Why choose Contiki Tours??

Contiki is the biggest travel and vacations planner for people in the age group 18-35. We are now proud to say we are associated with such a prestigious company which makes sure that international students get to travel the world and that too at amazingly affordable prices. Contiki tours have been individually created to include a mix of sightseeing, free time, culture, socializing and adventure. What more than to visit places and enjoy different cultures with people of your own age and views!!!

I will kick off with a quick overview of Contiki's history. In 1961, a young New Zealander named John Anderson arrived in London to embark on a journey to Europe. He didn’t want to travel alone and he didn’t have a lot of money, so he came up with a plan. He put a deposit on a minibus and gathered a group of people to travel with. They spent twelve weeks exploring Europe together and had a wonderful time. At the end of the trip, John tried to sell the minibus but no one wanted to buy it. So in the Spring of 1962 he decided to advertise his Europe trip again. This time, he was able to fit two trips into the Summer season, therefore doubling his business, and Contiki Holidays was “born”. The first tours were all booked by 19-29 year olds so right from the start Contiki was all about youth travel.

Contki Tours covers trips to entire Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Egypt and Mexico. It covers a wide variety of styles like cruises, sailing, winter and ski, scuba diving, city tours etc, etc...

The best part of taking a tour with Contiki is if you book the tour in advance you need only pay $200.00 as a  booking fee and they give you ample time to pay the remaining tour fees. Also 70% of each tour party and single girls, so guys hurry and make reservations!!

The other perks of touring with Contki includes things like getting to know the culture of the places you go to better as the tour guides are all well informed and trained about the local culture and lifestyle. Also if you book one tour you get a discount on the second tour. Isn't that awesome? Though the tours cover only the internal flights included in the tour, we can also help you reserve flights from Vancouver to the the tour starting place and book hotels for your overnight stay if required too.


So don't wait till you are old to travel, because trips like these are meant for young people and wont last a lifetime!!!

Welcome 2012!!!

Atlast the year which is supposed to be the "end of the world" (again) is knocking at our doors!!!
New Years Eve is going to be the same for most young people around the world..ther will be a lot of drinking and partying!!!

So have anyone decided to do anything different this year? No, I am not talking about the resolutions that you make each year and break it within hours or days of making it :-P.  I nam asking if you have made a serious commitment for the coming year, goals that you want to achieve, something passionate, somrthing you have always dreamed of doing!!

Dont worry, I am not going to pry on your secret ambitions or desires. I am just trying to get to be the person who makes you think about your innermost needs and desires. I know I am not that charismatic to be the one to do it! But hey, there is nothing that can stop me from trying.

There is one thing that I still dont understand. Why is humanity always trying to connect impending doom with things that they dont know?? Just because the Mayan calendar ends in 2012.. that doesnt mean its the end of the world!! A New Age interpretation of this transition is that this date marks the start of time in which Earth and its inhabitants may undergo a positive physical or spiritual transformation, and that 2012 may mark the beginning of a new era. But this theory never got the hype and publicity that the doomsday theory generated!!!

Well I dont want to bore you guys with my theories and philosophies of humanity. All I want to say to you is have a blast this new year and have a prosperous year ahead!!!

Free Ice Skating at Robson Square

Its winter now and a very good time to go or learn skating! Where else to go but the only Free Ice Rink in Vancouver which is at Robson Square. It was re opened 2 years ago in honour of the Vancouver Winter Olympics is now opened again for the public. Located in the heart of Downtown Vancouver it is the best place to be at during the winter.

It is open from December 1st,2011 to Feb 29th, 2012. Skate rentals at $4 and helmets and ice cleats at $2,  this is the cheapest that you can get. The Robson Square Ice Rink is open Sunday to Thursday, 9 am- 9 pm and on Fridays and Saturdays its open from 9 am - 11 pm. Sounds like a good deal right!!

One World Agency- We are an agency apart!!!

Yes I know I have aready written about who we are earlier but that was just tip of the ice berg. I would like to introduce you to the other services that we provide students and families who like to move to Canada!!!

Apart from the usual things like helping students choose schools and programs and career guidance to students who are still confused on what they want to doin life,  we do provide round the clock support not only to students but also to families who want to migrate to Canada.

The students who have already applied to schools through us do get most of these services for free but if a student wants to use us only for these services then there might be a slight charge for it.  ;-)

Student Support package includes:

•  Canadian travel, career and life counselling
•  Introduce inexpensive Canada and US tours
•  Job Search Assistance
•  Assistance with work permit and Labour Market Opinions
•  Educational Counselling and School Placement
•  24 hour support – Dedicated support number
•  Free Conversation club (which is free for all!!)
•  One World Agency trips, tours, events
•  Assistance with setting up cell phone and other Canadian services
•  Assistance registering for government medical insurance
•  Visa and work and study permit applications and extensions
•  Mail receiving, luggage storage
•  Unlimited Computer, wireless Internet, printer and scanner access in office
•  Free international calls from One World Agency Office
•  Assistance with problems with landlords and employers

All this for only $20 a month!!!

We also provide a family support package to families who want to migrate to Canada for a one time fee of $1600.00.
Family Support package includes:

• Assistance in finding family doctor
• Assistance in setting up Medical Services Plan 
• Obtain British Columbia Driver’s License
• Assistance in purchasing automobile
• Assistance in opening Canadian bank account.

Also we have other things that we help students with, like the following features:

• Airport pickup/drop-off:  $70
• Volunteer placement fee:  $200
• Homestay placement fee: $200
• Homestay Fee (2 meals/day): $750/month
• Unlimited calling to Japan from Canada: $15/month

I know this might not be appealing to a lot of students back in India but we are an international agency which provide services to students all over the world!! Thats what sets us apart a lot from other conventional agencies!!
Hope to hear from you all soon! Take care and have a safe holiday!!

Contiki Tours

We are now officially working with Contiki Tours which is a tour company which promotes travel programs for youngsters within age group 18-35. They have a lot of tour packages for students who love to travel. They cover almost the whole world. Will update you on this soon!!!

Promotions at Sprott Shaw!!

Well this promotion is meant for students who are really interested in joining Sprott Shaw Community College, Sprott Shaw Degree College, KGIC and KGIBC. Sprott Shaw is one of the oldest schools in Vancouver which was established in 1903. It offers courses and programs in a wide range of trades. The school provides the best environment to re train for a new career in the field of your choice. I have allready given a pretty good explanation of the courses offered here in a previous post. So what I am going to do here is tell you about the promotions that is being offered through education consultants like us. This is not availabe to all students as we only have a limited number of scholorships and it is on a first come first serve basis.

So if you are interested in taking a program in Sprott Shaw Degree College, we have a scholarship certificate which offers a free course if you register for 3 courses or more there. This offer is valid only till July 3rd, 2012.

If you register for a course or program in Sprott Shaw Community College we can provide you with a month long free course in BCM/IBCM. This offer is for new students who register or programs before 31st May, 2012.

We also have a scholarship certificate of $500.00 for students enrolling for programs at KGIC and KGIBC. This offer is valid only till 31st May, 2012.

So students interested in making use of all this offer, this is a small window of opportunity that you dont want to miss.

What to do this Christmas here at Vancouver!!!

Christmas is round the corner and everyone is busy with their shopping and holiday plans! You look down the street and see people hustling between malls and shops trying to get best deals available. In the middle of all this deal searchs we tend to forget to enjoy the little pleasures of the festival season. What I want to talk about in this blog is about the festitvities here in Vancouver this year which you wouldnt want to miss.

Bright Lights- Stanley Park

At Stanley Park's Bright Nights, over a million twinkly lights transform the forest and the famous Miniature Train into a winter wonderland. Ride the train, visit Santa, see the Parade of Trees, and more at this top Vancouver Christmas attraction for kids and families. It's open from December 2- January 2 but closed on December 25th. From Sunday to Thursday the trains run from 3 pm to 10 pm and on Fridays and Saturdays they run from 3pm to 11 pm.

VanDusen Gardens

VanDusen Botanical Garden's Festival of Lights is a dont miss holiday event that's fun for everyone, especially kids. At the Festival of Lights , VanDusen transforms itself from a serene botanical oasis into a winter wonderland. Millions of colourful lights are strewn around flower beds, trees, shrubs and decorations, combining to create an awesome spectacle. Visitors to the Festival of Light can stroll through brightly-lit pathways--including the Gingerbread Walk and Candy Cane Lane--watch the Dancing Lights show (lights around Livingstone Lake "dance" to holiday music), enjoy hot chocolate and other snacks, and--most importantly for kids!--visit Santa and his elves.When: 4:30pm - 9pm nightly, December 9, 2011 - January 2, 2012 (closed December 25).

Peak Of Christmas

Located just north of Vancouver, Grouse Mountain is an easily accessible winter wonderland, complete with outdoor ice skating, sleigh rides, reindeer, breakfasts with Santa, live entertainment and more.

Santa's Workshop (12-8pm): Meet Santa in person to share those holiday wishes.

Outdoor Ice Skating (9am-10pm): Enjoy the crisp mountain air as you glide atop our magical 8,000 square foot skating pond.

Reindeer Interpretive Sessions at the Habitat (2pm & 4pm): Visit a real reindeer and learn reindeer facts from our Wildlife Rangers.

Live Entertainment (Weekdays 6-8pm/Weekends 1-3pm): Listen to carolers & choirs celebrating the season.

SOS Children's Village Parade of Trees (Dec 2-24, 9am-10pm): Witness this spectacular display of lights and decor.  Vote for your favourite to win prizes.   

Mountaintop Sleigh Rides (9am-9pm weather permitting): Huddle together under gently falling snow as you tour our mountain trails. 

Christmas Favourites (9:30am-9pm on the half hour): Watch fun family Christmas movies on the big screen in our mountaintop theatre.  

Skate with Champions (Dec 3, 10, 17; 1-2pm & 4-5pm): Learn to skate with world champion Karen Magnussen & friends.  Photos and autographs available.  

Ice Show with Karen and Friends (Dec 17, 5:30-6:15pm): Be wowed by Karen Magnussen and other top local and international skaters as they show their skills.

The Nutcracker

Can it be December without The Nutcracker, arguably the most famous and beloved ballet of all time? It's a beautiful way to make memories, dress up in your holiday best and support local arts all at the same time. Alberta Ballet’s magical version of the delightful Christmas story returns with riveting storytelling that will usher young and old alike into a rich and festive holiday mood. Choreographed by Edmund Stripe, with spectacular sets and costumes by Emmy Award-winning designer Zack Brown, this production takes place in the opulent grandeur of turn of the 20th century Imperial Russia. Danced to the glorious Tchaikovsky score, played live by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, this production displays every cent of the $1.5 million budget through the stunning sets and elaborate costumes. With scores of dancing children, mice dressed as soldiers and snowflakes dressed as princesses, this ballet is pure entertainment for the whole family and a great addition to your holiday traditions.

Tese are just a few of the attractions that is availble here for Christmas. Hope to see you here for one of these christmas events. 

LaSalle College International- soar high in the world of Design!!

Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, LCI Vancouver is part of LaSalle International, an umbrella organization uniting 16 international establishments, a virtual E-learning campus, a foundation dedicated to accessible education and an array of service provider subsidiaries. The network spans across four continents, specializes in the private post-secondary sector and aims for a superior quality of education that meets Canadian standards.

The school is famous fr their programs in Fashion Design, Jewellery Design, Graphic Design, Interior Design ad Fashion Merchandising. The students there are given hands on eperience in their feild of choice.

All those interested in starting a career in the amazing world of art and design feel free to reply to this post!!!

Langara College - Choose your feild of interest

Langara College is one of BC's finest public schools which provide undergraduate programs, career programs and also serves as a centre for continuing education. It started as a part of Vancouver City College in 1970 at the West 49th Avenue Campus and became an independant institute as of 1994. Today they cater to the needs of more than 23,000 students from all over the world.

The school has a beautiful campus and almost all the amenities a student needs to study and relax. They have the best computer labs, gym and a state of the art library. They are also next door to the YMCA community centre which gives the students access to their swimming pool. They also have a world class faculty who help the students in every way possible.

College Library

Students who opt for the Co op programs are provided support in finding placements and they have a dedicated personell just for this. They have around 70 programs over a broad are which included arts, business, technology, humanities and health sciences.


The Bookstore carries the official textbooks for Langara College, University Transfer, Career and Continuing Studies courses, as well as all course related materials and supplies. In addition they do order  a variety of software at educational prices for students, staff and faculty. The Bookstore also offers a full selection of stationary, gifts and convenience items, such as newspapers, confectionery, bus passes and stamps.

Panoramic view of Langara

They have a large cafeteria which provides services from Tim Hortons, Triple O's, Quiznos, 2Mato, Starbucks and so on.

Langara is a favorite among local students here in Vancouver and is catching up with students overseas. Its time all international stduents who dream of studying abroad considered public schools  as against huge universities where they are just a number. For further information feel free to reply to this post.

VanArts- Learn what you dream of from the Experts!!

Have you dreamed of a career in animation, acting, photography, game arts and design but was always afraid of not being able to start a career in such feilds. Its long time you gave in to your dream and followed your heart.
There are schools here which provide the best training in the industry of your choice. vanarts stands out as on eof the best not only because they have the best staff to teach and guide you but for a variety of other reasons. Before I go on talking about the school's features it's better to watch this short video of what the students do here.

 As you can see the students at VanArts are not just having a theory based class, they are given assignments which they can add to their portfolios. Working in these industries is not all about the degree that you hold but about your skills and how good your portfolio is. When a potential employer calls you for an interview in the above mentioned fields, they do look at the school that you go to but in the end they need on hands experience. At VanArts it all about helping you get the experience and needed industry knowledge that makes sure you are not left behind in the race for a good emp[lyment opportunity.

VanArts was founded in 1995 with Academy-Award winning animator/director Lee Mishkin as its founding program director. Recognizing the industry’s need for a skilled and specialized workforce, VanArts offers a variety of highly focused diploma programs designed to prepare students for work in specific areas of the media arts including Visual Effects Production, Game Asset Design, Character Animation, Digital Photography, Acting for Film & Television, Web Development and Broadcasting.

The class size is capped between 12-24 depending on the program. This is to ensure that the students get the best out of the teachers and they get a better focus on career paths. Also the fact that the institute is situated in Vancouver, which is the 3rd largest film production centre of the world which puts you on the map for a bettter career.
The programs here are highly focussed and also of a shorter duration which makes sure you are not wasting a lot of time in class but mostly having practical knowledge of their interested focus areas.

These are all made by students here at VanArts!! So if you are stuck in some job and you dream of a career in the world of animation, design, photography, etc dont hesitate to post a reply to this post.

Post-Graduation Work Permit Program pilot project in British Columbia

Post-Graduation Work Permit Program

The Post-Graduation Work Permit Program allows students who have graduated from a participating Canadian post-secondary institution to gain valuable Canadian work experience.

Impact of length of program of study in Canada and the length of the work permit

If the official length of your program of study is…

·         less than eight months you are not eligible for this program

·         less than two years but more than eight months:  you may get a work permit for a period no longer than the length of your program of study (for example, if you studied for nine months, a work permit may be issued for a period of nine months)

·         two years or more: a work permit may be issued for three years

Non-degree granting educational institutions:  

·                                       - Arbutus College of Communication Arts, Business and Technology

·                                      -  Ashton College

·                                      - Canadian Tourism College

·                                      - Eton College

·                                      - Greystone College

·                                     -John Casablancas Institute of Applied Arts

·                                    -MTI Community College

·                                   -  Sprott-Shaw Community College

·                                    -Vancouver Central College

·                                   -Vancouver Film School

·                                   -Vancouver Institute of Media Arts

Degree-granting institutions with non-degree programs:

·                                     -  Alexander College

·                                     - Columbia College

·                                     - Fairleigh Dickinson University – Vancouver

·                                     - Sprott-Shaw Degree College

·                                     -Trinity Western University

Public Colleges and Universities:

·         College of the Rockies

·         Conestoga College

·         Douglas College

·         Langara College

·         Lethbridge College

·         Medicine Hat College

·         Niagara College of Applied Arts & Technology

·         Okanagan College

·         Vancouver Community College

Think Out of the Box!!

Most of the students from countries like India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and other countries, when they thik of studying incountries like the USA, Canada, U K and Australia, the first thing they want to do is either an MBA or MS.
I do agree that it is the safest option available but for students who want to pursue a career in arts, film production, make up artisrty, animation and other lesser known career paths in our countries. Its always better to taje up career programs in such feilds itself. These programs help you get a better understanding of the industry and there are schools here which have good relations with the industry bigwigs as well.

You dont have to restrict your options just because the its safe to take the usual taken path! There are schools here in Vancouver like VCAD, VanArts and Blanche Macdonald which have an amazing track record of placing their graduates in the most gratifying and cool jobs in the industry. So all those out there who want to pursue a career in their dream proffesions, stop dreaming and take the path less trodden and make a difference in you  r life!!

Sprott Shaw Community College

Sprott Shaw Community College is the oldest private post-secondary institution ( Private College)  in British Columbia. They  have campuses throughout BC offering exceptional courses in Business, Health & Social Care, Tourism & Hospitality, and Trades & Technology. T0his college is an ideal place to re-train for a new career in a broad spectrum of fields.
When new immigrants land in Canada, it is always difficult to find a job in their desired career path and end up in low jobs. The reason thats told is they donot have Canadian experience or education. This College provides the transition platfrom for these people, helping them to get better placed in areas of their choice.

The school has career advisors who guide you through your options in your options for a new career. They are highly trained and as such focus on career exploration, career change, personal career development and other career related challenges.They provide accomodation through home stays with Canadian families and also through apartments, private homes and shared homes.
All the campuses are equipped with computers for student use. Computers are connected with High Speed Internet service so you can check your e-mail or surf the Internet at your own leisure. Access to the computer labs is free during non-class time.

Their placement success speaks for itself. Instead of me saying more about it , please check their own website : http://www.sprottshaw.com/v2/future-students/why-choose-us-overview/placement-success/.

The best part of studying in Sprott Shaw is International graduates of select programs are eligible to receive a Post Graduation Work Permit and gain valuable Canadian work experience.

A Bright Future in Brighton!!

Brighton College is one of the premier vocational/ career schools in Vancouver, Canada. Vocational education is the best way to start a career in Canada. You spent around 2 years having a focussed education on specific areas of a trade or business ad you have a higher chances of being hired by a reputed company.

One of the advantages of studying in Brighton is the fact that only 30% of the students tere are internatonal students. You have a chance of studying with local students, have a better understanding of the local culture and you are better prepared to be a part of the Canadian workforce. Also studying in Brighton for a course which is 8 months or longer garuntees you a post graduate work permit, as they are a part of the Pilot Project.

They provide a variety of programs in business management, hospitality, IT and engineering subjects. Most of this programs are with hands on practicum or Paid Co op.The programs which are the most advantageous for Indian students are the Advanced business management diplomas which are 80 weeks to 84 weeks. These programs help you get  a 3 year work permit after completing school and also have a co op work permit while in school which is neede for the co op. Co op is a paid internship which is integral part of the program . The school makes sure that you get a co op placement in the field of your choice.

Apart from Business Management, they do have programs in hospitality, international trade, health care and information technology. The school has a  dedicated placement department which makes sure the students get placed in a good company.

The school has campuses in downtown Vancouver as well as in Burnaby.

Post-Graduation Work Permit Program pilot project

The Post-Graduation Work Permit Program has been extended to include graduates of private post-secondary institutions with career training programs that received their Education Quality Assurance (EQA) designation before the pilot project’s start date of January 31, 2011, and continue to maintain their EQA status.
The pilot project will remain in effect for two years, with the possibility of extension.
Any future extension will be based on analysis of the project and would require agreement between Citizenship and Immigration Canada and B.C.’s Ministry of Regional Economic and Skills Development.
If initial results are positive, the project may be expanded to additional schools after the first year.
It is estimated that under the pilot project, between 675 and 950 international graduates will apply for post-graduation work permits in the first year.
B.C.’s Education Quality Assurance is a voluntary quality assurance designation that identifies B.C. public and private post-secondary institutions that have met or exceeded provincial government recognized quality assurance standards and offer consumer protection.

Contact:

Media Relations Communications Branch Citizenship and Immigration Canada 613 952-1650 CIC-Media-Relations@cic.gc.ca

Lisa Tees Communications Director Ministry of Regional Economic and Skills Development 250 952-6508 250 888-3466 (cell)