International Student Advisors 4U

World Philippines

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beware!

..sure life is hard..but it is still great to work as nurse abroad..not caregiver..you won't stop regreting once you are here already..better yet tiis mg-experience sure it will be worth it rather than rushing..the money you will spend applying for SV will just be what you are going to earn here..you will go home back to basic again..whats worst your mind is already outdated with nursing..

think very hard guys..

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Hello!

I'm a new member here and unfortunately, it was ISA who deployed me to the UK just recently.

I am now in a work placement in the middle of nowhere, quite far from the university i am attending.

I am also having trouble with trying to transfer to another work placement, even if i said that i will not ask for the agency's help on my application to another care home or in finding an accommodation in another area.

I am very disappointed on how the ISA offices in the Philippines do not seem to know the rules in the ISA UK office because I have asked them over and over (before i left) if there is an option to transfer and they always said "yes yes yes"... not entailing that there are procedures and legal stuff to be made. So, i am stuck here for now but I am not giving up yet.

I want to know if you guys have any idea on why ISA does not allow transfer of work placement when my student visa does not specify that I have to remain in the placement where my agency decides to throw me. Furthermore, I have not signed anything from ISA or from the work placement that would constitute as a contract that I should work only at placements that the agency has provides for me. i was genuinely shocked to hear "your placement is permanent" from one of the administrators of ISA UK office... in fact, i am still in shock right now. even the university i am in does not accept work placements that are not accredited by ISA??? the agency has somehow convinced the school to revoke someone's student status if work placement transfers does not go through them!

once again, id like to read your ideas and theories on why ISA is doing this form of "illegal detention". i will try to contact UK council international student affairs if they can shed light on this matter. i will not allow myself to be bullied by this agency. how can they threaten to revoke my student visa when transferring to another work placement is not in any way mentioned as illegal in my student visa conditions.

:mad:

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Hello,

it's been one week since i have posted a very emotional view on this matter. i am giving my placement that ISA has arranged for me a chance, it's not like i planned to up and leave immediately, i know that i have to settle in first since i am very new here. i do appreciate the amount of effort that ISA does in ensuring accommodation and guaranteed work placements before they deploy their clients to the UK, that is a positive compared to other agencies who don't guarantee employment. i know now that i would have been in panic and more fearful if i did not have employment and accommodation arranged for me beforehand. i apologize for the harsh words i wrote that have hurt the people who are doing their best in the ISA UK office. those words may be very personal to me and my thoughts about my situation but they were not intended to hurt any body in particular.

in the quest of finding answers to my questions since i first step foot in the UK, i have been informed that the university i am in requires an approved placement that will meet their standards and ISA is responsible for making sure the placements are qualified in behalf of the school.

again, i would like to emphasize that my concern is not having the "option" and that i do appreciate that the agency had everything ready for us as soon as we arrived. i did receive some information that was misconstrued and this only means i should be clarifying issues with the agency and the school. i do believe that the agency is looking after the safety of their clients and they make sure the students follow through with their studies, but people's preferences will always differ on some levels and that's when a conflict of interests arise. in my situation as a student visa holder, i am just looking for options to cater to that purpose. obviously, something that cannot be done on a whim or demanded instantly - a fact which i've recognized long before i set foot in this country.

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i am new here and i just read all the comments regarding ISA and the situation of the nurses living there. unfortunately, its too late when i found out of this page.. me and my friend have enrolled and pay 160,000 and they are collecting another 50,000 this week. i was really worried and confused. i was very positive when i attended their orientation and hoping going to the UK will improve my living. however, i dont think that everyone is happy about SV and ISA w/ all the messages posted.

i really need some advice.. thank u.

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i am new here and i just read all the comments regarding ISA and the situation of the nurses living there. unfortunately, its too late when i found out of this page.. me and my friend have enrolled and pay 160,000 and they are collecting another 50,000 this week. i was really worried and confused. i was very positive when i attended their orientation and hoping going to the UK will improve my living. however, i dont think that everyone is happy about SV and ISA w/ all the messages posted.

i really need some advice.. thank u.

- if you've loaned it (the 160K), and you are already paying for the interest, you need to think about it carefully again.

- if the 160 K is from your own pocket, then I advise you to just withdraw your application. ISA will refund it, but it will take time, and you need to hassle them about it, for them to refund your money. That's how they handle business.

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Its hard to withdraw your money from ISA! I've heard those who withdrawed their application had the hard time to get their refund.. ISA issued bouncing cheque as what ive heard! think a hundred times before you deal with ISA.. they were so unprofessional.. they just want our money and when it comes to efficiency and effectiveness they dont have it..

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thank you for your replies. if that's the case, i guess i really need to get my money back. however, i dont think it will be that easy to withdraw my money to them. the main office is in Makati and i am living here in Mindanao. Me and my friend are really worried. My aunt from Belfast, doesnt agree with my idea of Student Visa. She said only 10hrs of work is given to SV holders and ISA promised more than that.

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bouncing cheques?! OMG! :mad:You pay cash and they give cheque?

that's so unprofessional! They should be reported. If you know a lawyer or someone in the police, you can seek advice from them. Perhaps, they can drop a call to ISA and shake things up a bit and you may get back your money sooner. :yeah:

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hi nuseinuk-- wud u mind sending me the name of your agency pls. me and my boyfriend are planning to pusue our application in isa we just attended their orientation lastweek and so far we find it interesting, but since i come up to this website and i have read all the comments we are now in doubts if we will still be able to pursue our apllication.pls pm me nurseinuk. thanx a lot and god bless

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looks like I am one of those who made a wrong decision... I already cashed out 210K to ISA a total of 220K actually including the fee for the video interview which is not refundable by the way. I am also taking up the BSc Int'l Nursing course in GCU and here's hoping that some Filipinos studying now in GCU had a great experience there but i doubt after reading the above comments. :crying2:

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thats alot of money.

i hope good things will come out on those big expenses.

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looks like I am one of those who made a wrong decision... I already cashed out 210K to ISA a total of 220K actually including the fee for the video interview which is not refundable by the way. I am also taking up the BSc Int'l Nursing course in GCU and here's hoping that some Filipinos studying now in GCU had a great experience there but i doubt after reading the above comments. :crying2:

- a college friend of mine is studying in GCU. She said they go to the university once a month. oh, the cost!! What if you've got a placement that's far from Scotland (coz that's where GCU is)? You will incur big travel expenses.

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