Dive into the tips and tricks that can make a real difference in your IELTS journey.

Check it out here: https://blogs.searcheducation.com/a-comprehensive-guide-for-idp-ielts-exam

Canada Is a Role Model on Immigration. But Many Canadians Feel It’s Lost Its Way

The bright headquarters of ApplyBoard effuses the spirit that has long defined Canada’s immigration narrative.

Founded in 2015 by three brothers from Iran who came to Canada as international students, the company has taken its place in the tech cluster here, touted as the second largest in North America after Silicon Valley. As the brothers seamlessly gained permanent residency and later Canadian citizenship, they built one of Canada’s fastest-growing tech businesses.

Unlike in the United States, where immigration politics often descend into dysfunction, Canada’s immigration program has been built on long-standing trust that it’s a win for all.

“We’re lucky to work in the most diverse company, I would say, in Canada,” says ApplyBoard CEO Meti Basiri. Around him are walls splashed in colorful murals and counters stocked with free snacks, including, on one, a giant slab of demolished yellow birthday cake.

But Canada is experiencing a population boom unlike any time since the 1950s. It’s the fastest-growing G7 country, almost all driven by immigration. It also faces the largest housing shortage in the G7.

And now, many here worry that the pace of arrivals of both permanent residents and foreign students and workers is overtaking the country’s capacity to house, care for, educate, and employ all.

As the number of foreign students has tripled in the past decade – a segment of the population that ApplyBoard has built its success on – the federal government recently issued a cap on study permits for the next two years. It also announced last week that it will, for the first time, set new targets for temporary residents overall. The moves are controversial. They’re also the largest indication so far of a larger rethink of the growing imbalance in the immigration system.

“Canada has historically been a model for the world of how to do immigration. And the best indicator of that is the long-standing, broad consensus on support for high immigration levels,” says Mikal Skuterud, a professor of economics at the University of Waterloo. “And I’m ultimately concerned because I think there’s a risk of undermining that. … The system needs to go back to being something very predictable, very transparent.”

Trust in the system

Historically, newcomers have been trusted in Canada because the system carefully selects economic immigrants through a point system based on criteria like age and education. Most Canadians see permanent residents as highly skilled professionals – doctors, tech workers, university professors – who help the country prosper.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced last year that 1.5 million new permanent residents will be welcomed by 2026, part of an increasing volume since he took office in 2015. At the same time, the number of temporary residents has surged, to 2.6 million according to new census figures released today. Many are incentivized by the prospect of permanent residence.

But now several recent polls capture mistrust brewing over the pace of immigration. According to a poll by Environics Institute, for example, 44% of Canadians say they agree that “there is too much immigration to Canada.” That’s a 17-point increase from the year before and the largest one-year change the group has seen since polling began in 1977. Among the groups expressing the highest jump in concern: first-generation Canadians, up by 20 points.

The Waterloo region, birthplace of the BlackBerry, exemplifies the best of Canada’s immigration story. Its universities, startups like ApplyBoard, and artificial intelligence industry rely on the “best and brightest” to drive innovation.

In the context of a national housing affordability crisis, residents like Gary Coulson, a car mechanic in Waterloo, say they are concerned. Five years ago, Mr. Coulson says, he had no complaints about immigration. Neither did the owner of the auto shop where he works, Romesh Dissanayake, who arrived from Sri Lanka in 2018 and is now a permanent resident. But today, both men complain of “uncontrolled immigration” that has put pressure on rents and jobs and leaves newcomers vulnerable to exploitation.

“There is not enough housing for who have already landed. And there are more coming,” Mr. Coulson says.

The housing crisis is far more complex than growing demand from immigrants. But Waterloo Mayor Dorothy McCabe says building more housing is key to moving forward. And ultimately she is worried about how affordability pressures might shake Canada’s sense of immigration and itself.

“We do want to make sure that we remain a city and a region and a country that says immigrants, whether they’re refugees, [permanent residents,] or students, are welcome,” she says.

Education in focus

The international student cap might seem hostile to international students on the face of it, but for many it’s a lesson in how Canada is trying to restore broken trust in its system.

Source: Source: THE CHIRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR

African students propel growth in Canada's international education sector

CANADA’S international education landscape is undergoing a profound transformation, as highlighted by a recent report from ApplyBoard. The analysis reveals a significant departure from the traditional trends dominated by Indian and Chinese students, with African students now driving growth in Canada’s international student population. ‘In 2023, we observed a remarkable surge in the number of…

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New Report From ApplyBoard Highlights Need For Alignment Across International Education Sector

http://dlvr.it/SypgJ4

New Report From ApplyBoard Highlights Need For Alignment Across International Education Sector

http://dlvr.it/SypWz6

https://www.bluedataesl.com/post/the-us-anticipates-record-number-of-student-visas-in-fiscal-2023

According to the U.S. State Department and ApplyBoard, the United States is all geared up to issue the most student visas in a year since 2016. This is awesome news! They've already given out over 392,000 visas for this fiscal year. Back in 2016, they hit a total of 471,728 F1 visas – pretty impressive!

[ad_1] U.S. State Department officials and a recent report by ApplyBoard, a Canadian-based international student recruitment platform, indicate the United States is set to issue the most student visas in a year since fiscal 2016. The tally of visas issued in fiscal 2023 has passed 392,000 to date. In fiscal 2016, a total 471,728 F1 visas were issued. It could be close: Compared to fiscal 2022 — October 1, 2021 to September 30, 2022 — more than 411,131 international student visas were issued, including F1, according to the State Department. An F1 visa is for those attending an academic program or seeking a full-time degree at a U.S. institution. In order to pass fiscal 2022, the U.S. will have to issue more than 40,000 international visas before the end of September. "Facilitating the ability of foreign students and academic exchange visitors to study at U.S. universities and colleges is a priority," a State Department spokesperson told VOA by email. "We are on track to issue the most student visas in a year since [fiscal year] 2016. "While the US has a long way to go before rivaling its high mark of over 644,000 student visas issued in FY2015, these numbers inspire confidence that long-term, sustainable growth is ahead," ApplyBoard's July 18th report states. Last September, the Institute of International Education released its annual study showing that international enrollment had largely recovered from the steep drop it took during the pandemic, and U.S. colleges were seeing an increase in applications for admission after significantly fewer new international student enrollments in 2020 and 2021. Countries According to ApplyBoard, the six countries the saw the largest percentage increases in student visas issued from fiscal 2021 to fiscal 2022 were Asian. Uzbekistan is at the top of this list for the first time, while Nepal, Bangladesh, and Vietnam show continued growth in visa issuance. "All four countries hit 25-year highs in student visas issued," according to the report. Meanwhile, more African students were awarded F1 visas in 2022 than ever before, the report said. Nigeria and Ghana were issued the most student visas in their histories in 2022. According to the State Department records, the number of visas issued to students from Africa in fiscal 2022 surpassed 30,700. This marked a significant increase compared with 21,037 visas issued in fiscal 2018, followed by 20,165 in fiscal 2019, a notable dip to 7,333 because of the pandemic in 2020, and then a rebound to 23,229 in fiscal 2021. According to the 2022 Open Doors report and State Department data, the top two countries are China and India, which together represent the majority of all international students in the United States, or about 52%. In 2022, China remained the top country, with 290,086 students on U.S. campuses, a decrease of 9% year-over-year. That same year, India had the second most international students, with about 200,000, an increase of 19% year-over-year. "In fiscal year 2022, our Embassy and Consulates in India broke the all-time record for most student and exchange visitor visas issued in a year, issuing more than 125,000 [new] visas. India now is the second largest origin country for U.S. international students," according to State. Approval rate The approval rate for nonimmigrant student visa applicants also hit a 10-year high in fiscal 2022. "In [fiscal year] 2022, worldwide, we issued 411,131 F1 visas and refused 220,676 F1 visas," the State Department spokesperson told VOA. "In [fiscal] 2021, worldwide, we issued 357,839 F1 visas." ApplyBoard called the data "overwhelmingly good" in its analysis. "The new F1 visa data should be music to the ears of international recruitment offices around the United States," said ApplyBoard's report. [ad_2] Source link

Study Abroad

Study Abroad WEBSITE - https://studyabroad.masterclap.in/ contact us - +91 96507 44530

Study Abroad In CANADA, the US, the UK, AUSTRALIA, And IRELAND With ApplyBoard’s Expert Consultants. Accepting Applications for fall 2023 admission. We Don't Charge Any Fee From STUDENTS/PARENTS(All Charges are Payable To The School/University Directly From The Consultation). We facilitate Students For Admission To UG/PG Course Abroad

Mr. Merwyn Savio Paul, Associate Director, South India & Sri Lanka, Ms. Majo Reyes, Project Head-GIC along with team Applyboard visited Dr P B Boss, Chairman, Osaka Group at our Head office at Angamaly hastags for this

In Conversation with ApplyBoard's Martin Basiri

In Conversation with ApplyBoard’s Martin Basiri

Speaker 1 [00:00:01] Hi. It’s John here. If you had to do a word cloud for 2022, I suspect talent and labor would somehow pop large. Everyone knows there are labor shortages out there, and every organization across Canada seems to be hunting for talent. And there are few avenues as promising for that as Canada’s international education system. I recently had the chance to sit down with Martin…

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Indian Students Issued Record Number of Student Visas in the US, F-1 Regulations Updated

Indian students in the United States were issued a total of 1,30,839 F-1 student visas in 2023, witnessing a 14 per cent surge from 2022, says an ApplyBoard report.

The report says study permit trends in the US has indicated that this is the second year in a row, when Indians received more US student visas than students from any other country.

In 2023, the quantity of F1 student visas granted exceeded by 10,000 the total number of visas issued to the leading four East Asian markets collectively.

According to the report's findings, approximately 4,46,000 F-1 student visas were issued by the US in 2023, marking an 8.5% rise from the 4,11,000 visas issued in 2022. This figure represents the largest number of student visas issued in a single year since 2016.

More than 2 lakh Indian students consider pursuing higher education in the US every year. According to the US Embassy, Indian immigrants encompass 20 per cent of the foreign student group who aim to gain the know-how of emerging technologies, artificial intelligence, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

Especially students who desire to study Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) courses prefer the US as their go-to destination for its quality education, frontline universities, and diverse culture.

What is an F1 visa?

An F-1 visa is a non-immigrant visa that enables students to enter the US provinces and attend a university or college, high school, elementary school, seminary, language training program, or other academic organisation. Till now, Indian students holding an F-1 visa could avail of up to 12 months of optional practical training (OPT), pre or post-completion of their graduate studies in STEM. They could apply for another year of OPT when seeking a postsecondary degree at a higher level.

However, there were a few challenges related to the postgraduate employment visa and its transformation to a work visa, which the country aims to revamp to attract international students.

How does an F-1 visa attract Indian students to the US?

The US is already a STEM hub, with some of the world’s finest universities with high academic standards and rigorous practical training grooming global learners. However, pursuing an education in the United States is expensive, with prices varying by degree program, location, type of university, and other factors. The tuition cost of a program usually ranges from $32,000 to $60,000 per year. Furthermore, living costs are 241% more expensive than in India, ranging between $10,000 to $18,000 per annum.

In this scenario, an F-1 visa allows students to work beside their full-time academic commitment to earn a living. It permits learners to work on-campus up to 20 hours per week during the session and up to 40 hours per week during holidays. Moreover, the F-1 visa is valid for up to 5 years, during which a student can switch between academic programs or transfer to a different school by notifying the USCIS.

F-1 visas also enable students to work off-campus through OPT after completing their academic program. Learners who want to stay longer in the United States and pursue employment can apply for the OPT program and switch their student visa to an H-1B work visa for an initial three-year period. However, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) used to take about 150-210 days (5-7 months) to process Form I-765 for employment authorisation, causing delays and complications.

Revised provisions of an F-1 visa

In September 2022, the USCIS announced a revision of employment authorisation applicable from March 6 to extend a student’s retention period in the US, reduce the backlog, and enhance processing efficiency. In this policy, selected categories of students on F-1 visas who pursue studies in STEM or its allied modules can opt for an additional 24 months extension of their OPT program to find a suitable employment opportunity. Once the extension period ends, they can apply for an H-1B work visa or search for an employer willing to sponsor their work visas.

Moreover, the revised F-1 visa provision focuses on premium processing of employment authorisation. That said, a student on an F-1 visa can apply for an H-1B work visa by filling out Forms I-129, I-140, and I-765 for Employment Authorisation and Form I-907 for Requesting Premium Processing Service. The USCIS will take 15 calendar days (instead of 210) to process the applications from submission,accelerating their review process and reducing turnaround time.

Source: THE ECONOMIC TIMES

ApplyBoard raises USD 300 million to expand in India

ApplyBoard raises USD 300 million to expand in India

Many Indian startups have entered the Unicorn club this year. The investors had their eyes on the working and the operations of the startups. And nowadays, many foreign startups are finding their ways to enter the Indian market, since the Indian economy is booming and developing and investors find the Indian market attractive since it is full of opportunities and new options. The Indian market is…

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International Student Recruitment Platform ApplyBoard Raises $75M; Becomes Canada’s Newest Unicorn at $1.4B Valuation

Canadian based student recruitment platform ApplyBoard raised $75 million to reach a unicorn status.

Click the link to learn more:

https://edtechreview.in/news/4008-international-student-recruitment-platform-applyboard-raises-75m-becomes-canada-s-newest-unicorn-at-1-4b-valuation

Edtech’s newest unicorn, ApplyBoard, lands $1.4B valuation with fresh funding – TechCrunch Brothers Martin, Meti and Massi Basiri all left Iran to study abroad in Canada. After struggling with every aspect from the visa process to grade conversions, the brothers saw an opportunity to make the transition to study internationally more seamless.