Working Holiday Visa Age
 

Hi all,

Just a quick question I'm hoping someone can help me with after my research hasn't proved fruitful. I'm currently a few weeks into being 28 and looking into the possibility of immigrating to Canada via the Canadian experience class after an initial working holiday visa year or just over. I intend to do this via one of potentially two or more ways. Option one would be to work as a swimming coach or other B category profession of which I have experience in or would like to pursue in Canada before applying for express entry.

The second option would be to finish my commercial pilot training including an instructors course at an approved school either during or after a working holiday. I would then apply for a post graduate work permit to enable me to work as flying instructor before applying for the Canadian experience class after a year or 2.

Now I'm aware you have 12 months to activate your work permit at a point of entry and that your eligible up until being 30 however my question is: Am I able to apply for the visa and hopefully be invited to apply for one prior to turning 30 say in 18 months and then enter Canada and remain on said visa whilst over the age of 30 ?

Thanks in advance!

Re: Working Holiday Visa Age
 

Just make sure that an instructors course would qualify for a study permit/PGWP - only certain institutions do, so make sure that wherever you are considering is on the approved list.

Yep. It's actually 30 and under, so you can have the visa until you turn 31, and even if you're granted the visa after turning 31 then you're ok, as long as you had your invite to apply before then. https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpce...num=928&top=25

Not sure what will happen with the IEC program, given it never really got started this year due to Covid, you may find it's even more oversubscribed next year (if it opens at all), so a study permit as a Plan B is a good idea. I assume you have no other way of moving over i.e. don't score enough on the CRS now?

Re: Working Holiday Visa Age
 

Hi

1. The OP should note that s/he can't attend flight school while on an IEC, would require a study permit.

Re: Working Holiday Visa Age
 

I was under the impression if it was a 6 month or less course you can learn on a visitor visa/open work permit/IEC?? Realise the process typically takes longer than that, but may be worth noting if you are looking at getting PPL first or doing a conversion course etc.

The flip side of course, if you are going for CFI or CPL - you are potentially entitled to a PGWP after your course.

Re: Working Holiday Visa Age
 

Short-term studies (6 months or less)

You can study at any school in Canada without a study permit if:

• your course or program lasts 6 months or less
• your studies aren’t part of a longer program and
• you’ll complete all your studies within the time we approved you to stay in Canada (usually 6 months after you enter)

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration...igibility.html

Re: Working Holiday Visa Age
 

and
https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpce...num=934&top=25

It's worth noting that without a valid study permit (and a course lasting at least 8 months) and attending a designated college and approved course, there won't be any chance of obtaining a PGWP - which would defeat the object.

Re: Working Holiday Visa Age
 

Ok great. Thank you for your response. In retrospect I did think this was how it worked but wanted to double check in order to build a better picture of my options. In regards to the CRS at present the answer is 'it depends'. If I was applying as an individual then no its too low, if me and my fiancé get married earlier / change that plan then possibly but its on the cusp given what the recent cut off was. In terms of going via the experience route depending on what answers I put into the score calculator it varies between just over the recent cut off or comfortably again depending on an individual application or using my fiancé as the main applicant.

I inputted scores of 6 for the language testing, I'm not sure if this is an accurate representation of what I would score but decided to air on the side of caution. I have fairly recently started learning French somewhat intensively and would take the additional test prior to application but I have no idea what I would score although I believe the required mark in order for it to count is a 4 but as always I'm happy to be corrected on this. In terms of learning goals I intend to get up to the equivalent of B2 on the European framework which is professional fluency/competency, unfortunately I'm unsure how this would translate into testing. I'm also waiting to start a degree based on my previous experience in order to boost the CRS but even though its a BSc it isn't over 3 years so again I aired on the side of caution and inputted a lesser qualification time. In addition I would also be able to complete a MSc in the same field upon completion if it would be worthwhile in terms of increasing my CRS.

Regarding plan B and the study permit it is indeed a viable back up, I'll admit I have literally just looked if the schools are on the approved list and the ones I have contacted up to now are including; Professional Flight Centre, Canadian Flight Centre, Calgary Flight Centre to name a few.

Essentially I think I/we need to decide on which option and route to follow first and then make contingency plan with the other option whilst doing the relevant things from now in order to boost the respective CRS. If it is to be finishing flight training (Commercial, Instrument and CFI) then becoming an instructor for a year on a PGWP as means to obtain PR then it will take slightly longer due to saving the additional financial resources however the clock would be ticking in terms of age/points. If it is the working holiday visa route and coaching or something else on the B list of occupations then it would be sooner. The original plan was to finish everything in the UK and then start working for the airline I was cabin crew with prior to Covid for a couple of years before applying as a Federal Skilled Worker but I think that ship has sailed for the foreseeable.

Apologies for the elongated rant! :)

Re: Working Holiday Visa Age
 

Thank you for highlighting this. I am now aware you can simultaneously hold two permits however given the timeframe required for flight training it wouldn't be viable. It would either have to involve coming back over on a working holiday visa to obtain the required experience / saving prior to applying for a study permit and subsequently completing the course or one or the other as separate entities. :thumbup:

The other option would be to slowly complete the remaining bits of training in the UK/EU over the next 2-3 years before hoping recruitment resumes, spend a year or so with an airline and then apply as a Federal Skilled Worker however by the time this pans out I would potentially lose points on the age category and also be over the age limit for a working holiday visa. It's also working on the premise recruitment does resume in 2-3 years and not longer so I feel its prudent to explore other avenues possibly open to me before finishing training in the future once already in Canada.

* As a side note although the same job/field/profession the licensing varies between the UK and Canada as I'm sure/aware many other professions do. For example in order to undertake the Commercial licence training in the UK an individual must sit and pass the required 14 ATPL ground school exams prior to commencing said CPL where as in Canada you can jump straight into CPL and instrument ratings post PPL assuming you have the required flight hours (experience) and then spend around 1000hours flying around as an instructor, bush pilot, banner tower etc etc before taking the ATP exams and then applying to the regionals.

Re: Working Holiday Visa Age
 

You're quite right, I would need to spend 8 months at a designated school in order to obtain the PGWP followed by hopefully employment at the same school. The only issue with this is although the course is cheaper than in the EU or even the US and doing a conversion in Europe the increased time spent living away negates it. If and its a big If currently I was to finish in the UK/EU I could have everything done within 4 months maybe 5 if I did an instructors rating. However on the other hand as I stated above if I did want to pursue it in Canada I wouldn't 'need' to sit the 14 ATPL exams to satisfy the licencing requirements in the UK although with what's happened this year I imagine it would be a good idea to do so as a back up despite the plan being to stay in Canada for a lifetime.

Re: Working Holiday Visa Age
 

Thank you all for the responses so far they've already been insightful and helpful. As a side note I'll add a slight backstory as to the reason for two completely differing career pursuits in case it can help assist with future advice.

After spending a great deal of time in the US I originally wanted to move there however on each occasion something stood in the way. When I was younger and swam I was offered several college scholarships to good schools including West Virginia and Notre Dame. On these occasions delayed SAT dates, decrease in scholarship % which at the time meant my parents couldn't afford to send me or I didn't make the times at certain competitions which meant again it wasn't affordable. A few years later I worked at a summer camp and afterwards was offered a full time position in a different part of the country however at the time I wasn't as versed in visa options and methods so unfortunately that went cold even though the employer was willing to sponsor me if I could find the visa, do all the legwork etc. I even tried lawyer acquaintances from the camp I worked at but unfortunately there was no viable options there and then. Fast forward to returning to the uk and meeting my fiancé / travel and finding how much we enjoyed Canada everything changed. In several years we could potentially look into the E investor visa for the US however I think we've both concluded Canada is the place for us.

- My fiancé is a Hairdresser / salon owner, C&G qualified (2-3 year course when she was at college alongside an apprenticeship) with 10+ years experience and additional courses. She could complete further certifications in Canada / online from Canadian providers. She's currently 27. Im not sure what she would score on the language assessments assuming we use IELTS as although native speakers I believe the tests can be quite awkward (happy to be corrected on this) so for all intents and purposes she's fine in terms of applications however she would need to increase her score marginally either by completing said Canadian certifications or learning French and passing the required test for additional points to be sure of an invitation.

me on the other hand

- I swam at International level when I was younger and subsequently got involved in coaching including working in America. Flying is something I've wanted to do since being around 14/15 but at the time or slightly later on was misadvised and simply couldn't afford to self fund the training and was unsuccessful in application to fully sponsored mentored programs which sadly no longer exist at present with the exception of AerLingus up until the start of this year. Subsequently after lacklustre A levels, travelling / being unemployed and self admittedly messing around job wise for a number of years I found myself working as Personal Trainer, setting up my own small business in the process in order to save for flying training. In 2018 I managed to take the first step on the ladder getting a job with the friendly northern, mainly red airline and started my PPL. Over the course of 2018 - start of 2020 I completed my PPL a few subsequent ratings and required hours experience in Florida before successfully passing the selection assessment for a training provider in Oxford which I was due to start at in November in order to complete the Groundschool phase of training. The plan was to then return to my airline for a further year in order to save before heading off to Poland / Sweden to complete the advanced flying phase of training (Commercial, Instrument, Multi) before returning to the UK and training provider in Oxford to undertake the final phase of training and apply to the airlines ideally securing a Second/First Officer position with the airline I was working for and complete a few years of flying before immigrating to Canada. Covid came along of course and scuppered those plans as I was made redundant earlier in the year and currently find myself working as a supermarket delivery driver whilst waiting to hear back from various Civil Service positions (which would also be suitable for immigration to Canada) in addition my application to join the fire service is also on hold due to covid, the reason behind this was a good back up career, good overall package and sufficient finances/time off to finish training on the side with the added benefit of it being a profession on the B list and therefore eligible for immigration.

The predicament I find myself in is this - Experience and qualifications: I want to finish flying training and ultimately still become an airline pilot however with what's gone on I feel having a back up career option is just logical and I also need to resave a good chunk of money to achieve this. Whether I complete the training in the UK or Canada. Timeframes differ and the UK route would realistically be 3-5 years inclusive of starting at an airline however I must stress this is a guesstimate at best with the current circumstances. Canada would be shorter however I would need to save the entire sum including living expenses first as opposed to in segments in the UK so the timeframes probably aren't hugely different. I am waiting / trying to get into a B category position which for me the logical option would be back into swimming coaching given my fire service application is on hold until at least 2021 or alternatively be successfully picked off the reserve list for one of the civil service jobs which satisfy the requirements, working in one of these for 2 or so years to have enough experience and good enough CRS score to apply and be successfully invited. I have already set the ball in motion for obtaining Canadian coaching qualifications and spoken with the head of swimming for one province to make sure I could work as a coach on a working holiday visa. This would be to come as a federal skilled worker...... the alternative is to simply get as qualified as possible in coaching and initially come over on a working holiday visa before trying to go down the experience route. Either way the clock is ticking in terms of age (28) and the working visa option, I feel as if I am in uncharted waters now the original 'plan' has changed due to covid and I need to find a life raft quickly whatever shape or form that may be in.

To summarise the steps I have taken up to now include:
- Visa options research
- Started learning French relatively intensively (2-4 hours a day, 5 days a week)
- Applied for and waiting to start a degree which based on my past aviation experience is shortened to 1 year rather than 3)
- Set the ball in motion for obtaining Canadian coaching qualifications
- Enquired about returning to my previous teams / various coaching positions
- Continuing to apply for/ interview for civil service positions
- Continuing working towards the fire service assessments for when they return

I apologise as this has been a far, far longer post than I anticipated however I am a firm believer in building a bigger picture and having as much information as possible so hopefully this will be of some use to someone whether its to advise me or another hopeful Canadian adoptee! Any further questions or anything you'd rather not discuss in open forums please feel free to private message me.

Kind Regards,