the college provided 12 weeks of free English at the Canadian language school ILAC. Shamil had to buy four more weeks to reach the desired level. The guy admits that studying was difficult, he had to study 5 days a week for 3 hours, do homework, and take internal tests once every two weeks.

"It was worth it, I woke up every day thinking that I would soon be in Canada, and I just studied hard," Shamil recalls.

Obtaining a visa

While the boy was studying, Ivanna was busy preparing documents. A lot of documents were required because Shamil's case is unusual. First, he was young, and second, he did not have the full amount for tuition and living expenses, so his mother sponsored him. But the student visa was successfully obtained, and after passing the last internal testing the guy was finally enrolled in college. The IELTS language test was not required.

Vaccinations for entry into Canada

"I was shocked by the whole story myself," laughs Shamil.

And for good reason. The vaccine that can be given in Russia is not recognized by Canada, and students cannot enter the country without a vaccination. Shamil traveled to Europe for the vaccination. He visited two countries in one day: he flew to Bulgaria, and from there he took a bus to Romania. He traveled through two cities and was denied five times at various clinics because he was not a resident of the country. But he didn't give up, and at the end of the day, he managed to get vaccinated at one of the clinics.

In Canada, they checked his vaccination once and put a special sticker on his passport, after that Shamil never showed even a QR code.

Accommodation

As soon as the visa confirmation came, Shamil started looking for housing, but none of the options appealed to him until he found an organization that builds student residences. There, Shamil rented a room in a four-bedroom apartment with all amenities, and for downtown Toronto, the price was low. Shamil considered the city itself an ideal place for a young man.

Travel

Immediately after arriving in Canada, Shamil wasted no time and began to travel. He visited not only Toronto, but also Montreal, the Province of Quebec, Vancouver and Victoria, the Province of British Columbia, and even the Canadian outback.

If you, too, need help getting into a Canadian college or are interested in other immigration avenues, contact our legal company. We can help you find a way to immigrate and handle all the paperwork.

Alex Pavlenko, founder of Immigrant.Today