oicur0t

Well, if poster number 4 gets 20 points with 14 years and a Btec, then I feel I should too with 14 years and 3 (and a half!) A levels. I'm just fretting and pulling my hair out over it

Anyway I am going to throw as much evidence to support my claim at them and hope for the best.

Northernlass1

Meant to ask...which Btec Diploma are you actually equating your A levels to, childcare, hospitality, IT etc? I think you would have to prove that your A levels meet the requirements of one of these and that would mean you would have to have completed an amount of work experience and been assessed in the workplace as a requirement of the examining body (Edexcel)...without this I can't see how you would be awarded a diploma.

oicur0t

I thought this was irrelevant. You can be a IT professional but have a diploma in plumbing. It just equates to the level of education received (for the purposes of points) My girlfriend is a Facilities Manager, but has a degree in Photography. This does not mean her degree would give her nil points.

Northernlass1

I think it may be relevant if you want to turn your 3 Alevels into a diploma.
I really don't know the answer to this but as an FE/HE tutor I can't see how it will work....I guess its up to CHC now...really hope it works out for you!!!

oicur0t

I can understand that it would be a real pain if I had to prove my a levels equated to something in Canada. I would not relish that! Personally, all I am doing is following the guidelines about how education standards are established for this process. Would you say someone with a btec national diploma had 'more education' (for want of a better description) than someone with 3 a levels? Difficult to say...

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Educatio...ed/DG_10039017
According to this I am at the same level as poster 4 in this thread, 20 points.

As you say, it is all conjecture and my arguement may fall apart.

Northernlass1

If my students take the Btec in childcare then they are at the same level as someone with 3 A levels, if they do a certificate they are at the same level as someone with Gcse's. They've just got to that level through a different learning process. The Diploma students can then go on to do a level 4 qual or degree in childcare. The person with 3 A levels can do a degree in most subjects (depends on the A levels and grades). They're just two different learning routes with similar outcomes except that the diploma dictates the area in which the student will work, the A levels may not.
Unfortunately as we don't know the answer you'll have to wait for CHC decision unless you can gain more points another way

christmasoompa

Yes, but they wouldn't get 20 points in the example you've given i.e. doing a BTEC at age 16 - because they wouldn't then have the BTEC AND at least 14 years of full-time education. They'd only have the BTEC and 12 years of education. That's the stumbling block - you can say you have 14 years of full-time education, but not in addition to anything else. As a pp said, they may let you count the A level as a diploma, but they won't let you count them twice (i.e. for both the diploma and years of education), it'll be one or the other.

So if they do let you claim the A levels as the equivalent of a BTEC or similar, then you would only be counting 12 years of full-time education AND the diploma.

christmasoompa

Yes, but they did 14 years and then the BTEC, that's the difference. So they could claim for both.

If CIC allow it, you either did 14 years, or 12 years plus a 2 year diploma - not 14 years plus 2 year diploma.

So post no. 4 isn't actually all that relevant to your situation.

oicur0t

that does not make sense... example from the cic test....

14 years schooling PLUS a 3 year degree? No one in the UK will have this as they will do 13 years in school (inc. 6th form) and 3 years doing a degree therefore all standard UK students will not get enough points under this system.

Paul Wildy

I still think that you are potentially wasting your time trying to determine what other qualifications your A Levels may be equivalent too, either in the UK or in Canada - they are what they are. I see the problem as the unwritten definition of "post-secondary" not being met, especially if the A Levels were just a continuation of your secondary schooling (if you went to a Higher Education college to do them you may have more chance of building a case but still doubtful).

I noticed your comment about your girlfriend above - are you planning to apply together as common-law partners (have you lived together for a year?)? It might be worth looking at her occupation (and previous occupations) in more detail to see if she should be the principal applicant instead. Someone with a bachelors degree and several years work experience would normally pass the point score.

I assume you have also claimed points for her education under Adaptability?

christmasoompa

Actually, many people in the UK do do 14 years of full-time education. My daughter, who is 4, is already at school so she will do 14 years in total if she goes all the way to A levels.

Anyway, if you only have 13 years then CIC allow for that as they know our schooling system is different - but you'd still have to have 13 years of full-time education AND the degree to claim those points.

What part of 'AND' do you not understand?!? It means 'in addition to', not 'as part of'! It's both separately to be eligible, not combined together.

christmasoompa

Paul, you're one of our resident experts so just out of interest, if he does manage to get the A levels recognised as a 2 year diploma, then how many points would he get for 12 years plus a 2 year diploma?

oicur0t

I have, she's not on the noc38. but after reading this thread...she does not have 14 years + 3 years for degree....she has 14 years including her degree.

Northernlass1

Huh??
If she's done a degree of two years or more at Uni then she's got 14 years plus a degree (she would have needed Alevels to get on the degree...if she went as a mature student pretty sure its classed as the same)
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigra.../Education.asp

but its irrelevant if she's not in the list unless she gets a job

oicur0t

11 years school, 1 year btech, 1 year access, 3 year degree.

for the adaptibility section I put her under the following category...

but according to christmasoompa's reading of the points system, she does not have 14 years + (3 year) degree.