Immigration Tips

How to learn a language without studying: 8 infallible recommendations

Published

6 months ago

January 13, 2022

How to learn a language without studying 8 infallible recommendations

Every day, more people wonder how to learn a language without studying, or at least developing fluency in a language without being forced to formalize their education in the traditional classroom.

Memorizing lists, doing repetitive exercises in textbooks, or going everywhere with the dictionary in your backpack, does not have to be the only methods to learn languages.

Learning a new language without studying is possible, as long as you follow the appropriate recommendations and methods.

With the help of applications to learn languages, books, audiovisual content, travel, or connecting online with people from different parts of the world, you can learn a language without studying. Let’s take a closer look at how you can successfully achieve your goal.

Is it possible to learn a language without studying?

Although at first, it sounds crazy, the traditional way of studying a language was never the right way to learn a language. Do you remember having a childhood immersed in textbooks so that you could master your native language today? Probably not.

Although academic methodologies and validations have acquired a certain weight and reputation over the years, especially in the world of work, learning a language without studying, simply training our innate communication skills hand in hand with new technologies, each time it is more viable.

Obviously, it is a challenge that cannot be achieved without a good dose of commitment and effort to apply the strategies and recommendations that we will see from now on.

Eight tips to learn a language without studying

Next, we review the best recommendations that you should take into account before learning a language on your own and away from traditional classrooms:

Consume movies and series in their original language

Learning languages with the content of highly popular streaming platforms, for example, Netflix, or Amazon Prime is one of the most common ways to learn a new language without realizing that you are studying.

Start with the most friendly audiovisual content at your level in the language you are trying to learn, and take advantage of the dubbing and subtitling resources to better capture each knowledge.

Also, do not be afraid to repeat the contents until you easily understand the context or view your favorite audiovisual materials in a totally unknown language.

Listen to podcasts and audiobooks

To train your listening skills, nothing better than resorting to podcasts and audiobooks that cover topics of interest to you and allow you to become familiar with the everyday vocabulary of the language you are trying to learn without studying.

In addition, these formats are ideal to start improving your pronunciation and have a complete immersion in the language while doing other activities.

That’s how it is! Podcasts or audiobooks can be playing in your headphones as you go in the car, bus, or subway, exercise, or work on automatic activities.

The ideal is to select those contents that suit your level, avoiding overwhelming yourself with challenges that require extensive linguistic experience.

Travels

Sounds pretty obvious, right? For as trite as it may sound, there is no better way to quickly increase your skills in a new language than to step out of your comfort zone and face the challenge of communicating in that language for survival.

Even on a short stay, for tourist reasons, there are hundreds of opportunities to loosen up with native speakers and have everyday conversations with all kinds of people.

In addition, you will not only have to interact with people, but there is a general linguistic immersion where exposure to the new language occurs even when reading posters walking down the street, or watching the local news.

On the other hand, there are also scholarships and exchange programs that can help you pay for travel expenses to learn a language from the direct experience of living in a foreign destination.

Make connections with native speakers of the language of your interest.

Whether you have the opportunity to travel, or if it is not among your current possibilities, connecting with native speakers of the language you are trying to learn is key if your plans do not include formal study in the company of a qualified tutor to evaluate you.

Find groups of foreigners who live in your country of origin and do not hesitate to try to establish a connection, take a look at virtual or face-to-face language exchange groups in your area, interact on social networks, and of course, do not be afraid to ask for feedback from the experts.

Visit these eight platforms to do online language exchange and raise your speaking skills with the best.

Do gamified exercises

It is proven that small challenges when learning a new language generate incentives and positive reactions to develop knowledge without falling into monotony.

Gamified exercises, generally found in web and mobile applications for learning languages, provide a sense of purpose and progress that will motivate you to continue your practice to the limit.

Take advantage of the best apps and browser extensions

Learning a language without studying is not synonymous with doing things only when you feel like it. It is important to create habits and routines that, despite not fitting in with traditional educational methods, allow you to stay connected to your learning process.

Fortunately, today there are thousands of applications and browser extensions that accompany us daily on the devices that we usually carry everywhere: the mobile phone and the computer.

Apps like Duolingo, Babbel, Busuu or Mondly, allow you to use your free time to perform gamified exercises in different languages.

On the other hand, browser extensions are very useful for automatic translations and interpretations while doing daily activities on the computer.

Record your progress

Even if you are not studying formally, there is nothing more motivating than measuring how you have progressed in your practice and what language skills you have had the opportunity to incorporate when communicating in a new language.

Set a challenge adjustable to your goals, and do not hesitate to go for this one. At the end of the day, reflect on your learnings and create the habit of periodically comparing how your skills have evolved, which methods are more user-friendly with your practice, and how to continue to implement them.

Adjust each practice to your areas of interest

One of the aspects that can be more tedious when it comes to training in an academic and traditional way is studying through generic and sometimes not very exciting subjects.

By learning a language on your own, you have the opportunity to personalize your practice based on your interests and passions. Do you like sports? Learn a new language in the sports context. Do you love the music? Learn a new language with the help of your favorite songs.

Not only will you approach a new language with elements that are familiar to you, but you will also have the feeling that there is an exact context and place in which to put all your new knowledge.

Conclusion

As you can see, learning a language without studying, especially in a context full of multiple digital resources to use to your advantage, is no longer such a crazy idea.

Many of the methods of learning a language without studying that we have reviewed today can bring as many practical advantages as traditional studies and are even generally a necessary complement for students of academic languages.

Although studying formally or taking official exams is always a plus, especially when it comes to finding a job or developing studies abroad, these methods of learning a language outside the classroom are an alternative to shorten the path and stay true to your style of learning. Absorb the information.

If you consider that learning in the classroom is not your thing and you want to live the experience of communicating in a new language directly in the real world, now is your turn! Try the tips on this list and find out which ones work best for you.

Our recommendation: the best option is a combination of them.

Canada Immigration

Traveling to Canada with a Criminal Record

Published

6 months ago

January 6, 2022

FirstArisAdmin

Traveling to Canada with a Criminal Record

The requirements to travel to Canada with Mexican nationality changed in December 2016. All Mexican citizens wishing to visit Canada for a short stay must obtain the eTA before traveling.

The eTA is an electronic travel authorization. This automated system determines the eligibility of people who want to visit Canada. As a Mexican citizen, you can apply for the eTA online by completing a form and answering a series of security questions.

Necessary requirements to apply for the eTA with Mexican nationality:

Applying for the Canadian eTA is quick and easy. Among the requirements to obtain the eTA, travelers need:

A valid passport
A debit or credit card
An email address

Once the application has been completed with all the data, the applicant can proceed to answer a series of questions about his criminal record. To finish the process, you have to pay the eTA fee.

Do I need a Criminal Record Certificate to travel to Canada?

The Criminal Record certificate is not required to travel to Canada as a tourist. However, if you want to work in Canada, you may need to obtain a Criminal Record Certificate. In Mexico, you can complete the procedure online by completing a Request for a Certificate or Report of No Criminal History.

On the other hand, if you have a criminal record it is very important that you do not deny it when you apply for the eTA. In the Canadian travel authorization questionnaire, you must answer honestly all questions, including those about your criminal record. No matter how minor the crime, you are required to declare it on the eTA permit form.

Alternatives if eTA Canada is denied due to brush with the law

It is likely that having a criminal record the eTA will be denied as inadmissible in Canada. In this case, you can still apply for a visa through the nearest Canadian embassy or consulate.

Before the travel authorization system was implemented, travelers from visa-exempt countries did not have to go through any electronic checks. You also didn’t have to answer questions about a criminal record. Migration controls were made upon arrival in Canada. As a result, there are many people who were able to enter Canada with a criminal record and went unnoticed.

It is worth mentioning that not all criminal records are equally serious. Still, the eTA serves as a screening mechanism to weed out people who might be criminally inadmissible in Canada.

If you have had interactions with the criminal justice system, you could benefit from a legal opinion letter to be able to apply for a visa to Canada and travel without problems. The legal opinion letter is a document that explains that the person with a criminal record is a respectable person and that they are an admissible person.

In some cases it may happen that the eTA is denied, this will depend on the severity of the history of each person. In case the eTA is denied due to the applicant’s criminal record, a temporary residence permit can be applied for, which would allow legal entry into the country.

Lying when completing the eTA is not recommended as this could have very serious consequences. Not only would the eTA not be granted but it could damage future possibilities of traveling to the North American country.

To process a Canadian visa with a criminal record it is important that:

Learn all the details of your conviction and the charge.
Gather as much information as possible about your conviction, including dates.
Complete the application correctly and with all the necessary documents.

Remember that the decision to grant you entry to Canada rests with the Canadian immigration agent who assists you upon arrival in the country. A serious criminal record can be a reason for denial of the Canadian eTA or entry into the country.

If you have a criminal record for crimes committed before the age of 18 you may still have the opportunity to be granted entry into Canada.

To be considered your application, despite having a criminal record, you must meet the following requirements:

Provide supporting documents that you comply with the legal terms to be considered rehabilitated :
- More than 5 years have elapsed since the crime and also since his final sentence
- Fully served his sentence
- Not likely to incur new crimes
- Had he committed the crime in Canada, he would have had a prison term of less than 10 years
Your request for rehabilitation was approved
You were granted a record suspension
You have a temporary residence permit

If you have a Mexican passport and a criminal record, it is recommended that you apply for criminal rehabilitation before submitting your eTA Canada petition. Once your confirmation of rehabilitation has been approved, you will be able to apply for a Canada eTA.

Contact an embassy or consulate for updated information and requirements. Please note that these requests can take more than a year to process.

The eTA is not a visa, it is a travel authorization to visit Canada for a certain time. The eTA is not designed for people who want to live, study or work in Canada.

Once the eTA is requested, it will be electronically linked to the passport, which is why it is essential to travel with the document with which the application was made.

Canada Immigration

Things Immigration Lawyers Won’t Tell You About Moving to Canada

Published

6 months ago

December 23, 2021

FirstArisAdmin

Things Immigration Lawyers Won’t Tell You About Moving to Canada

Before I enlighten you about things immigration lawyers won’t tell you, I’d like to give you a hint of the duties of an immigration lawyer. They basically work with corporations and employers to assist with helping clients understand the steps taken before they can be employed in Canada.

Immigration Lawyers are not gods

One thing immigration lawyers won’t tell you is that they are capable of failing when it comes to moving clients to Canada. Some tend to be transparent about it but most immigration lawyers won’t come clean on this.

They appear to their clients as gods and create a great picture of them in their hearts. They actually make mistakes too and sometimes lose cases. Most clients are aware of this fact, but when meeting an immigration lawyer they tend to put all hope on them.

Immigration Lawyers Have no Supreme Power Over Immigration Process

I’ve met people who think when meeting an immigration lawyer their problems are totally solved. If you have this mindset, I’ll advise you to unlearn it because immigration lawyers are no supreme body in the affairs of immigration.

They only stand-in for their clients in the process stage and convince corporations about employing their clients. Immigration lawyers won’t tell you they aren’t certain about the outcome but would assure you of total success in immigrating to Canada.

You can Process it Yourself Without the Assistance of an Immigration Lawyer

Most people know that they can actually do their immigration processing themselves. It is a known fact, but they hire immigration lawyers because of their professionalism in their field. They believe they can do more better than they are.

Immigration lawyers won’t tell you that there are some cases with a slim chance of achieving victory. They make their clients feel like they are capable of performing miracles and so encourage them to hit on the process.

Immigration Lawyers Won’t Tell You of Their Past Records

Some immigration lawyers have been disciplined for immoral conduct in the past but they would never tell you because you might want to look elsewhere. A major issue is that act misconduct taken by an immigration lawyer may ruin your case. Most people have gone through this experience because of a bad step taken by their lawyer.

Although some learn from their past mistakes, it is not 100% certain that he would not act in that light again. So, when going for a background check you should determine if you should work with or without the immigration lawyer.

Immigration Lawyers Won’t Tell You of the Case Load They Have on Deck

Some immigration lawyers can be extremely busy with a huge caseload on their hands. And oftentimes they do not reject cases but add more to their piles of work.

Immigration lawyers won’t tell you about this and it can cause a low commitment to your immigration process as they do not pay the necessary attention that ought to be paid to your immigration process. Every case ought to be given much attention in other to produce the best result.

While searching for an immigration lawyer ensure you take note of what to expect and also ask questions on the process in order to avoid getting an unexpected result.

Canada Immigration

Rural and northern communities program, and other ways to achieve permanent residency in Canada

Published

10 months ago

August 27, 2021

FirstArisAdmin

Currently, there are a large number of programs that are used to opt for Canadian permanent residence.

Rural and northern communities program

In June 2019, the Canadian government launched the Rural and Northern Communities Program where it established that 11 Canadian rural cities participate in an immigration program in which they will be able to invite permanent residence people who meet certain criteria tied to the community.

Criteria for applying for rural and northern communities program

These criteria are mainly focused on the candidate having a job offer in one of the communities, and meeting the requirements imposed by the federal government of Canada.

Among the participating rural communities are Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie, both in the province of Ontario, Vernon, located in the province of British Columbia, Claresholm, in the province of Alberta, among others.

SEE ALSO: Requirements to travel to Canada

The main requirement that the applicant must have is a job offer located in one of the 11 rural cities. This must be full-time or indeterminate and have a salary equal to or greater than that established by the Canadian government job bank.

On the other hand, the candidate must demonstrate having completed at least one year of work experience in a full-time job in the three years prior to the application, and said experience will qualify depending on the level requested by the NOC (National Occupational Classification), which is a system that classifies jobs or occupations in Canada.

The year of experience can be counted continuously or discontinuously and may have been carried out on or off Canadian soils.

From the educational point of view, the candidate must present a high school or baccalaureate diploma which may have been completed in the same way within or outside the country, and if it has been abroad, an evaluation of said diploma will be necessary.

Additionally, the program for rural and northern communities requires a lower level of English or French than usual, so it is easier for candidates to have the required level.

The monetary funds to be demonstrated are around $10,000 USD and are only necessary if you are not working in Canada with a valid work permit.

Other requirements

Because the program takes place in 11 rural Canadian cities, each one of them has its own factors that determine the community’s interest in the candidate. Among them are previous visits, studies or work carried out in the community, family ties, and how important the job offer is in relation to the needs of the community.

If the community is interested in the candidate, they will provide you with a letter of recommendation that is also part of the requirements for applying for permanent residence in rural cities.

Advantage of the rural and northern communities program

Settling in one of these rural cities can provide the candidate with certain other advantages that will make the candidacy process more comfortable.

Among the advantages is the possibility of applying for permanent residence without an age limit, living the experience of studying higher education for lower prices in institutions such as Sault College or Cambrian College, and the fact that the costs of living, in general, are much lower than usual in Canada.

It’s an opportunity to live in Canadian cities with a much lower cost of living, on the other hand, there are various immigration programs or systems with which thousands of applicants manage to obtain permanent residence in Canada.

Other Immigration Programs

The main one is known as “Express Entry”. This is an administrative system that assigns a score to people based on certain factors similar to those previously mentioned: age, education, level of English, and qualified work experience in their country of residence or in Canada.

The “Express Entry” works by creating a score focused on these factors. Then, the government conducts raffles every two weeks in which it invites those who achieve a specific score to apply for permanent residence. In 2019 this score was between 452-470 points.

It is the most common modality used by new applicants and up to 3,000 people are invited to Canadian permanent residence every two weeks.

“The most important or primary category to apply for permanent residence is ‘Express Entry,’” Naime said.

Another of the main programs used for the application of permanent residence in Canada is the “Provincial Nomination Program”.

This gives access to various provinces to the nomination of temporary immigrants who are already within Canada with a work visa, taking into account the work area and the needs they have.

It is important to note that some provinces are more accessible than others. In Alberta for example, there is a category called “Alberta Opportunity Stream” where the student after graduating must obtain six months of work experience and thus qualify for the application of permanent residence.

Canada is a constantly growing country looking for people from all over the world to contribute to the overall development of the nation. For this reason, it is one of the preferred destinations for immigrants who seek to improve their quality of life and settle in a first-world country.

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