Immigration Matters - Studying in Canada
April 20, 2021
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When a young Albanian dental student and her husband arrived in Canada in 2002, her plan was to continue the dentistry program she had started in her home country. Anaida Deti quickly learned that the Canadian standards are quite different to the rest of the world, and her credits would not be transferable. Distraught, she nearly gave up hope. Then, like all the immigrants who have successfully made Canada their home, she made a decision. Anaida took the brave step to study in Canada and enrolled in a college. A decade later she is a qualified dental hygienist and CEO of her own company, DentalX, a full service dental clinic in Toronto with 11 full time employees working for her. However, she didn’t stop there. Anaida founded Mission KIND (Kids in Need of Dental Care) to give children from less privileged backgrounds access to proper dental care. While Canada has an incredible free public healthcare system, the cost of dental care is a burden borne by residents and citizens in their personal capacity, and so it often doesn’t top peoples list of priorities. Currently serving around 2,500 patients, DentalX is one of the most popular dental clinics in North York, Toronto. Her careful and gentle approach means children actually enjoy visiting her offices, as she doesn’t want anyone being scared off proper oral hygiene the way she was: “I was 7 when I first went to a dentist in Albania, and I didn’t go again until I was 19. I’ve never forgotten my own feelings of dental phobia and understand how stressful it can be for some people.”
Studying in Canada
If you want to study in Canada, there are a few things you should be aware of before you apply.- It is more expensive for foreign students than for Canadians. You are allowed to work part-time jobs while you are studying (less than 30 hours per week) which will contribute significantly to your living and tuition fees, but you will need to have sufficient funds saved before you can apply for your Canada study visa
- When you graduate from your Canadian post-secondary school, with a valid job offer you will be eligible for a post-graduate work permit. A PGWP is valid for up to three years and will almost certainly lead to permanent resident status in Canada.
- University and trade school graduates in Canada make on average 42% more than those with only a high school diploma. While your studies may be expensive and require hard work in the short term (3-4 years) they will pay dividends for the rest of your comfortable and happy life in Canada.
- It is important to study the right course. Due to critical shortages in certain sectors of the Canadian labour market, a job offer with a very good salary could be waiting for you if you make the right choices in your studies. Another factor to consider is where you want to live after you graduate, each province has their own unique economy that comes with varying sets of labour demands.