An Interview with FCT’s Immigration Consultants

Meet the Immigration Student Advising Department at Fleming College Toronto, a team of knowledgeable and qualified immigration advisors ready to answer all your questions related to study permits, work permits, and more.

We sat down with each member of the team to ask them about their jobs, the most common questions they receive from students, and much more. Keep reading to get their answers!    

Why did you decide to become an immigration consultant or advisor?   

Neha: When I moved to Canada, there was no one to help me. Things did not fall into place the way I wanted them to. There were a lot of delays. Now, I want to help people who were in my situation.  

Jayesh: When I was the age of our students, I was not able to get any help related to immigration, so now I want to give them the best advice I possibly can. 

Gavin: I got involved in the ESL industry, where I was surrounded by international students. It was a natural progression to become an RCIC. When I started working on applications, it made me feel like this job is important.  

Before coming to Canada, what are a few things that students should consider?  

Neha: Once you have chosen your program, when you apply for a study permit, I would say you should not be in a rush. Proofread your documents a million times! Avoid errors and add the supporting documents in your file accordingly. 

Gavin: Research where you’re going to be living. Look into places where you can do the hobbies and things you enjoy. Meetup and Facebook are great resources for that. FCT’s student services can help too. 

Jayesh: Learn about Canada’ education system because it will be different than your home country’s. I’m from India, for example, where we follow a textbook based curriculum. In Canada, you have to be more proactive and think critically. Understanding this will give you an advantage.  

What is the most common question you get? 

Neha: For me, I usually get students who ask about their expiring study permits and what they should do. The answer is always different for each student. That’s why they need to speak to us. It is always recommended to refer to the IRCC website rather than looking for answers online on blogposts!  

Gavin: It depends on the time of the year. When should I apply for my extension? What should I include in my study permit application? What supporting documents should I include? How many hours can I work? These are all common questions.  

Jayesh: They always ask me about PGWP eligibility. Like Neha said, the answer is different for every student. Even the IRCC website is generic. That’s why its important to speak to us.  

Is it important for students to stay up-to-date with immigration news? What’s the easiest way to do this? 

Neha: Yes, it is very important for them to be updated with immigration news. There’s lot’s of immigration news that doesn’t seem to effect students, but it is still useful to be aware of everything. Visit the IRCC webpage here.  

Gavin: Follow IRCC on Twitter! That’s the easiest way. They are also very active on LinkedIn. 

Jayesh: Yes, it is very beneficial for them. Especially when IRCC has updates about program deliveries or life of a worker in Canada. The RCIC website let’s you subscribe to updates by email. Just click here! 

To contact a member of the team, login to Canvas or email isa@flemingcollegetoronto.ca.