Do these Three Things Before you Migrate

Hi Everyone,

It’s Uylander Jack

I am excited to share some tips that will come in handy as you start or plan your migration journey. These tips will help to alleviate some of the pain of trying to settle in the new country. Whether you are planning on obtaining employment or going back to school to retrain for a new career, I applaud your commitment and dedication. Adult learners are willing to make the necessary sacrifices and juggle their many responsibilities to achieve a change in their lives.

From my experience as a Student Advisor, I saw many applicants visiting the college, wanting to go back to school. In fact, a number of these applicants were unsure of the program that they wanted to pursue. These recommendations are guaranteed to reduce the pain of starting over. Living in a new place is hard enough as it is, here’s what you can do to adjust faster.

Review the college’s or university’s website

Look at the programs that the university or college offers. Take a look at the entry requirements of the program that you want to pursue. Once you have decided on a program, get the necessary documents such as your transcript, marriage certificate or other documents signifying a change of name. When you apply to the college or university, they will not be able to process your application until they have the necessary documents. Imagine the ease and peace of mind you will experience if you can provide all the required documentation.

In addition, the seats in the program will be filling up on a first-qualified first-accepted basis. Failure to produce the needed documents will hamper your chances of obtaining a seat in a competitive program.

Get transcripts

I know that you are excited and you just want to move to the new country, but before you do so;

High School Transcript

Get all your transcripts including your high school transcript. Most institutions will require all transcripts as part of your record. So even though the program requirements may specify high school subjects, the institutions will still require all transcripts. Therefore, if you have bachelors, masters or doctoral degree, get all your transcripts before you leave your country of origin. Bear in mind that the college or university to which you have applied, may not be familiar with the university or college that you attended. For those in the Caribbean get your Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) certificate which is your official high school transcript.

Applying to colleges and universities can be very stressful. Having to wait months for a decision on an application can be gut-wrenching. An applicant experiences tremendous joy and relief upon acceptance into a program of study. Having the transcripts will alleviate much of this anguish. Obtaining acceptance in a timely manner, will allow the applicant to focus on other important activities such as securing funding.

Post-secondary transcript

Get your postsecondary transcript. A transcript does not expire. It’s a permanent record of the grades that you have obtained in your course of study. Ensure that you do not open the sealed envelope it came in. The envelope needs to retain the seal. An open envelope will result in the transcripts being deemed “unofficial”. Moreover, this means that you will need to spend time and money to get another another copy. You may order three (3) or more copies of the transcript and keep them with you.

A transcript is important for both employment and education purposes. For employment, some companies require a copy of your transcript before an offer can be made.

Assessment of documents

Get your documents assessed or evaluated. Two of the major assessment bodies in Canada are; World Education Services (WES) and International Qualifications Assessment (IQAS). This verification process will tell whether your degree is equivalent to one done in Canada. These assessment bodies offer different types of assessment services. Transcripts may be assessed for immigration, general or academic purposes. For this reason, be sure to apply for the correct assessment. Include your high school transcript for an academic assessment. By doing so the college or university will be able to see at the glance, the subjects completed and their similarity to ones offered in Canada. Different institutions have different capabilities to review transcript. The assessment that can be done at a larger university may not be possible in a smaller college. An English assessment is important for persons who studied in another language.

From my own experience, I did not have my documents assessed when I migrated. My first position in the company, did not require an assessment of my transcripts. I had plans to do an assessment at a later date, but I never got around to it. There was no rush. My original transcripts were enough for that position. Fast forward, five years later when I applied for another position. In order to place me in the correct pay scale, my company required an assessment of my transcripts. Consequently, this resulted in a delay of my contract.

Get References

The final tip is to obtain character references from your supervisor or manager. Remember that, the persons in the new country will not be familiar with your work. They will need to get testimonials from persons who have worked with you in the past. These persons should be persons you have been working alongside for sometime. It is important to note that, a background check along with references is all part of the process of being hired. While you are getting your references, if there are any projects that you have successfully completed, create a portfolio to share with your prospective employer.

Conclusion

In summary, getting your transcripts, documents assessed and references will go a long way in ensuring that you have a smooth transition to the new country. This will allow you to focus on other things, such as obtaining funding, spending time with family while enjoying the sights that are around you.

*Stock image provided by Pixabay.