Monthly Archives: December 2011

If you are living abroad, here are some good New Year’s resolutions that will help you adjust better to the country in which you are living.

1. Learn the language. There are many ways to accomplish this . Taking an intensive training classes in the country is one  way. Perhaps there is a local with whom you can trade lessons, you teach them Hindi or so  in return for learning their language. Don’t be shy, practice your language skills with native speakers whenever you get the opportunity.  You will make mistakes, but native speakers will appreciate your efforts in learning their language.

2. Get to know people.  It is important to meet people in your new country. You should try to develop a mix of friends both from your home country and from your new one.  Try to associate with happy positive people.  Become involved in the community, volunteer, join clubs, or take classes.

3. Explore your new country. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn about a new culture and a country.  Find out the places to go and explore.  Ask your new friends where they recommend visiting.  Read guide books on the country.  Visit a terrific beach, a great museum, church or restaurant.

4. Try a new activity. Try something you have never done before.  If you live near water, how about attempting surfing or kayaking?  Does gardening with new plants and vegetables sound more enticing?  How about yoga or dance class?   You could take up birding and get to know the birds that are in your area.

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For many people Christmas is a time to spend with family and loved ones. Studying abroad can be a fun and rewarding experience however it can be tough if you’ll be away from your family during Christmas. If you are accustomed to spending the holidays with your family and will not have the chance to return home this season, you may find yourself celebrating Christmas while studying abroad. If you will be celebrating Christmas away from your family this year, you can still celebrate the season and make the most out of it.

Depending on which country you are studying in, you may find it harder to find Christmas celebrations if Christianity isn’t a commonly practiced religion. But even if you are in a country where Christmas is not widely celebrated, there is usually a community of people that will celebrate and welcome travelers.

Since you are studying abroad, chances are high that there are other foreign students who have no family to celebrate with. So gather your friends, classmates and other Christmas-celebrators together and enjoy the day. You can also invite your local friends to join even if they don’t celebrate Christmas. It is a great way to share your culture with each others. Remember if your friends are not Christians, Christmas celebration can just be about being together – it does not have to be religious.

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There has been an increase in the number of foreign students coming to the U.S. for MBA programs despite the economic downturn.

According to Christine Sneva, director of admissions and financial aid at the Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University, international enrollments increased by 12 percent from the previous school year.

“I don’t think the U.S. seems as unfriendly to international applicants anymore, which is great,” expressed Christine Sneva. “It just seems like a certain level of optimism has returned for international students.”

A recent report from the Council of Graduate Schools also showed that this fall, the largest increase in total international graduate enrollment at U.S. colleges and universities occurred in business, which had a 6 percent gain following no growth in 2010. Nathan Bell, the council’s director of research and policy analysis said that surge was the largest increase in immigrant students attending the graduate business school sector since 2007.

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A new study suggests that in United States foreigners with advanced technology degrees create more jobs than they take.

“Many highly skilled immigrants study in the U.S. but are forced to return home after graduation, where they work to strengthen their home nation’s economy to compete against ours. I am working on legislation that will change the system so that we can keep the best and the brightest, which will strengthen our economy and create jobs here in America,” says congressman Tim Griffin .

Foreign students who graduate from U.S. universities can usually get an H-1B visa to work in the United States, but such visas are good only for a maximum of six years, and the holder can only work for the company that sponsored the H-1B. If the student has no family ties in the country, obtaining a green card, which grants the right to live and work permanently in the U.S. for any employer, can be difficult and take years.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services usually issues no more than about 140,000 employment-based green cards per year. Backers of immigration reform say that’s not enough to fuel America’s high-tech economy.
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The Canadian government is all set about retooling the country’s immigration system.

It wants, first, to admit a larger number of skilled workers, and second, to whittle down the seven-year backlog in its family-reunification program. This week, it added a third objective: protecting live-in caregivers from possible exploitation by the families they live with.

In a surprise move, the government announced that the waiting period for live-in caregivers to apply for an open work permit will now be shorter by 18 months. Open work permits allow caregivers to look for another job, in any field, once their two-year live-in caregiver contract is complete.

This is a timely and sensible change. The Live-In Caregiver Program has proven to be a resounding success as Canadian families struggle to find care for children and elderly parents. Parents who can’t find child care can’t work. The same is true of adult children with aging parents in need of care. Here in Quebec, we’ve read too many exposés of old age homes where the elderly are underfed and poorly cared for to want to depend exclusively on institutional care.
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Indian students seeking to study in the UK will likely not be affected by recent changes to the student visa rules, said Peter Beckingham, British deputy high commissioner, at an event on November 28, 2011.

The new rules, announced earlier this year, referred to denying UK student visas for admission offers from certain UK institutions and eliminating the option of the two-year post-study work visa from April 2012.

“There has been a decline in the number of students going from India to the UK because the government has deemed some universities as not appropriate,” said Beckingham. “The actual number of students going to recognised universities, however, has gone up.”

A delegation from Imperial College in London visit Mumbai on November 28, 2011 as part of a tour to explore research partnerships with Indian institutions as well as announce new scholarships for prospective student wishing to come to the UK under student visa routes.

“I don’t think the situation is at all in any way severe. Things are moving in the right direction,” said Sir Keith O’Nions, the university’s rector. He also emphasized that students would be able to apply for a new kind of post-study work visa called the “enterprise visa”.
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The Australian government will extend the post-study work arrangements from 2013 as part of its ongoing commitment to support the international education sector.

Following the recent announcement on post-study work arrangements for universities graduates in response to the Knight Review of the Student Visa program, a joint media release with Chris Evans – Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations and Chris Bowen – Minister for Immigration and Citizenship on November 30 announced the extension of this program to Bachelor or higher degree graduates from education providers accredited to offer degree level programs.
According to the announcement, degree holders who graduate after at least two academic years’ study in Australia will be eligible for the post-study work arrangements from 2013, in time for students who are applying for an Australian student visa now.
“These changes bring Australia into line with arrangements in other countries and enable education providers to offer a more competitive package to international students who are seeking good quality and long-term study in Australia, regardless of their field of interest,” Senator Evans stated.

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