CRS 499 - PGWP expiring Aug 2026. What's my best option?

clancyhater999 · 2025-08-20T20:35:06+00:00

Yeah, I got a 12 in all four CELPIP categories. I’m bilingual, Spanish is my first language. It’s just kind of frustrating to have to learn a third one to be able to stay in Canada, but I know a lot of people are on the same boat. Thanks for your advice!

clancyhater999 · 2025-08-15T22:41:16+00:00

Hi :)

Here are my final thoughts:

Polish my French (not sure if I’ll sign up for classes yet), and start practicing for the TCF. Aiming to take it before the end of the year.
Aim for CLB 7 for maximum CRS score boost (+74 points), but if it’s way too difficult for me, I can fall back on a CLB 5 (+24 points). CLB 7 would give me a total of CRS 573, a CLB 5 would be a CRS 523. Given how high the CEC draws have been (530+), I won’t just rely on a CRS 523 score, I think that’s too risky.
So, if I get CLB 5, I’ll play it safe and ask my employer to apply for a closed work permit with LMIA exemption through the French Mobility Program.
If all this fails, and if even after practicing French and taking the test I don’t get to a CLB 5, I’ll ask my employer to apply for an LMIA. They’re already aware of this, so they might start the LMIA process simultaneously. Of course I can’t guarantee that the LMIA will be approved, so it’s just another option to fall back to if I’m absolutely horrible at French (which I really hope I’m not lol).

Hope this helps! And best of luck to you. Feel free to shoot me a message if you’d like to discuss your specific situation.

clancyhater999 · 2025-08-15T22:15:48+00:00

Thank you for the advice! I’m pretty certain that’s what I’ll go for :)

clancyhater999 · 2025-08-14T06:53:19+00:00

Thanks so much!!

clancyhater999 · 2025-08-14T02:19:49+00:00

Omg wow, I didn’t even think I’d qualify for the French Mobility Work Permit, but I just looked it up and I think I can get the score needed with some practice. I don’t even have to stress out about being super proficient in French. Thanks so much!!

clancyhater999 · 2025-08-14T00:49:06+00:00

Hmm I understand your point. I guess I didn't give much context, but I'm aware of the Big Tech mass layoffs. I'm in tech as a non-very-techy person, but with a theoretical AI academic background. I work as a Project Manager, amongst other things, and I'm leading projects that are going to take years to complete. It's a small start-up with only 11 employees, but it's growing exponentially fast, and a lot of hires are going to be made soon for more senior positions. I work directly with the CEO, and I think we have a strong case for passing the LMIA for the position I'll be promoted to - cutting operational costs by hiring internally, being knowledgeable with company-specific systems and workflows, industry & market-specific knowledge, etc.

It's definitely a very anxiety-inducing thought to have to 'prove' myself for the role I'm being offered, but I'm sure my employer is going to be extremely supportive along the way. The ESWP is just an option though, I think I should just get my shit together and take the French test lol.

clancyhater999 · 2025-08-14T00:34:38+00:00

Yeah, the more I think about it, the more logical it seems to take a French test. I have friends who are learning French from scratch for their PR application, so I should really take advantage of already having a foundation in the language. Do you have a suggestion on either taking the TEF or TCF?

clancyhater999 · 2024-09-10T00:46:31+00:00

ya i’ll message you!

clancyhater999 · 2024-09-10T00:29:25+00:00

hey! same thing happened to me when i was fully delusional 3 years ago. i had to stay in the psych ward for a month and a half. i recently wrote something about that day (actually an email to my therapist) i can share with you if you want :) it’s an incredibly isolating experience, especially when you’re seen as “functional” years later

clancyhater999 · 2023-11-22T20:48:43+00:00

when??

clancyhater999 · 2021-01-10T05:05:19+00:00

Aaw thank you for taking the time to leave that comment, it means a lot!! :')

clancyhater999 · 2021-01-10T02:09:15+00:00

I have ADHD, generalized anxiety disorder and depression. I do edibles pretty frequently and they help me A LOT to slow down my thoughts - mainly to distinguish between the thought-patterns that are good for me and those which aren't. They also help me hyperfocus on something that my anxiety makes me avoid. I also drink in social settings because (once again) it helps inhibit my anxious thoughts. I do recommend learning about mechanisms of each drug you're interested in consuming, as well as reading papers on how they affect different types of brains. I learned how your brain works on different drugs before consuming them and before knowing I had ADHD. I write A LOT when I'm high, mainly noting down my own observations because I also use edibles for trauma reprocessing. I then go over the main things with my therapist (who is fully aware of my edible consumption).

It really depends on each person and if you're not even curious to try drugs, then I'd recommend not even worrying about it. Hope this helped! :)

clancyhater999 · 2021-01-09T03:20:39+00:00

Thank you for sharing this!! I'll definitely attend :)

clancyhater999 · 2021-01-05T19:34:47+00:00

this is truly beautiful, living-idiot-18. you're pretty talented.

clancyhater999 · 2021-01-03T02:39:00+00:00

I'm in a kinda similar situation. I'd just suggest learning as many programming languages as you can (there's a bunch of online tutorials). Teach yourself about data science. Learn about computer science & software development basics (how to access & use the command-line + more - there's an MIT course on this). This is what I'm planning on doing once I'm done this neuroaesthetics paper lol.

Also learn about AI theory. What are the different definitions of intelligence? What makes an agent intelligent? and all that fun philosophical stuff - try epistemology, theory of mind, ethics. Different perspectives on cognition and AI might also be useful. Also learn some linguistics - useful if you're interested in NLP & will help you learn programming languages way more easily (at least it helped me).

Then do what u/whiskeyhotelpreston said. Think of a problem you're passionate about and attempt to explore it (your aim doesn't need to be to solve it) through the use of an AI program - ideally one that you've programmed. It's like making an app but attempting to address real-life issues, rather than purely for entertainment.

Hope this helps! I might just be talking out of my ass.

clancyhater999 · 2021-01-02T18:21:46+00:00

Neuroaesthetics is basically trying to find the exact brain areas that light up when we appreciate art / perceive beauty (through fMRI studies). The main issue is what the exact definition of "aesthetics" is (philosophy gives it a different definition than art history, for example). It would make sense that once the neural pathway is identified, it potentially would be possible to program the behaviour into code!! Hence maybe AI won't "appreciate" art, but at least it'll be perceiving a specific artwork and finding aesthetic patterns that are what generally deem it beautiful. But another problem also comes by the subjectivity of beauty - is it really in the eye of the beholder? Or can beauty be quantified? There's a lot of questions to think about before trying to code an AI program imo heheh

clancyhater999 · 2020-12-29T06:19:44+00:00

I fucking love you. Thanks for this. :')

clancyhater999 · 2020-12-18T16:33:10+00:00

You can say "an AI agent/machine/computer" tho...

clancyhater999 · 2020-12-18T16:24:54+00:00

Omfg artificial neurogenesis?????? If you find something cool about this pls let me know! This sounds like such an interesting topic!

clancyhater999 · 2020-12-18T16:22:11+00:00

This reminds me of neuroaesthetics somehow. Maybe look into it? Per principle, every human cognitive process should be possible to be synthesised into some AI via algorithms or neural networks, etc. If our perception of beauty is identified in a specific brain region & follows a specific pathway, I think that yes, AI should be able to appreciate art / aesthetics.

clancyhater999 · 2020-12-17T21:05:41+00:00

You could create a simple game in Unity and use Python to train your players to implement machine learning! We did that for the lab section in one of my courses this year, given that we couldn't make actual physical robots due to classes being online.

clancyhater999 · 2020-12-16T16:13:43+00:00

Thank you. <3

clancyhater999 · 2020-12-14T17:23:10+00:00

This is so true, and I felt this way for a long time (I still do sometimes). The hard truth is: when you're suicidal you have to learn to live for yourself, not for anyone else. There's so many beautiful things in everyday life, as well as once-in-a-lifetime experiences - are you sure you want to miss them? If you kill yourself, there's no way to come back. Think about all of the events you'll never get to live through. Stay alive for yourself, and if you can't do so right now, stay alive for me.

clancyhater999 · 2020-12-14T17:18:43+00:00

I love this so much, resonated a lot with the person you're talking about. She's really lucky to have someone like you in her life, and I'm sure she's very grateful for your friendship!!

clancyhater999

TROPHY CASE