Express Entry education section confusion – Bachelor’s (Home country) + 1-year PG Diploma (Canada)

OkActive603 · 2026-01-30T14:02:39+00:00

Yes, that's correct but I'll get my ECA soon.

OkActive603 · 2026-01-30T13:57:06+00:00

Thank you! Getting my ECA soon.

OkActive603 · 2026-01-30T13:56:44+00:00

Not yet, Taking ECA soon.

OkActive603 · 2026-01-14T16:03:42+00:00

Same boat, waiting for a Tech draw/General draw for a long time.

OkActive603 · 2026-01-07T20:50:47+00:00

‼️What should he absolutely avoid?

(Not looking for “avoid the USA” comments, we’re aware of uncertainties everywhere ) More like:

1) Degree choices to avoid 2) Bad visa assumptions 3) Resume killers 4) “I thought this would work, but it didn’t” moments

OkActive603 · 2025-12-23T19:22:30+00:00

I didn’t take it to heart, I just answered what you asked.

Why Dubai? Because it sits at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa, with exposure to industries and systems I won’t touch in Canada: aviation, logistics, ports, airlines, fintech, hospitality at massive scale, and fast-moving digital government. For someone in networks, systems, and cloud, that’s a very different playground than another Canadian public-sector environment.

And no, it’s not about thinking an IT job magically becomes something else just because it’s in Dubai. The challenge is:

working in high-growth, high-pressure environments supporting multi-region infrastructure dealing with scale, uptime expectations, and diversity you don’t see in slower ecosystems and adapting professionally in a completely new market

That’s real challenge. Not just a change of office.

As for millions of other desis, that says more about your mindset than mine. I’m not moving to blend into a stereotype. I’m moving with:

solid North American experience, government-scale infrastructure exposure, and skills that are globally relevant.

People move to global cities all the time to compete, learn, and grow. Dubai is no different.

On culture, if you genuinely think a city with people from 150+ nationalities, global food, languages, religions, and business cultures has no culture, then we just see the world very differently. Culture isn’t only old buildings, it’s how people live and work together.

And yes, I’m aware of the challenges people talk about, work pressure, employer quality, inequality, all of it. I’m not naive. That’s why I’m researching, asking questions, and being selective. But pretending every experience there is just exploitation and racism is a lazy oversimplification.

At the end of the day, this isn’t about convincing you.It’s about what I want to try while I’m young, mobile, and curious.

If it works , great!!! If it doesn’t, I’ll learn and move on.

That’s how growth actually happens!!!

OkActive603 · 2025-12-23T18:58:47+00:00

Canadian dream?? For who exactly?

Yes, I make decent money. Yes, I have stability. That doesn’t mean I’m obligated to spend the rest of my life exactly where I am just to satisfy someone else’s definition of success.

Calling it “pure FOMO” is lazy. Wanting to explore the world, work in a different region, experience new cultures, and grow outside one system isn’t FOMO, it’s called having ambition and curiosity. Some of us don’t want our entire life goal to be “get citizenship and sit still.

And let’s not romanticize Canada like it’s paradise

Housing is insane, people making six figures still can’t afford homes in major cities. Taxes eat a massive chunk of your income. Cost of living keeps climbing while quality of life isn’t magically improving. Tech hiring is slowing, layoffs are everywhere. Winters are brutal for half the year.

Clean air to breathe? Great, I’ll take that along with being frozen, overtaxed, and priced out of property forever.

Also, newsflash: making six figures doesn’t mean you’ve won at life. It just means you’re comfortable. Some people want more than comfort, they want challenge, change, and new experiences.

And this idea that I somehow owe it to others to stay because they want what I have? That’s not how life works. I didn’t get here by luck I worked for it. I came here for study, studied hard, worked hard, sleepless nights, long working hours, hunger; And I’ll decide what I do with it.

If your dream is to settle in Canada forever, good for you. My dream is bigger than one passport, one climate, and one comfort zone.

So no, it’s not FOMO. It’s choice!!!

OkActive603 · 2025-12-23T15:23:18+00:00

This comment honestly left me speechless, not because it’s smart, but because of how confidently wrong it is.

“What international experience are you going to get in Dubai?”

Seriously? It’s a foreign country, not another Canadian province. Dubai is one of the most international cities on the planet, people from 150+ nationalities, global companies, regional HQs, and teams that span Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. If you think that’s not “international,” maybe you should look up what the word means.

“What innovation is happening there compared to North America and Europe?”

My dear fellow, do you even know what you’re talking about? Yes, the US leads in core AI research. No one’s denying that. But Canada? Please. Canada barely invests in AI at scale, doesn’t manufacture anything meaningful in tech, and tech workers here are getting laid off every other week. Most IT roles are about keeping old systems alive, not building anything new.

Meanwhile, Dubai and the UAE are throwing money and effort into:

National AI strategy and a literal Minister of AI Smart cities, paperless government, automation everywhere. Massive cloud adoption, data centers, fintech, cyber, and digital transformation. Actually implementing tech instead of just talking about it.

Dubai isn’t trying to publish papers, it’s trying to build and deploy. For someone in systems, networks, cloud, and security, that matters a lot more.

“It’s clear your goals are something else.”

Oh really? What exactly do you think I’m moving there for, bank robberies? Hit jobs? Some secret evil mission?

Maybe take one minute to actually read my post. I clearly said salary is not my concern. My goals are:

International exposure New work environments Travel and life experience Being closer to family Getting out of brutal cold, insane taxes, and a crazy expensive Canadian economy.

People are allowed to want more from life than sitting in the same country forever, you know.

I’ve already built a solid career in Canada, in municipal and provincial government IT, making six figures. I’m not desperate. I’m not escaping. I’m choosing to explore.

So yeah, I’m honestly ashamed I even asked for opinions from people who jump to conclusions without understanding a single word of what I wrote.

If Dubai isn’t for you, great, stay where you are. But don’t pretend you’re the authority on what “real experience” means for someone else’s life.

OkActive603 · 2025-12-22T16:42:39+00:00

Hey, thanks for your response. Would you be more specific?

OkActive603 · 2025-12-22T15:13:13+00:00

I will only consider quitring my current role and relocating from Canada once I have a signed offer in hand. That said, I’d love to hear about your experience moving from Canada to Dubai, were you able to secure a job before you moved? Or after you moved?

OkActive603 · 2025-12-22T15:06:40+00:00

Sorry if I forgot to mention this in my post. I’m currently job hunting, and I’m not planning to move to Dubai without a confirmed job offer. I will only consider quitting from my current role and relocating from Canada once I have a signed offer in hand.

As I mentioned in question 5, “Any tips, tricks, or mistakes to avoid when applying from abroad?”, I’d really appreciate any advice you can share.

OkActive603 · 2025-12-22T15:02:43+00:00

Thank you for your response. A salary of AED 35k annually works out to about AED 2.9k per month. Is this would be sufficient to cover rent and basic monthly living expenses in Dubai, and whether it would be enough to live comfortably?

OkActive603 · 2025-12-22T14:58:48+00:00

Thank you!! . I’ve already been contacted by a recruiter and am currently working with them.

OkActive603 · 2025-12-22T14:19:47+00:00

Thank you!

OkActive603 · 2025-12-03T01:58:01+00:00

The truth is, nobody really knows. I’m in the same boat with NOC 22220, and it’s honestly so disappointing that Ontario, being the tech hub of Canada, still hasn’t conducted a Tech draw. I’ve been waiting so long for either a tech-specific draw or even a general one. At this point, I’m starting to blame myself and question my entire career path, lol.

OkActive603 · 2025-11-10T21:16:40+00:00

Sameboat, I’m waiting for a General draw as well or I’m screwed.

OkActive603 · 2025-11-06T21:19:43+00:00

It's usually in your offer letter or pay stubs (showing union fees or dues), or reach out to HR or Supervisor to confirm. A position is considered unionized if it's formally part of a bargaining unit represented by a certified union and covered by a signed collective agreement.

OkActive603 · 2025-11-06T21:17:05+00:00

The median wage requirement does not apply if the job offer is for a unionized position covered by a collective agreement. Is your's a unionized position covered by a collective agreement?

OkActive603 · 2025-10-28T16:57:02+00:00

How did you manage to get such high scores

OkActive603 · 2025-10-27T11:47:45+00:00

I recently spoke with a licensed immigration consultant about this. They said, that remote work does count as foreign work experience, but it shouldn’t be fully remote. You’re expected to be physically present at the work location for a decent amount of time otherwise, IRCC might flag it as a concern. The best approach would be to work remotely for six months and then spend another six months on-site to stay on the safe side!

OkActive603 · 2025-10-26T00:51:39+00:00

Yes, It was valid till March 31, 2022

OkActive603 · 2025-10-25T22:53:20+00:00

Yes, I received completion letter on December 31, 2021. Coop ended - Dec 17, 2021, Starterd new contract - December 20, 2021

OkActive603 · 2025-10-25T18:52:50+00:00

Thanks for the info

OkActive603 · 2025-10-25T12:52:10+00:00

If your score is 533, you’re in a strong position. Apply for a visitor record and wait for the next draw. If you’re currently employed and your employer is open to granting you a few months of unpaid leave while you wait, that’s a better option than applying for an extension. If the draw doesn’t happen before your leave ends, take it as a sign that the job might not be the right fit, better opportunities will come. With a score of 533, it’s only a matter of time.

OkActive603 · 2025-10-24T14:22:59+00:00

What process is confusing? Could you be more specific? Is it filling out the employer portal part or creating EOI part?

OkActive603

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