Things panned out Ok the kids are now in school in Buckhorn its their third week this week. They love it!

The wif seems to be liking it and everybody is happy. Still on a study permit but hopeful for pr eventually.

The weather here is lovely. it was 23 degrees yesterday and the kids were swimming. Gonna be nice the rest of the week (or so they say).
The wife went to the curve lake pow wow yesterday and really liked it.
not really my bag though.

Get those permits and we will see you soon............

Definitely! Hoping to be there for the start of hubby's course in January, providing CHC don't go slow on Study permits too! Where are you studying? He is planning on Peterborough. I'm really pleased it has worked out for you. When do you think you will have PR? We were up in Bobcaygeon last month for lunch and I thought of you! Didn't make it round to Buckhorn, although looked there in the past for farms - lovely area. Have you met up with the Keene lot yet? Hoping to meet them in October.

Take care, Tia

Good luck Tia - hope all goes well and look forward to hearing how you get on. I am planning on starting my course in September in Calgary so hopefully will be going out in August.

Jen

Thank you and my best wishes to you too Jen. Doesn't the waiting and lack of a date to work around just drive you crazy! We have left it a tad late for applying for the Permit, but are hoping that it will be through by Christmas. Seems that once you have a PR in process, it slows down the time for the Study Permit. We applied for one before, this was before we applied for PR and it came within a week, but I have heard that once you have PR app. it can take 3 or 4 months. Hopefully not.

Good luck.

I was wondering if you could help. How did you go about finding a school for your children? Did you have to pay international fees for them because you are on a study visa? How did you get them enrolled and any other useful tips on time frames for applying for study visa etc would be appreciated.

Wow thanks for the warning - I'd better get my application in by March then just to be safe!!

Hi, I too am thinking of using the study visa route to get over hopefully by Sept/Oct 2005. We are hoping to land in Nova Scotia.
I'm not sure of the logistics of this decision yet as it would mean bringing the whole family. My husband would need a work permit for the period of my study and the two children (11 and 16 when we arrive) will also need study visas.

Would it be better to apply for a PR before we get there or after?

Any advise anyone can pass on would be greatfully received.

Thanks
Tina (altina)

Not sure if this helps, but I am 20 years old and going to study in Regina in January on a 4 year degree course, I live in London so it was easy for me to get to Canadian Immigration here, I handed in all my info for a study permit there just the other week with my processing fee etc, and 3 days later my acceptance letter arrived through the door.

Hi Tina,

I am also hoping to go over on a study permit, with my hubby and son (who will be 17 when we go). The universities seem to be quite well set up in terms of family housing.

We applied for our PR's in march, but I think the decision of whether to apply or not depends really on how many points you have now, and whether you have the required funds available, as well as enough to support yourself and your family whilst studying. The CIC website gives details of how much you need, think it works out at around £14000 per year for us.

I always knew I would study over there, but to be honest, we didn't realise how long it was going to take to get the PR visas, or we would probably have just gone for the study permit first, to make things simpler. That's just our opinion, though. Hope it helps...

Sandy.

Hi Sandy - ditto for me. We sent our application in April this year but will travel to Calgary next August on a study visa (me) and temp work permit (hubby). We know it's a risk but I would rather be out there living in Canada than waiting it out here for possibly another 12 months after that!

Where are you planning to move to and what are your study plans?

Jen

Hi Jen,
I can totally sympathise with the waiting thing, like everyone I suppose, but it just feels like putting your life on hold doesn't it?

I'm hoping to do a post-graduate B.Ed course in Lethbridge, to enable me to teach in Alberta, but I've only just applied so it's early days for us yet, and we've got our fingers (and everything else) crossed.

It sounds like you've already been accepted, if so, congrats! What are you going to study?

Sandy.

Hi Sandy - haven't been accepted yet - still deciding. Not sure whether to apply to University of Calgary or a private college. Each has a similar communications course that would be useful although the main benefit of the private college is that you can do the Diploma in a year rather than two years for a bachelors!

I have a Masters degree so this would really be to get some Canadian education and also enable me to start doing some networking, volunteering, etc without the pressure of finding a job as soon as we land.....

We are looking to ultimately settle in Canmore, which is just outside Calgary, so this studying would be a kind of "gap year" for us - better late than never I guess

Best of luck! Jen