My advisor says I might be rejected if I choose diploma program

[melissapond]

Hello everyone.

I'm 32 years old. I have a bachelor degree in Media&Communications. I don't have directly related to marketing job experience. I worked as a project manager, a TA and a content editor at an agency. My husband has two company, one in the USA and the other in Turkey. We live in Turkey btw. I'm working with my husband officially.

I have two offers: One from a Vancouver college, post-graduate certificate program and the other one from a Toronto college diploma program. Both are 2 years, marketing-related programs.

My advisor says that my visa application might be rejected since I already have a bachelor degree if I choose the diploma program in Toronto. She said the visa officer might have reservations regarding my application because the diploma program is lower than bachelor degree and it might look suspicious. But my husband and I want to go to Toronto. He is a software developer and there are more opportunities for both of us careerwise. Networking is everything and Toronto is the best place. Vancouver is a wonderful city but we cannot see our future there.

One of my friends says that I can state that it's been 6 years since I got my degree and I want to incline to the marketing area. Also, we can say that we want to expand our business in Turkey, which is definitely not a lie btw, and we don't have any marketing person. After the program, I will work as a marketing manager at our company.

Did anyone have any experiences with diploma programs or any kind of programs that is lower than your last degree? Possibility of rejection is that hight really?

 

[Gs98195]

Hello everyone.

I'm 32 years old. I have a bachelor degree in Media&Communications. I don't have directly related to marketing job experience. I worked as a project manager, a TA and a content editor at an agency. My husband has two company, one in the USA and the other in Turkey. We live in Turkey btw. I'm working with my husband officially.

I have two offers: One from a Vancouver college, post-graduate certificate program and the other one from a Toronto college diploma program. Both are 2 years, marketing-related programs.

My advisor says that my visa application might be rejected since I already have a bachelor degree if I choose the diploma program in Toronto. She said the visa officer might have reservations regarding my application because the diploma program is lower than bachelor degree and it might look suspicious. But my husband and I want to go to Toronto. He is a software developer and there are more opportunities for both of us careerwise. Networking is everything and Toronto is the best place. Vancouver is a wonderful city but we cannot see our future there.

One of my friends says that I can state that it's been 6 years since I got my degree and I want to incline to the marketing area. Also, we can say that we want to expand our business in Turkey, which is definitely not a lie btw, and we don't have any marketing person. After the program, I will work as a marketing manager at our company.

Did anyone have any experiences with diploma programs or any kind of programs that is lower than your last degree? Possibility of rejection is that hight really?

It all matters upon SOP

 

[bongoman]

Your advisor is correct, going for a lower level than you already have increases your rejection chances but its not a guarantee.

 

[Omofar]

Hello everyone.

I'm 32 years old. I have a bachelor degree in Media&Communications. I don't have directly related to marketing job experience. I worked as a project manager, a TA and a content editor at an agency. My husband has two company, one in the USA and the other in Turkey. We live in Turkey btw. I'm working with my husband officially.

I have two offers: One from a Vancouver college, post-graduate certificate program and the other one from a Toronto college diploma program. Both are 2 years, marketing-related programs.

My advisor says that my visa application might be rejected since I already have a bachelor degree if I choose the diploma program in Toronto. She said the visa officer might have reservations regarding my application because the diploma program is lower than bachelor degree and it might look suspicious. But my husband and I want to go to Toronto. He is a software developer and there are more opportunities for both of us careerwise. Networking is everything and Toronto is the best place. Vancouver is a wonderful city but we cannot see our future there.

One of my friends says that I can state that it's been 6 years since I got my degree and I want to incline to the marketing area. Also, we can say that we want to expand our business in Turkey, which is definitely not a lie btw, and we don't have any marketing person. After the program, I will work as a marketing manager at our company.

Did anyone have any experiences with diploma programs or any kind of programs that is lower than your last degree? Possibility of rejection is that hight really?

Hello Melissapond,

I hope well. Your advisor is absolutely correct.

PROBLEM:

When people's visas are rejected, we apply for their gcms notes under the Canadian freedom of information act. In the gcms notes, we are able to see the reasoning of a visa officer when he/she decides to refuse an application. In many cases, we have seen that a lack of 'academic progression' is cited as a reason for the refusal. There is a 'LOGIC' to every application, the VO is unable to see you physically when assessing the genuineness of your application, so he/she has to go strictly by 'objective/subjective' reasoning behind such application. It would be illogical to the VO if someone with a bachelors degree is looking to make a significant 'investment' on a qualification that is much less than the one they already hold. That will raise a red flag, and unless you are able to justify in a compelling manner why you choose to do that, your application will be refused.

POSSIBLE SOLUTION:

I would suggest you apply for the postgraduate certificate program, get your visa approval, depending on your country, you will be issued a TRV, get to the POE in Vancouver, get your study permit. Once in Canada, do not resume at the Vancouver school, but head out to Toronto, then you will be fine. The Canadian study permit is what it is. A study permit, it allows you to study, it does not specify that you must study at a specific institution. International students change schools all the time without having to revert to Canadian immigration when they do it is to just give notice and an excuse that they decided to pursue another program at another school.

Please take all I have said as a suggestion, and not really seriously. Do your research and decide what you want to do.

I wish you all the best.

Omofar.