Newbie with some questions!
Dec 27th 2018, 8:12 am
#1
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Newbie with some questions!
Hi all,
My name is Tom, I’m from the Unitied Kingdom and I currently live in Kamloops, BC and working as an Automotive Service Technician at Volkswagen. I am a year into my IEC visa but have been working at VW for over 8 months and I will soon be looking into PR around the beginning of April (hopefully through the Canadian Experience Class), once I have a year of work experience here! I have completed an IELTS test and overall score was 8.5, I am booking a medical exam in Kelowna for the end of March and I will organise a fresh U.K. police check, and gather employment history etc. There are a few things I just wanted to clarify and see if anyone had been through similar experiences before: can I apply for PR whilst I am living and working in Canada for the CEC program? How would I get my PR visa if I am selected and get approved, do they send it to your address or would you have to visit an embassy or “flagpole” at a border then collect it that way? I’ve also done a CRS tool score and achieved a score of 447, it asked if I had completed any Canadian schooling and I clicked yes as I have completed the VW Canada certified training and received a certificate of completion of this course stating that I am a Certified VW Technician of Canada, would this be accepted within the PR application? I have looked into getting my City and Guilds Level 3 Motor Vehicle certificates ‘credential assessed’ but every site I’ve visited states they do not assess ‘trades or occupations’ certificates. I’m hoping my VW certificate would count towards my CRS score. Sorry for all the questions, I’m hoping that someone might have some advice or past experiences they can share! Many thanks,
Tom
My name is Tom, I’m from the Unitied Kingdom and I currently live in Kamloops, BC and working as an Automotive Service Technician at Volkswagen. I am a year into my IEC visa but have been working at VW for over 8 months and I will soon be looking into PR around the beginning of April (hopefully through the Canadian Experience Class), once I have a year of work experience here! I have completed an IELTS test and overall score was 8.5, I am booking a medical exam in Kelowna for the end of March and I will organise a fresh U.K. police check, and gather employment history etc. There are a few things I just wanted to clarify and see if anyone had been through similar experiences before: can I apply for PR whilst I am living and working in Canada for the CEC program? How would I get my PR visa if I am selected and get approved, do they send it to your address or would you have to visit an embassy or “flagpole” at a border then collect it that way? I’ve also done a CRS tool score and achieved a score of 447, it asked if I had completed any Canadian schooling and I clicked yes as I have completed the VW Canada certified training and received a certificate of completion of this course stating that I am a Certified VW Technician of Canada, would this be accepted within the PR application? I have looked into getting my City and Guilds Level 3 Motor Vehicle certificates ‘credential assessed’ but every site I’ve visited states they do not assess ‘trades or occupations’ certificates. I’m hoping my VW certificate would count towards my CRS score. Sorry for all the questions, I’m hoping that someone might have some advice or past experiences they can share! Many thanks,
Tom
Dec 28th 2018, 11:18 am
#2
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Re: Newbie with some questions!
Yes, you can (and should) apply from Canada whilst on your IEC. I wouldn’t wait until April to apply personally, unless you have to, as that won’t give you enough time to get PR before your IEC expires. You have to flagpole to get PR (info in the Wiki on this).
Your VW cert won’t count as Canadian education, as it’s vocational/professional rather than academic. What do you score without it?
Your VW cert won’t count as Canadian education, as it’s vocational/professional rather than academic. What do you score without it?
Dec 28th 2018, 3:55 pm
#3
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Re: Newbie with some questions!
Thanks for clarifying that, I will be applying for PR as soon as I have one year of Canadian work experience (which would be April 5th).
What is the best way to flagpole? USA border crossing or visiting the nearest airport?
My score with stating I have my VW training certificate is 450, and without 319. It says on the CRS calculator that 'trade or technical school' counts, wouldn't the VW Canada Academy be classed as a trade/technical school? Im not sure how I would be able to get more points for education as every Credentials assessment site I have visited states they don't assess trades or occupations certificates and a score of 319 isn't great.
Thanks for your help,
Tom
What is the best way to flagpole? USA border crossing or visiting the nearest airport?
My score with stating I have my VW training certificate is 450, and without 319. It says on the CRS calculator that 'trade or technical school' counts, wouldn't the VW Canada Academy be classed as a trade/technical school? Im not sure how I would be able to get more points for education as every Credentials assessment site I have visited states they don't assess trades or occupations certificates and a score of 319 isn't great.
Thanks for your help,
Tom
Dec 28th 2018, 4:39 pm
#4
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Re: Newbie with some questions!
Might be worth asking the academy this question and CIC should have a definition on the website. If it counts 450 points should get you an ITA quite quickly through the EE route.
Dec 28th 2018, 4:46 pm
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Re: Newbie with some questions!
I will contact them and find out more information, if they are classed as a 'technical school' then hopefully the VW Certificate should count? If not I may have to look into doing a red seal exam to gain extra points. I did the CRS calculator last night and checked my answers three times and it said I'd have 450 points which I assume is a good score? I will also check CIC website for a definition on the certificate. Thank you, Tom
Dec 28th 2018, 4:48 pm
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Re: Newbie with some questions!
Thanks for clarifying that, I will be applying for PR as soon as I have one year of Canadian work experience (which would be April 5th).
What is the best way to flagpole? USA border crossing or visiting the nearest airport?
My score with stating I have my VW training certificate is 450, and without 319. It says on the CRS calculator that 'trade or technical school' counts, wouldn't the VW Canada Academy be classed as a trade/technical school? Im not sure how I would be able to get more points for education as every Credentials assessment site I have visited states they don't assess trades or occupations certificates and a score of 319 isn't great.
Thanks for your help,
Tom
What is the best way to flagpole? USA border crossing or visiting the nearest airport?
My score with stating I have my VW training certificate is 450, and without 319. It says on the CRS calculator that 'trade or technical school' counts, wouldn't the VW Canada Academy be classed as a trade/technical school? Im not sure how I would be able to get more points for education as every Credentials assessment site I have visited states they don't assess trades or occupations certificates and a score of 319 isn't great.
Thanks for your help,
Tom
Dec 28th 2018, 4:50 pm
#7
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Re: Newbie with some questions!
I am currently working here in Canada as a Service Technician at Volkswagen and saw that the Canadian Experience Class would probably be the best route for me, would FST require sponsorship? if so that could be another option for me?
Dec 28th 2018, 4:53 pm
#8
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Re: Newbie with some questions!
I'm not an expert but I believe you'd need an offer of "permanent" employment from your present employer and armed with that 300 or so CRS points would suffice.
Dec 28th 2018, 4:57 pm
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Re: Newbie with some questions!
So I should get a written letter from my employer of permanent employment to include with my PR application? it asks on the CRS calculator if I have a 'job offer" which I selected No as I am currently employed?
Dec 28th 2018, 5:07 pm
#10
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Re: Newbie with some questions!
I think that's right but I hope Christmasoompa will be along to confirm (or correct). It's possible that VW would need to do an LMAO which would cost them $1000.
Last edited by Novocastrian; Dec 28th 2018 at 5:10 pm.
Dec 28th 2018, 5:13 pm
#11
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Re: Newbie with some questions!
Ok thanks very much for your help! I've contacted the VW academy to clarify if it is classed as a technical school or trade school and if my certificate would count. Could I also email CIC about this too and maybe send them a copy of the certificate and see if they would accept it in a PR application? I will speak to my employer also about a sponsorship route.
Dec 28th 2018, 9:10 pm
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Re: Newbie with some questions!
I will contact them and find out more information, if they are classed as a 'technical school' then hopefully the VW Certificate should count? If not I may have to look into doing a red seal exam to gain extra points. I did the CRS calculator last night and checked my answers three times and it said I'd have 450 points which I assume is a good score? I will also check CIC website for a definition on the certificate. Thank you, Tom
Dec 28th 2018, 9:50 pm
#13
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Re: Newbie with some questions!
I contacted the VW academy and they stated that they aren't a trade or technical school in the eyes of the government so it wouldn't count, so I'd only be looking at around 300 points as I currently stand. I will speak to my employer and see if they have any suggestions in regards to permanent employment letter or a sponsorship, and the likely hood of under taking the red seal exam to gain extra points. Would WES be able to carry out a credentials assessment for trades certificates from the UK, such as City and Guilds?
Dec 28th 2018, 10:09 pm
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Re: Newbie with some questions!
To add, would taking the red seal exam be necessary or of any benefit to me? on the CRS calculator it states:
4b) Have you earned a Canadian degree, diploma or certificate? Note: to answer yes:
As I haven't studied here or been enrolled in a program for at least 8 months it wouldn't be accepted? As I've been working as a technician for nearly 8 years I would "challenge" the red seal without taking any prior courses related to the red seal. I checked my CRS scores again stating 'No' for certificates etc and I have 319, would this be enough to get an ITA for PR? I'm stumped a little as my trades certificates cant be credentially assessed and it seems if I took the red seal and passed I wouldn't be able to include it in my application for PR. sorry for all the questions folks, just trying to prepare myself fully before applying!
4b) Have you earned a Canadian degree, diploma or certificate? Note: to answer yes:
- English or French as a Second Language must not have made up more than half your study
- you must not have studied under an award that required you to return to your home country after graduation to apply your skills and knowledge
- you must have studied at a school within Canada (foreign campuses don’t count)
- you had to be enrolled full time for at least eight months, and have been physically present in Canada for at least eight months
As I haven't studied here or been enrolled in a program for at least 8 months it wouldn't be accepted? As I've been working as a technician for nearly 8 years I would "challenge" the red seal without taking any prior courses related to the red seal. I checked my CRS scores again stating 'No' for certificates etc and I have 319, would this be enough to get an ITA for PR? I'm stumped a little as my trades certificates cant be credentially assessed and it seems if I took the red seal and passed I wouldn't be able to include it in my application for PR. sorry for all the questions folks, just trying to prepare myself fully before applying!
Dec 28th 2018, 10:22 pm
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Re: Newbie with some questions!
The cic website provides details of the latest rounds of ITAs through EE (including CRS pints) and you can view reports for previous years as well. Why don’t you enter with your 319 and see what happens? I don’t think there is a minimum number of points you need to achieve.