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Canada Visa Situation
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muhajir



Joined: 21 Jan 2008
Posts: 11

PostPosted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 12:14 pm    Post subject: Canada Visa Situation Reply with quote

Hello all,

Does anyone have any updates on the Canada visa situation? Last I heard there were mixed stories of the visa processing taking anywhere from 1-3 months by the Saudi embassy in Canada, and they are only taking ESL teachers with English-related qualifications. As a result, a lot of employers are not bothering to hire Canadians e.g. Aramco's contractors.

Anyone have the contact of a Canadian visa agent who deals with the Saudi embassy?

Thanks
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Jessiemiles



Joined: 07 Jun 2012
Posts: 49
Location: Home

PostPosted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 11:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Check out the list of approved agents and try calling a few.

http://embassies.mofa.gov.sa/sites/canada/EN/ConsulateSection/Visa/Pages/default.aspx

Canadians now have to have a degree in English or Linguistics to get an employment visa to teach English. The wait time is reported to be ten days, but I've heard in reality it's 20. I think this also depends on who your employer is.
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timmiez



Joined: 14 Jan 2013
Posts: 13
Location: Toronto, Canada

PostPosted: Mon Mar 25, 2013 7:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have contacted a couple of the authorized agents and one of them mentioned how a group of 6 Canadian teachers were denied visas due to non related (i.e. English) degrees, this happened in July last year. They were then told to re-apply in September. But by then they had already pursued other positions in other countries so the agent is still not sure whether the ban has been lifted yet.

Does anyone know any Canadian teacher that was recently hired with a non-related bachelors degree?
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spiral78



Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash

PostPosted: Mon Mar 25, 2013 7:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Does anyone know any Canadian teacher that was recently hired with a non-related bachelors degree?



Why would a reputable employer hire someone with a non-related BA, assuming that you mean said potential employer has no other applicable quals that supercede the BA (related MA/PhD, etc)?
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nomad soul



Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world

PostPosted: Mon Mar 25, 2013 8:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

spiral78 wrote:
Quote:
Does anyone know any Canadian teacher that was recently hired with a non-related bachelors degree?

Why would a reputable employer hire someone with a non-related BA, assuming that you mean said potential employer has no other applicable quals that supercede the BA (related MA/PhD, etc)?

Probably not a reputable employer (direct-hire situation) but a contracting company instead. Even then, the applicant would most likely need to have a CELTA or equivalent teaching qualification as well as several years of relevant experience along with that non-related BA.
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Voyeur



Joined: 03 Jul 2012
Posts: 431

PostPosted: Sat Apr 06, 2013 3:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

So, let me see if I understand this. Canadians must get their VISA from the Saudi embassy in Canada, even if said Canadians live abroad. And there is a policy at that embassy which requires a related bachelor's degree to get the visa, even if you have a masters or PhD in TESOL?
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timmiez



Joined: 14 Jan 2013
Posts: 13
Location: Toronto, Canada

PostPosted: Sat Apr 06, 2013 11:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You're good if you have a Masters or PhD in Tesol!

The problem is only if you are Canadian and have a base requirement of a Bachelor degree in a non-related field such as Commerce and a TEFL certification, they might not issue you a work visa.

P.S. - If you're American, you're good to go! Just spoke to an American teacher with the base requirements who got a work visa like two weeks ago!

Waiting to hear from a Canadian now!
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scot47



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343

PostPosted: Tue Apr 09, 2013 7:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://news.visato.com/canada/canadas-diplomats-concerned-over-immigration-rules-for-polygamist-saudi-visa-applicants/20121016/
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londone7



Joined: 07 Jun 2013
Posts: 11

PostPosted: Sun Jun 16, 2013 11:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

any new information on this? I still see lots of jobs asking for Canadians with any BA.

either recruiters dont know about this rule, its not strictly enforced, or there are ways to work around it. my British friend said he went to Bahrain coz it was quicker than UK

I have a BA + Tesol + Celta + 3 yrs exp in Korea in 2 schools + dual UK/Can passports
but I live in Canada so trying not to fly to UK to get it done Smile
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Deeman15



Joined: 30 Apr 2011
Posts: 50

PostPosted: Sat Aug 03, 2013 11:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Any Canadians that have been rejected recently for not having a related degree?

What about Americans, is that rule still being enforced for them?
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sliim



Joined: 27 Jan 2006
Posts: 55

PostPosted: Sat Aug 17, 2013 7:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

This may be only slightly related, but I was offered work in Saudi a few years ago and went through the Saudi Embassy in Canada.

All things were in order (necessary degrees, requirements, physical exam, etc.), but I did notice a clause in one of the documents I had to sign said:

"I accept that if I do not follow the laws of Saudi Arabia, I shall be subject to capital punishment. Ladies entering the Kingdom are requested to dress modestly."

Not being one to simply sign my life away, I contacted the embassy for clarification about which laws, specifically, entail the death penalty, as the general phrasing of the clause is not clear on the issue. I was not being snarky or insensitive, but, if you ask me, that is a fair question.

I was responded to with shouting and insults. Naturally, my complaints about the way this was handled led nowhere.

So, so much for Saudi, I say, but I would recommend reading all the documentation seriously before signing. The Canadian government is limited in its ability to help you once you are abroad, and although most people work without incident, there have been a few cases that were not so good, like William Sampson, for example.

That my "two bits" as they say in Canada. Best of luck.
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cassava



Joined: 24 Feb 2007
Posts: 175

PostPosted: Sun Aug 18, 2013 3:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

sliim wrote:


So, so much for Saudi, I say, but I would recommend reading all the documentation seriously before signing. The Canadian government is limited in its ability to help you once you are abroad, and although most people work without incident, there have been a few cases that were not so good, like William Sampson, for example.

That my "two bits" as they say in Canada. Best of luck.


It is not so much a case of the Canadian government having a limited ability to assist Canadians who are resident overseas, as much as it is a situation where the government of Canada tends to be suspicious of and quite unwilling to help their foreign nationals. When I lived in Saudi Arabia, I witnessed this kind of attitude numerous times.

William Sampson, whom you cite, was so poorly treated by Canadian officials when he ran into trouble in Saudi that he renounced his Canadian citizenship in disgust and went back to the UK where he died some months ago.
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johnslat



Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

PostPosted: Sun Aug 18, 2013 3:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

No matter where you're from (in my experience) if you think your embassy is there to help you, you are probably going to get a rude awakening should you ever need its assistance.

The primary concerns (actually the ONLY concerns) of the embassy are political (diplomatic) and financial (business).

The problems that a country's citizens may encounter abroad are VERY low ( if even on) an embassy's list of interests.

Regards,
John
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scot47



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343

PostPosted: Sun Aug 18, 2013 4:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

So this guy sashays into the Saudi Embassy in Ottawa and says, "If I go to Hejaz-Nejd, under what circumstances will I be beheaded ?"

How do you expect the poor sods there to react. If it had been me behind the counter I would have booted him out too ! With his head still attached to his torso.
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plumpy nut



Joined: 12 Mar 2011
Posts: 1652

PostPosted: Sun Aug 18, 2013 8:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

sliim wrote:


"I accept that if I do not follow the laws of Saudi Arabia, I shall be subject to capital punishment.


The punishment is meted out for Trafficking, Apostasy, Witchcraft, Murder, Rape, Robbery, and I believe trying to convert someone to another religion. The only thing you would have to worry about would be Trafficking and Murder, Rape and Robbery, anything else as a European (American, Canadian) you get deported. Europeans have committed murder in KSA before and they (she) were not executed. I've never heard of a European caught trafficking in KSA, so I don't know. I'm pretty sure you would not be beheaded, that seems to be reserved for others. Say anything against Islam or have an attitude against Islam (as they see it in the KSA) and you're gone (deported) as well as being caught having alcohol even in your compound. This also goes for any type of relation or meeting with males outside of marriage or not wearing a loose garment around your body. In Riyadh and the more conservative areas you will have to wear a scarf around your head except for trips to Carrefoure (as far as I can tell).

Obviously you're not going to test the Saudi system by committing any of the above seven offenses. That would not be very smart. You do not want to mess around in Asia at all. Two Canadians were hanged for trafficking many years back in Malaysia and Singapore has hung Europeans before for trafficking. Also there are some Australians on death row in Indonesia for trafficking.
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