Loraine 1

Hi guys,

I'm now living the dream and working at my ideal job as a tax technician. I love it and can't imagine doing anything else. However, this may all come crashing down as I can not get anyone to accredit my AAT accounting qualification. WES issued me a refund after months of going back and forth saying they couldn't do it. University of Toronto have just sent me an email telling me I've been refunded as they don't accredit AAT either.

I'm so upset with the whole thing. My boss is trying so hard to keep me here and it's like at every step we get a kickback. We're having to apply for another extension on the endorsement letter so I can extend my work permit. We've sold our house and hubby has handed in his notice and as he lands in NS end of March. I'm getting really scared as my work permit runs out in April and if neither of us can work we are screwed.

It's all over the news that NS need people to move here yet, they make the whole process so hard it's almost impossible. My boss is even considering getting am immigration lawyer to deal with it which makes me feel sooooo guilty. They've employed me and brought me over to do a good job and all I'm doing is giving them grief. I rang hubby in the UK this morning and just cried down the phone

Sorry for the rant. I'm just so frustrated

christmasoompa

Unfortunately, you cannot get professional qualifications assessed, only academic ones. A lawyer won't be able to change that.

What do you need it assessed for, which visa route are you trying to go down?

Loraine 1

Really? Is an accounting qualification not classed as academic even I studied for it at a UK college? I did not know that.

I'm in NS through AIPP and I need this for my PR. It's already been refused once and I'm lost on what to do. I didn't finish school (I was a bit of rouge when I was 15) so I can't provide GCSE's etc...

christmasoompa

No, it's professional. Anything that is occupation specific i.e. childcare qualifications, hairdressing, etc, would be classed as vocational/professional rather than academic so you can't usually get an ECA for it (as you've discovered).

Oh bum. OK. I assume you wouldn't qualify under EE without the provincial nomination? Why was it refused previously, because of the education issue or something else?

Loraine 1

Oh bum. OK. I assume you wouldn't qualify under EE without the provincial nomination? Why was it refused previously, because of the education issue or something else?[/QUOTE]

Thank you so much for your help. It was just the education accreditation that they refused it on. Hubby has had his accredited as he has a Master's degree, though he's not working here yet. Any suggestions / ideas on who I need to speak to now?

christmasoompa

Sorry, but I'm afraid it doesn't sound as though you qualify for the AIPP. You can try other ECA providers, just on the off chance, you never know.

What about hubby, would he score enough via EE? Could he get a job offer?

Loraine 1

What about hubby, would he score enough via EE? Could he get a job offer?[/QUOTE]

OMG I don't know what to do. Before I got the job offer we were going to apply on the back of him as he had enough points. He's now 45 so I'm not sure if he's lost some to drop us under what we'd need. I really don't know where to go from here. You'd think there must be a way seeing as my employer wants me to stay and I've been working for them since April last year. It's like we keep getting kicked in the face. We are hard working people with no criminal history, no bad credit etc.. and I'm making a go of it here, settling in, making friends whatever.
Sorry for the rant. I'm just feeling so low right now. I really do appreciate all your help

christmasoompa

Don't panic just yet. Unfortunately I don't see any way of you qualifying for PR without a high school diploma (or the foreign equivalent), but hopefully your hubby will be a way in. Can you get him to check his points and eligibility asap?

You could also get your employer to apply for a LMIA for you (they'll need to advertise and get it underway ASAP) so that you could get another TWP, at least that would give you a bit of breathing space and mean you wouldn't have to leave Canada.

Loraine 1

I've just messaged him and told him to check which he'll do as soon as he's home from work.

If we go down that route instead can I still get an extension on my WP and continue to work here till it comes through? His WP is attached to mine so he wouldn't need to do anything extra to get a job would he?

Loraine 1

This may not be relevant as I do have an ITEC in beauty therapy too which is recognized in Canada. There are ITEC schools in Canada. Would that help do you think?

Is there an immigration advice service I can speak to? I've tried ISANS and Access Justice but got no joy / waiting for a response

christmasoompa

No, unfortunately not. There is something called the Bridging Open Work Permit, but for that to be relevant you'd need to have got to the first stage of a PR app, and I'm afraid that won't be the case by the time your TWP expires.

No, he can get one now. But when yours expires, so does his. Any reason he's not been out there with you working? Could he get out there asap and try and find a job offer?

christmasoompa

Beauty therapy is also vocational/professional. You can speak to an immi lawyer but they can't get your qualifications accepted for an ECA, all of the ECA agencies do clearly state that they only assess academic qualifications and not professional ones. Did you try getting an ECA before you left the UK? Or have you only recently done it?

Loraine 1

He arrives end of March as he's been selling the house etc.. we couldn't afford for him to move here without a job and continue to pay for the house in the UK. He's just working his notice. He's applied for loads of jobs and got some promising leads though nothing solid yet.

christmasoompa

OK, so here's what I would do if I were you. Firstly, send off your qualifications to every ECA agency you've not yet tried. It'll cost, but it's possible you may find one that will assess your qualification, and that would mean you could apply under the AIPP after all.

Your next step needs to be getting a new TWP so that you can continue working and don't have to return to the UK. So speak to your employer about advertising and applying for a LMIA. Unfortunately you won't have it in time to keep working continuously, but at least then you could stay whilst you wait for it (do make sure you switch to visitor status in between though, and make sure you have private health insurance etc).

Check your husband's scores under EE, if he qualifies then get an application submitted as a matter of urgency. Hopefully between a new TWP and that, you will then be covered to stay. If he doesn't score enough then you'll need to look at other options, but best to cross that bridge when you come to it.

christmasoompa

Sorry, only just seen your comment in the middle of your quote - please start your quotes again as they've gone horribly wrong! If they are willing to extend the endorsement then that's very rare but amazing, and helps you out short term. But the bottom line is that without an ECA saying that you have completed high school, you don't qualify for PR via that program, so unless you can get an ECA stating that, all it buys you is a bit of time I'm afraid. It would give you some breathing space though, so if they are willing to do that, then definitely grab that opportunity with both hands!