January 2023 - Oblivion Services

Jan 25 2023

Can I use ChatGPT for my application to study abroad?

The short answer is no.

Although technically possible, you shouldn’t use ChatGPT for your study abroad application. This chatbot has made headlines for its capacity to produce intricate written responses to straightforward questions. However, employing it could jeopardize your academic future.

Here are four reasons why using ChatGPT for international students’ applications or academic purposes is a terrible idea.

It’s Plagiarism (and ChatGPT Makes Stuff Up)

Using OpenAI’s ChatGPT program to write your essay is regarded as plagiarism, just like if you had asked a buddy to write your admissions essay or statement of purpose. Students who “represent AI-assisted work as their own,” according to the software vendor Turnitin, are engaging in contract cheating.

The Chat GPT program can produce a decent essay rapidly, but the New York Times reports that it is prone to providing incorrect responses because it assembles words “based on a statistical model trained on billions of examples of text gathered from all across the internet.”

As a result, the programme makes educated guesses about which words belong where, occasionally getting them wrong or coming up with brand-new ones. It’s acceptable to have that kind of uniqueness while coming up with a comedy routine, but it will damage your applications essay.

We requested ChatGPT, for instance, to “Write a short admissions essay for a student from Delhi who desires to pursue their undergraduate degree in bioscience at the University of Toronto.”

Don’t Risk Your Admission

Your study abroad experience could be cut short by plagiarism. Your foreign student application will probably be rejected if it is determined that your essay, statement of purpose, or other components of your application were plagiarised. Your name could potentially be blocked from any upcoming applications by the school.

If your work is found to be plagiarised when you are already enrolled in a programme, you risk failing the assignment or being expelled. And on campuses nowadays, professors rely on more than just their instincts.

Many schools and universities currently use plagiarism-detection programmes like Turnitin and Unicheck, both of which will release programmes that can identify writing generated using ChatGPT by the end of 2023. The developers of ChatGPT, OpenAI, have also talked about including a digital watermark in the app’s text output. Additionally, free text review apps like GPTZero, developed by Princeton undergraduate Edward Tian, will emerge and enter the toolkits of teachers.

The likelihood of being caught is high and increasing. Are your goals of studying abroad worth giving up to save a few hours?

Think of the Future

While the application process for study abroad will alter over time, the widespread use of ChatGPT may necessitate quick adjustments. Colleges and institutions will probably adopt harder-to-plagiarize application components in the future. For many students, this adjustment may make the process more difficult.

For instance, if you find it difficult to write an admissions essay, try live video chat discussing about a random topic. Although it may seem absurd, schools might use this strategy to accurately assess each student’s talents.

Changes of this nature may also affect how equally distributed studying abroad is. In this case, students would require access to particular video programmes and a steady, high-speed internet connection in order to participate in an interview. This would imply that pupils who live in rural areas, places where internet access is limited, or families with lower socioeconomic status have a decreased chance of succeeding.

Nobody Knows You Better than… You

We understand that assembling an application package requires time and that writing essays might be frightening. Even if you don’t feel confident in your writing abilities, employing a chatbot is far preferable to writing the essay in your own voice, even if it’s not great.

Admissions essays and, to a lesser extent, declarations of purpose are ultimately personal. And you will always be the foremost authority on yourself when you talk about yourself. Share your interests, whether you enjoy studying about robots or paintings from the Renaissance. In order to properly discuss classes you’d like to take, professors whose work inspires you, or a co-op that can give you fantastic hands-on skills, do your research on the school you want to attend.

Although the past few years of your life may not have been very interesting to you, there is one thing that all international students have in common: you all have lofty aspirations. You have objectives, places you want to go, and things you want to accomplish. Discuss this and how joining your desired university or college would position you for success. If you can explain how you’ll support them in shining along the route, bonus points!

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Jan 18 2023

Avoiding fraud and scams related to Canadian immigration

Canadian fraud and scams

Unfortunately, new Canadian immigrants and potential immigration seekers are particularly exposed to many types of scams/fraud. Here are three things to keep in mind to help current and future Canadian immigrants avoid the penalties of an immigration scam/immigration fraud.

Between November 14 and December 8, 2022, CBC reported on three distinct suspected Canadian immigration frauds.

A Concordia University student who migrated to Canada from Iran this autumn lost over $11,000 to phone fraudsters in Edmonton. Early in December, allegations appeared that a Ghanaian man was the victim of a social network employment scam that also requested money for a health insurance charge. Fortunately, he was cautious and recognised the fraud before sending any money.

Unfortunately, the “dozens of victims” reportedly duped out of “$5000 or more” by a Vancouver immigration expert may not have been so fortunate. The immigration consultant in this scheme, who is now the subject of a class action lawsuit, is accused of misrepresenting herself as a lawyer and defrauding migrants “with promises of a road to permanent residency in Canada through a nonexistent programme.”

The examples above were offered to demonstrate the frequency of Canadian immigration scams throughout the country. As a result, the following highlights three points to keep in mind for recent Canadian immigrants and prospective aspirants wishing to work, study, or come to our nation in order to avoid the painful penalties of falling victim to immigration fraud or an immigration scam.

IRCC and the collection of fines/fees

Scams, including immigration scams, are increasingly being conducted over the phone. In fact, according to a survey done as part of a CityNews Vancouver piece published in January 2022, scam calls in Cantonese or Mandarin have increased by 20% since 2019. Furthermore, according to the President of Vancouver-based research firm Research Co., 60% of cellphone users receive fraudulent calls claiming to be from a government body.

To that end, Canadian immigration seekers should be aware that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will never call or contact them, either online or in person, to collect payments or penalties in order to avoid repercussions such as deportation.

Scammers may “often offer a phoney name and agent number to look official,” according to IRCC, but these sorts of calls are always a fraud.

If someone calls and threatens you with penalties for not paying money or disclosing personal information, do not be hesitant to contact local authorities and/or report the occurrence.

IRCC’s official scam/fraud identification resources

Immigrating to a new nation is a trip that needs newcomers to get reliable information. Untrustworthy information is prevalent in the internet era because anybody can create a website or a blog and pretend to be an expert on any subject they choose. As a result, official government resources are critical in each immigrant’s trip to Canada.

It’s also worth noting that the IRCC provides official government tools (FAQs and tip sheets) to help recent Canadian immigrants and those planning to immigrate to Canada recognise and prevent immigration-related fraud and scams.

Whether someone is looking for information on a specific sort of fraud/scam (telephone/internet scams, document fraud, etc.) or wants to know what to do if they become a victim of a scam/fraud, IRCC has substantial web resources on all of these topics. These tools will assist both recent Canadian immigrants and prospective Canadian immigration aspirants in remaining aware of and protecting oneself from these scenarios.

Verifying the legitimacy of Canadian immigration service providers

When moving to a new nation, immigrants frequently require assistance from others. This aid, depending on the choices chosen by the immigrant/immigration hopeful, may come from an internet forum or an immigration counselor such as an immigration lawyer, advocate or consultant. Nonetheless, just as anybody may portray oneself as an internet subject matter expert via a website, fraudsters can easily appear as trustworthy and reputable immigration advisers.

Official Canadian registers and directories exist to verify the legality of persons who claim to be allowed to represent immigrants/provide immigration assistance, to assist both current Canadian immigrants and potential immigration seekers. All Canadian citizenship and immigration consultants, for example, must be members of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants. Similarly, Canadian immigration attorneys and notaries must be members of a Canadian provincial or territorial law organisation, and Ontario-based paralegals must join the Law Society of Ontario.

According to IRCC, most provincial and territorial law societies have online tools to verify if a certain individual register as a member in good standing, and an individual’s “standing” is a useful predictor of whether immigrants should engage the services of that immigration lawyer.

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Jan 13 2023

These Are The Best Cities In Canada For International Students & The Top Ones May Surprise You

If you’re a student looking for the best cities in Canada to study, a new ranking has done the legwork for you by identifying the best places to study.

Clever Canadian compiled a list of the best cities in Canada for international students, and while the usual suspects are included, some of the other cities on the list may surprise you.

Caitlyn Grant’s report, published in December, ranked 50 Canadian cities based on factors such as diversity, monthly rent, internet speed, and tuition costs.

Sherbrooke, Quebec, ranks first on the list, with monthly rent costs of $985 and relatively low average tuition costs of $5,298 per year.

The city is home to universities such as the University of Sherbrooke, but it is also close to Bishop’s University, which has been named the best in Canada for student satisfaction.

The city was also highly ranked for its fast internet speed, which was 110 megabits per second.

Following Sherbrooke, St. John’s, Newfoundland, was named the second-best city in Canada for international students, owing to its affordable tuition (an average of $3,036 per year) and low rent of $860 per month.

Calgary, home to schools such as the University of Calgary and Mount Royal University, was named the third-best city for international students, owing in part to its high level of diversity.

The three cities are followed by Rimouski, Quebec, which was praised for its low rent costs and high internet speed, and Edmonton, which was praised for being both diverse and affordable.

The 10 best cities in Canada for international students

These are the 10 best cities that students looking to study abroad will want to consider:

Sherbrooke, Quebec
St. John’s, Newfoundland
Calgary, Alberta
Rimouski, Quebec
Edmonton, Alberta
Montreal, Quebec
Quebec City, Quebec
Trois-Rivieres, Quebec
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec

While Montreal was able to make the top ten due to its many schools (including McGill University, which was ranked as the top university in Canada), it was unable to crack the top five, possibly due to the lower internet speed (64.91 Mbps) and the higher cost of living.

Other frequently mentioned cities on the list include Toronto, which came in at number 19 and is home to the University of Toronto, which was named the most reputable institution in Canada for 2023.

Vancouver is also included on the list, ranking 30th due to its diversity and array of top schools, including the University of British Columbia.

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Jan 9 2023

Canada breaks record by welcoming over 437,000 new immigrants in 2022

Over 437,000 new permanent residents were admitted to Canada last year, the most ever in a single year.

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced today that Canada has exceeded a record-breaking target for permanent resident admissions in 2022.

According to an IRCC tweet, Canada welcomed over 437,000 new immigrants last year. This exceeds their target of 431,645 new immigrants and sets an all-time high for Canadian permanent residence admissions in a single year. The previous high was set in 2021, when Canada welcomed over 405,000 new residents.

“Today marks an important milestone for Canada, setting a new record for newcomers welcomed in a single year.” said immigration minister Sean Fraser. “It is a testament to the strength and resilience of our country and its people. Newcomers play an essential role in filling labor shortages, bringing new perspectives and talents to our communities, and enriching our society as a whole. I am excited to see what the future holds and look forward to another historic year in 2023 as we continue to welcome newcomers.”

In 2022, IRCC processed 5.2 million applications across all business lines. This figure includes applications for permanent residency, temporary residency, and citizenship, and it is more than double the number of applications processed in 2021.

The increase in applications processed, as well as the high number of admissions, is attributed to new resources, new technology, streamlined processing, and bringing more processes online, according to IRCC.

In the Fall Economic Statement, the government also committed $50 million to IRCC for 2022-2023 to address the ongoing backlog of applications, which stood at 1.09 million across all lines of business as of November 30, 2022.

Immigration Levels Plan 2023-2025

The annual Immigration Levels Plan specifies Canada’s admission targets. The plan for 2022 was released in February 2022, with the highest admission targets ever, until the plan for 2023-2025 was released in November 2025.

Immigration accounts for nearly all of Canada’s labor-force growth. In Canada, there are nearly one million job openings and a skilled labor shortage due to the aging workforce.

Immigrants are critical to Canada’s economy because nine million Canadians are expected to reach the retirement age of 65 by 2030. Because of Canada’s aging population, the worker-to-retiree ratio is expected to fall from 7 to 1 50 years ago to 2 to 1 by 2035.

Furthermore, because Canada has one of the lowest global birth rates, at 1.4 children per woman, immigration accounts for nearly 75% of Canada’s population growth.

In recent years, Canada has made an effort to welcome a greater number of immigrants in order to increase its population. According to the 2021 immigration census, 1.3 million new permanent residents entered Canada between 2016 and 2021. In other words, one in every four respondents in Canada was or had been a landed immigrant or permanent resident, the highest proportion since Confederation and the highest proportion among G7 countries. Immigrants are expected to account for 36% of Canada’s population by 2036.

In the future, the Immigration Levels Plan 2023-2025, released in November, sets an even more ambitious target of 500,000 new permanent residents per year by 2025. The goal for 2023 is 465,000 people.

How can we help

We at Oblivion Services assist foreign nationals with every step of the process to become Canadian international students. Clients may anticipate one-on-one assistance with everything from choosing a school and program of study to receiving an acceptance letter and applying for a CAQ and study visa. Every International Student Program participant is assigned an Educational Counsellor who will assist them in realizing their goal of living in Canada!

Please complete our free student assessment to evaluate your eligibility for studies in Canada, and one of our Educational Counsellors will call you to discuss your needs.

Need Expert Guidance?

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Jan 4 2023

Why Canadian Student Visas are Rejected Due to “Dual Intent”

A Canadian study permit, often known as a student visa/ student visas, may be denied for a variety of reasons, including lack of funds, ambiguous or missing documentation, or poor academic standing. Due to “dual intent,” one of the most frequent reasons why a student visa is denied.

But what does that mean?

Dual intent is the intention to enter Canada with the goal of obtaining both temporary and permanent residency. When applications for student visas are denied for this reason, it’s usually because the visa officer examining the application is unconvinced that the applicant intends to leave Canada after completing their studies.

For this reason, it’s especially important for students to make it clear in their Statement of Purpose, and to the officer, that they plan to return home upon finishing their studies.

Work on Your SOP

Introducing yourself to your institution and the visa officer can be done through a Statement of Purpose, or SOP. In this essay, you introduce yourself and explain why you would be a valuable addition to the program you are applying to.

Make sure to mention going home after graduation in your SOP. Don’t talk about your intentions to remain in Canada after your programme is through. This violates the terms and conditions of your visa and may result in the denial of your study permit.

Your SOP should also discuss your accomplishments, problems you’ve conquered, and extracurricular activity experience.

Note: Many students may want to address dual intent directly by mentioning their desire to become a future permanent resident of the country. However, for the best chances of having your visa accepted, it’s best to avoid the topic entirely. Focus fully on your interest in studying in Canada.

Get Your Documents in Order

Make sure you don’t forget anything while giving the required documentation for your student visa application. Among the crucial records to submit are:

A letter of approval (LOA)
Proof of identity
Proof of financial assistance
History of travel Additional personal documents (birth certificate, biometrics, etc.)
In order to demonstrate that you do not intend to remain in Canada after the study visa expires, it is usually a good idea to present documents demonstrating your intention to return to your native country.

It’s crucial to incorporate proof in your supporting paperwork while organising your records. For instance, any gaps in your schooling or career history may be explained by your medical or employment records.

Elaborate on Previous History

Discuss your prior travel experiences with your immigration officer once you arrive at the airport as well as in your SOP. Give specifics about your journeys and your motivations, and make it obvious that you always made it back home.

Be cautious while discussing your former connections and links if you’ve been to Canada before. Having these relationships may help you feel more at ease while you are a student there and may be a support system if you ever get the chance to relocate to Canada. However, it can lead visa officers to suspect that you would overstay your visa after finishing your education.

Tip: If you haven’t traveled yet, now can be a good opportunity to book a trip somewhere abroad! Doing so shows proof that you’ve traveled to different countries and have a history of returning home.

Inteview tips

Once you’ve arrived in Canada, an interview with an immigration officer might be nerve-wracking. However, with enough preparation and practise, you can overcome these worries. It is beneficial to be prepared to respond to specific inquiries regarding your programme and prepare answers in advance. Some typical queries are as follows:

“Why did you choose to study in Canada instead of working in your home country?”
“What made you choose x program at x school?”
“How are you funding yourself while studying abroad?”
“Are you planning to return to your home country after your studies?” (To which the answer should always be “yes”!)

Keeping these questions in mind, it can help to think about:

Why you chose your specific program and institution, and how it will help you get a job in your home country
The improved job opportunities you can get after studying abroad, and companies you can apply to

After carefully reviewing your SOP, papers, travel history, and interview, it’s crucial to highlight going home in order to minimise the chance of getting flagged for dual intent. These suggestions can assist you in moving one step closer to realising your study abroad aspirations, regardless of whether you have previously been refused or are just now applying.

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