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Studying in Canada after 10+ years in IT - members who did it and what they credit

Canada • Study Permit • study 0 views
By VisaBuddies Communityvia community — compiled from public visa forums

Step-by-Step

An IT professional with 10+ years' experience asked whether anyone had gone the study route at that career stage.

  1. It's a well-trodden path. Multiple members confirmed doing exactly this - one with a decade in IT, another with 10 years in fund accounting who moved onto a study permit for a finance program. Age 30+ is not a blocker in itself.

  2. The two things members credited: a logical SOP and a 'resonating' program. The program must visibly extend the decade of experience (not repeat or abandon it), and the SOP must make that progression obvious to the officer.

  3. Expect refusal risk anyway - one respondent was rejected once before succeeding, consistent with experienced professionals facing extra 'why study now?' scrutiny. A refusal is a prompt to sharpen the SOP/program match, not the end.

Dos, Don'ts & Tips

  • Do: Pick a program that clearly builds on your 10+ years - the SOP must explain the progression, not apologize for the gap.
  • Tip: A first refusal is common for experienced applicants; refine the program choice and SOP rather than abandoning the route.

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