Andrew Miller

I am finishing writing a draft of my own application manual with solid tips and hints based on 16 years of experience for people interested in applying for Canadian PR visa using DIY route. As most of you know I am not a big fan of DIY route, but there are still many (majority as a fact) applicants who for various reasons prefer DIY way and nothing can convince them that it is a very risky adventure - as a result we still have huge refusal rate hovering along 50% mark. Before I get into turning the draft into a finished, commercial product I would like to see what percentage of readers of this forum would be interested in such manual and how much they would be willing to pay for it. I would appreciate honest votes.

Please check only one option in first 3 questions and only one option in second 3 questions. Do not vote for price if checked "not interested at all".

smitp11

Andrew,

Firstly $250 is a fair price for a guide that will aid the majority of applicants. I think it is an excellent idea to produce such a manual. I see a few potential problems:

1) most people only find this website after they have applied or signed up with an immigration expert, so marketing would be key.

2) people will assume that the information on here or from some other site is as good as getting it direct from an experts manual/hand/guide book.

3) piracy, this stuff would be winging it's way around the web before you'd type "The End", you need someway of protecting it.

4) as an incentive, maybe you could offer those who purchased the manual, but realised it is still too much for them, the value of the manual off your fees if they signed up with you ?

Best of luck though!

Patrick.

MarkG

It's a bit late now, but if it had been available when I applied I might well have paid $200 or so... considering the total cost of emigration that's a relatively small amount to pay for some extra peace of mind.

I agree with the post above though that marketing and piracy will be potentially difficult issues to solve. The incentive idea sounds like a good one.

brit274

Hi Guys,

I agree. I now have a PR visa so it's a bit late for me, but If I had the chance to buy a guide, even a $250 guide, I would of done. I coulden't quite afford an immigration consultant/lawyer but I could a afford a guide at that price considering the questions it will no doubt answer and the peace of mind it would bring.


Michael

Andrew Miller

Thanks for suggestions. As a matter of fact my idea includes 2 incentives - one to have price of manual credited towards my retainer and the other one to provide 1 phone and few email consultations.

But so far the piracy issue is the one that kept me from going ahead with this project as I have not found any solid and secure enough solution to protect myself.

Tanty

There are lots of options out there for anti-piracy methods, but sadly you just have to accept that if someone wants something bad enough.. they'll break it.

Could you not make it simple and have your manual on a website that requires registration to join? Yes, there are drawbacks to that method too.. but if people put their personal details on a website they are far less likely to pass it on to someone else than if it was a PDF file.

Just a thought.

JAJ

Andrew
I should first check that there isn't a competing product already in existence. In Australia there's a fairly comprehensive publication entitled the "Immigration Kit" published by IARC in Sydney. It retails for AUD99.
http://www.iarc.asn.au/publications/index.html#2

There's also a comprensive publication in the United Kingdom, the JCWI "Immigration, Nationality & Refugee Law Handbook" which retails for GBP57.

So check if something similar already exists in Canada.

I'd also consider:

- the need to update it as immigration rules change; and
- the fact that as any immigration manual becomes more detailed and specific, the ability of a non-trained person to make use of it diminishes.

Why not go for a hard copy book if the you feel it's commercially viable?

Andrew Miller

Jeremy, of course there are similar products, both in hard copies (from $20 to $100) as well as in various online packages ranging from $100 to well over $500. But from what I've seen so far there is nothing out there going beyond what is already included in application kits - no insights, no tips how to know what case and circumstances specific evidence is needed (beyond what is in generic checklist), how to present the case to prevent the negative substitute evaluation, etc., etc..

As for the hard copy book - I'm a co-author of such book published in Germany 4 years ago. It took more than a year to compile the info and of course what was provided in this book was already outdated just few months after publication. This experience makes me think more towards an online (not downloadable), sort of "live" publication that will be continuously updated as needed and those who purchase it will really purchase an online access to it and be able to always have access to latest updates. It is extremely important as in many cases we have changes to procedures (both, minor and major adjustments) sometimes happening every week, while in some periods there are no changes for months.

And sure, I completely agree with you that it shouldn't be too complex - I'm trying to write it as detailed as possible, but short and concise in rather simple language with many different examples of different circumstances. And I'm trying not too use too many phrases taken from IRPA or Regs - instead I use plain explanations and interpretations.

KennyJosie

Andrew,
First of all, I am a great fan of your input to this forum and appreciate all the posts (even if they don't effect me! ).
I think that the web site based idea would be the best option for a few reasons;
1) You could update it when required and at minimal cost to you. (Probably quite frequently! lol)
2) You could have a few pages which are free (possibly basic CIC info etc.) so people can see what your about first.
3) You could charge "applicants" before they get access to the "Really Useful Stuff"! i.e. the more experienced based information / Help, Hints and Tips etc. (as already discussed, this would probably discourage anyone from "re-distributing")
4) I think there are products out there which prevent the webpages from being copied, but don't quote me (I'm only a lowly Hardware technician! )
5) Advertising for your Website could include search engines such as Google and MSN, so you could get people who are a) just looking for info. b) looking for assistance and c) looking for a consultant!
6) You could also allow advertisers such as Shipping Companies, Realtors, Airlines, Insurance companies etc. to advertise on your site, making the site cheaper to run!
Personally, if I wasn't with an immigration company just now, and with what I now know, I'd pay £250 for the privelage of the website and then go with you as my consultant! (Assuming the price came off the retainer! )
Anyway, just my opinion!
Kenny

confusedyouwillbe

Andrew, I think you might find it is easier to protect a PDF file against copying than a web page... it's just about possible now, e.g. https://createpdf.adobe.com/cgi-feed...faq?header=all
There are other third-party tools to do much the same.

Andrew Miller

This is too expensive service and I would have to send document for protection to Adobe each time I want to email it to new purchaser. More, it doesn't block purchaser from sharing decrypted document with others. Another minus of this route is that I cannot keep manual updated once it has been emailed out. Also, all Adobe protections are very weak and there are dozens of commercial and free programs that crack Adobe encryption.

But I appreciate your input.

I would also like to thank KennyJosie for quite good input.

nuin

Hi

There are ways to encrypt online content making it impossible to be copied or saved offline by using serverside and userside scripts. One option would be:

http://www.aerotags.com/faq/tips-html-protection.php

while other alternative would be to generate the text as an image that cannot be opened outside a browser containing certain application/plug-in that decrypts its content.

DRM-type PDFs can be created with unique codes so only determined users would be able to open, based on unique computer/system signatures. Such as

http://www.pdfstore.com/category.asp?CtgID=2

For the first option you are looking for a small amount upfront to buy the tag protector software and might need an experienced web developer to make perfect use of it. On the latter, the expense is mostly on the software and not much of an expertise is required to encrypt the documents.

Let me know if I can help more, just PM me.

Cheers

Paulo

chinnybloke

Andrew, great idea and I would have bought it and $250 is nothing to give yourself a better chance of being successful.

Have you considering turning it into software? Either a secure web site or an application which runs locally on the client but connects to a secure web server to get the actual key information and download updates so you can control access to paying customers. If you are interested in the software/web route PM me I would be interested in doing this or giving you advice on how it could work.

Almost Canadian

Nonsense - if and when your application is approved, you will owe a huge debt to those on this (and maybe other) forum that have responded to your (sometimes) very basic questions.

Most other sources out there give very basic generic information and, whilst Andrew is not offering a bespoke service via his publication, I am sure that those that wish to DIY would be willing to pay the amount he has suggested to get insights as to how applications can actually be "proven" (by reference to specific types of documents) than the generic "you will have to proof your employment credentials" how, for example, does somebody whom has spent their entire lives in a secretive government agency (Security Service etc) document what they have been doing for the last 10 years ! Do you have any idea Mr Expert DIYer ?

Thought not

liquidsuite

I think my post was taking out of context. Of course I owe alot to this forum I never said otherwise. This place is the reason why I did not need to pay a immigration consultant. All I was refering to was the price. 250 plus seems alot for what is essentially a book. You got to understand peoples background as well. Maybe for you 250 is a drop in the ocean but to me it seems alot for a book. It just my thoughts and I am not judging. He asked for opinion on price so I gave it. I think maybe around £99 or less is ok. I have removed my messege as maybe it was a bit critical. I think your last comment is a bit harsh. I am not talking about secret goverment things. I just said that in anyone normal situation if they can do it themselves then why not. I am a outgoing forward thinking person. I felt with the help of the forum and my own as you say Basic Questions and my own knowledge I can fill it out my self.
After doing it myself I have been able to pass my info and help other too on here. Its not like I am just always asking for help on here. I like to think I have giving my advice also.