The <keyword id="2801318" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Canadian-Armed-Forces" source="Orion">Canadian Armed Forces</keyword> (CAF) has announced that permanent residents, which includes a large chunk of Indians, are now eligible to join the military. The announcement came close to Remembrance Day, amidst reports that the <keyword id="211639" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="canadian-military" source="Orion">Canadian military</keyword> is struggling to recruit new members to fill thousands of vacant positions. As of 2021, there were more than eight million immigrants with permanent residence living in Canada - roughly 21.5 per cent of the total Canadian population. In the same year, nearly 100,000 Indians became permanent residents of Canada as the country admitted a record 405,000 new immigrants in its history. As per data, Canada is likely to welcome more than a million new permanent residents between 2022 and 2024, which drastically widens the pool of candidates the military can choose from. Permanent residents were previously only eligible under the Skilled Military Foreign Applicant (SMFA) entry programme, which was "open for individuals... that would reduce training costs or fill a special need... such as a trained pilot or a doctor," according to the Royal United Services Institute of Nova Scotia, a non-profit body. The Department of National Defence (DND) is expected to make a formal announcement in the coming days regarding the change to the policy, the CIC News reported. In March, Canadian Defence Minister Anita Anand said that the CAF needs to grow amid the changing global geopolitical landscape triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In September, the CAF sounded the alarm over a severe shortage of recruits to fill thousands of vacant positions The Toronto Star reported that Canada is about 12,000 regular force troops short of it's "full strength" of 100,000 regular force members. Women make up 16.3 per cent of the Canadian military demographic; Indigenous peoples come in at 2.7 per cent; and visible minorities make up less than 12 per cent of the Canadian military. Three-quarters of its ranks are white men. Recently, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) announced that they're changing their "outdated recruitment process" to allow permanent residents, who have lived in Canada for 10 years, to apply. Immigration targets have shot up in Canada with nearly a quarter of the population aging out of the workforce by 2030. The shortage is made more acute by the gradual rise in the number of deaths and the relatively low fertility levels in Canada. In such a scenario, immigrants become prime candidates for the military as they typically arrive in Canada during their younger working-age years where they are likely to be more physically active, according to immigration experts. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/india-soon-to-get-unmanned-trains/articleshow/95488336.cms" style="">India soon to get unmanned trains</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/drones-from-across-pakistan-border-more-than-doubled-in-2022-bsf-dg/articleshow/95483069.cms" style="">Drones from across Pakistan border more than doubled in 2022: BSF DG</a>

Permanent Indian residents can now be part of Canadian military

<ul><li>India Post Payments Bank Limited (IPPB) has opportunities for job seekers with 132 executive positions available on a contractual basis. </li><li>The Indian Air Force (IAF) has invited unmarried Indian male and female candidates to apply for the selection test for Agniveervayu intake. </li><li>The Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has recently advertised 55 job openings for the position of Project Scientists. </li></ul>Indians often prefer <keyword id="6362949" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="government-jobs" source="Orion">government jobs</keyword> due to the perceived job security and various benefits, including pensions, healthcare, and other allowances, which are seen as stable and reliable compared to some private sector positions. Additionally, government jobs are often considered prestigious and socially esteemed in Indian society, further attracting individuals seeking stability and status in their careers. We look at Government vacancies available in the month of August 2023. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="India Post" comment="subhead" text="India Post">India Post</cmsannotation> India Post Payments Bank Limited (IPPB) is presenting an opportunity for job seekers with 132 executive positions available on a contractual basis. Those seeking to advance their careers in the financial sector can submit their applications for these vacancies through the official website ippbonline.com. The application deadline is August 16, 2023. To qualify for these executive roles, applicants must fulfil specific requirements. As of June 1, 2023, candidates should be aged between 21 and 35 years. Moreover, a Bachelor's degree in any field is mandatory, and preference will be given to candidates with prior experience in financial product sales or operations. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Indian Air Force" comment="subhead" text="Indian Air Force">Indian Air Force</cmsannotation> The Indian Air Force (IAF) has invited unmarried Indian male and female candidates to apply for the selection test for Agniveervayu intake 01/2024, under the Agnipath scheme. Interested individuals can apply through the official website of IAF Agniveervayu at agnipathvayu.cdac.in. The application process started on July 31 and will close on August 17. To be eligible, candidates must have been born between June 27, 2003, and December 27, 2006. Educational qualifications vary based on the subject stream. Science subjects require candidates to have passed Intermediate/10+2/Equivalent examination with specific subjects and marks, while Other than Science Subjects applicants should have completed their Intermediate/10+2/Equivalent Examination in any stream/subjects with minimum marks in English. The candidates need to meet specific medical standards concerning height, weight, chest measurements, hearing, and dental health, as outlined by the Indian Air Force. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Defense Research and Development Organisation" comment="subhead" text="Defense Research and Development Organisation">Defense Research and Development Organisation</cmsannotation> The Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has recently advertised 55 job openings for the position of Project Scientist. Those interested in applying can do so through DRDO's official website at drdo.gov.in. The application process is entirely conducted online, and the deadline for submission is August 11. This recruitment aims to fill a total of 55 vacancies. Notably, male candidates belonging to the General, other backward class (OBC), and economically weaker section (EWS) categories are required to pay an application fee of ₹100, while scheduled caste (SC), scheduled tribe (ST), person with disability (PWD), and women candidates are exempt from any fee. The age limit for Project Scientist F is 55 years, for E it is 50 years, and for D, the maximum age allowed is 45 years. Aspiring candidates looking to join DRDO, a crucial part of the Ministry of Defence, should take note of these vital details during the application process. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Staff Selection Commission" comment="subhead" text="Staff Selection Commission">Staff Selection Commission</cmsannotation> The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) has issued a notification for the Junior Engineer (JE) Examination, including civil, mechanical, and electrical branches. The online registration process commenced on July 26, and candidates can apply for the SSC JE 2023. The last date of submitting the application form is August 16. Through this recruitment drive, the SSC aims to fill 1,324 vacancies for junior engineers in various central government departments such as Military Engineering Services(MES), Border Roads Organisation (BRO), Central Public Works Department (CPWD), National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO), and others. Aspiring candidates need to pay an examination fee of Rs 100. However, candidates belonging to SC, ST, PWD, women, and ex-servicemen eligible for reservation are exempted from paying the fee.

From Indian Air Force to DRDO – Government jobs up for grab in August

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The US Army activated the <keyword id="14157993" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="11th-airborne-division" source="Orion">11th Airborne Division</keyword> in <keyword id="12020240" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="alaska" source="Orion">Alaska</keyword> on June 6.</li><li>The division will incorporate Alaska-based units and focus on training for Arctic combat.</li></ul>The US Army activated the 11th Airborne Division in Alaska on Monday, reestablishing it as an Arctic-focused unit in what <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/alaska-is-growing-more-valuable-amid-competition-with-russia-china-2021-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Pentagon sees as a valuable outpost</a> to project power in region, into Europe, and across the Pacific."We expect them to be masters of their craft in the Arctic warfighting, in extreme cold weather, in mountainous and high-altitude terrain, and we expect them to develop innovative ways of operating in this environment," Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville said at a press conference on Monday.The two major Army units in Alaska — the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team based at Fort Wainwright and the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne) based at Fort Richardson — were previously under the Hawaii-based 25th Infantry Division.<div type="image" title="Army 11th Airborne Division patch insignia Alaska" height="1334" width="2000" msid="92115145" hostid="261"></div>Those units, along with the headquarters unit <keyword id="12658338" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="us-army-alaska" source="Orion">US Army Alaska</keyword>, are now part of the 11th Airborne Division — a redesignation that Army leaders say underscores the unit's Arctic orientation and will enhance its soldiers' sense of mission and identity."There's a collection of different unit patches that we're all wearing right now," Maj. Gen. Brian Eifler, who led US Army Alaska and now commands the 11th Airborne Division, said at the press conference. "What we're doing is consolidating under one.""Arctic warfighting is not just what they do. It's really who they are, and that's the identity that these great soldiers are going to have in the 11th Airborne Division," Eifler said.<h2>Survive and thrive in the Arctic</h2><div type="image" title="Army Alaska Arctic paratroopers small unit support vehicle" height="1167" width="1557" msid="92115146" hostid="261"></div>The Army <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-army-figuring-out-whats-needed-to-regain-arctic-dominance-2021-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Arctic Strategy released last spring</a> emphasized the need for Arctic-specific training and equipment and infrastructure that could support operations over the region's long distances and tough terrain.The Army conducted a "gap analysis" to determine what was needed and sought to address "near-term deficiencies" in its 2023 budget request. In that request, Army asked for $101.8 million to support the strategy by buying 13 new <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/army-is-looking-for-a-new-arctic-all-terrain-vehicle-2021-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cold-weather, all-terrain vehicles</a>, acquiring more Arctic clothing and gear, and continuing to winterize equipment, an Army budget official said this spring.The budget official also said that money would cover "exportable" Combat Training Center rotations, allowing Alaska-based troops to do large-scale training in Alaska rather than the Army's training centers in Louisiana and California.Training in Alaska allows soldiers "to train the way we're going to fight" and fielding new vehicles along with "the right equipment and the right clothing" means they will "not only survive in this environment but they will thrive," McConville said Monday.<div type="image" title="Army Alaska Arctic paratroopers" height="1333" width="2000" msid="92115147" hostid="261"></div>The 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team will shed its more than 300 Stryker vehicles, which will be upgraded for use elsewhere or stripped for parts, and become a light or air-assault-capable infantry brigade combat team, Eifler said."The structure of the organization will change slightly inside of it," Eifler said of the Stryker unit, "but their focus will be on dismounted [operations] and Arctic mobility and capabilities to sustain operations in the Arctic, in extreme cold weather, and in addition to providing those capabilities in other cold-weather environments, like <keyword id="12329412" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="nepal" source="Orion">Nepal</keyword> and <keyword id="11892747" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword>."The airborne brigade will remain airborne "and it'll have the Arctic capabilities that go along with that," McConville said."You're going to see a lot more training in the [Alaskan] training areas, dismounted. You'll probably see a lot less Strykers [and] maybe a little bit more airborne operations up here, because again, the only Arctic airborne capability is in this unit," Eifler said.<h2>'A tough new airborne division'</h2><div type="image" title="US Army soldiers paratroopers in Alaska" height="1333" width="2000" msid="92115148" hostid="261"></div>The 11th Airborne Division was first activated in February 1943. Its paratroopers and glider-borne soldiers fought in the Pacific and developed tactics and concepts for airborne operations during and after World War II.The division has "a storied history of valor" and "a proud history of innovation," McConville said. "They were the ones that actually tested and validated the effectiveness of division airborne operations that actually gave confidence to the leaders that it could be used during D-Day."Eifler said the former Stryker brigade will "spearhead" the effort to "refine and develop our techniques, tactics, and procedures, our equipment, [and] the structure that's needed to fight and win in the Arctic."That effort will draw on soldiers and equipment in Alaska and on allies and partners — "the Canadians and Norwegians and folks around the world," Eifler said.Alaska-based soldiers regularly train with Canadian forces, and in May, Alaska-based paratroopers trained in <keyword id="12154095" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="norway" source="Orion">Norway</keyword> for the first time, an exchange that <a href="https://www.highnorthnews.com/en/us-and-norwegian-armies-plan-more-arctic-training" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Norwegian</a> and US <a href="https://www.highnorthnews.com/en/us-army-alaska-training-arctic-defense-operations-northern-norway" target="_blank" rel="noopener">officials</a> want to continue.US Army Alaska soldiers trained with Indian troops in October during the Yudh Abhyas exercise and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-indian-soldiers-yudh-abhyas-exercise-alaska-amid-china-tension-2021-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">plan to train in India later this year</a>.<div type="image" title="Indian soldiers capture opposition forces in Alaska" height="1213" width="1618" msid="92115149" hostid="261"></div>Eifler said Monday that Nepalese army officials are also interested in training together: "They want to do a joint expedition on Everest with us, and they want to do a lot more training with this Arctic force."Those exercises reflect Alaska's role in defense of the US and in operations in Europe and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/photos-us-army-paratroopers-launch-mock-long-range-pacific-invasion-2020-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Indo-Pacific region</a>, which the Pentagon <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/alaska-is-growing-more-valuable-amid-competition-with-russia-china-2021-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wants to capitalize on</a> amid increasing competition with Russia and China."I think what's happening today represents a sea change in the Pentagon's focus on the Arctic," Sen. Dan Sullivan said at the press conference on Monday."With the 11th Airborne Division, we now have a strategically located, tough unit that can deploy thousands of airborne troops anywhere in the world," Sullivan said. "Just take a look at a map, very quickly, within hours, [it can reach] Korea, China, Russia, you name it."The Army has about 12,000 soldiers in Alaska and doesn't currently plan to change that, but <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/alaska-is-growing-more-valuable-amid-competition-with-russia-china-2021-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">other services are "plussing-up" their presence</a>. The Air Force has deployed <a href="https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3036523/eielson-afb-celebrates-f-35-beddown-completion/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">54 F-35s</a> to join the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-us-f-22s-intercept-russian-aircraft-over-alaskan-arctic-2020-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">F-22s stationed there</a>, and the Navy is looking at additional basing and ports."China, North Korea, and Russia are soon going to realize that the US just put 100 fifth-gen[eration] fighters and a tough new airborne division in their rear and on their flanks," Sullivan said. "Although that might not make Putin and Xi Jinping happy, it enhances our national security for our country very significantly."

With a new, 'strategically located' unit in Alaska, the US Army wants to extend its reach in the Arctic and beyond

<ul><li>Tesla CEO <keyword id="6355315" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="elon-musk">Elon Musk</keyword> is inviting coders and engineers to participate in the hackathon or the ‘AI party’ at his place. </li><li>The event is expected to take place in four weeks from now. </li><li>And all it actually needs is a deep understanding of <keyword id="107950" type="TECHNOLOGY" weightage="20" keywordseo="artificial-intelligence">artificial intelligence</keyword> and its implementation. "Don’t care if you even graduated high school,” he said. </li></ul>Tesla CEO Elon Musk is opening doors to all AI enthusiasts across the globe to push the pedal on his autonomous driving vehicle plans. The tech billionaire took to Twitter to invite coders and engineers to participate in the hackathon or the ‘AI party’ at his place. The event is expected to take place in four weeks from now. 
	<div type="twitter" handle="elonmusk" handlename="Elon Musk" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1223183340171415552/XQcxk5Zb_normal.jpg" favoritecount="108177" retweetcount="5951" status="Tesla will hold a super fun AI party/hackathon at my house with the Tesla AI/autopilot team in about four weeks. Invitations going out soon." createdat="1580680133000" id="1224087317364854785"></div>



 “This shouldn’t be thought of as USA only,” he added in the tweet. The recruitment drive is set to hire diverse and AI-skilled professionals from all countries — to hire for its offices across the Bay Area, Austin or other Tesla Gigafactories. Skills not degree All it actually needs is a deep understanding of artificial intelligence and its implementation. Clarifying further, Musk also mentioned the eligibility criteria for the hackathon. “PhD is definitely not required. All that matters is a deep understanding of AI and ability to implement NNs in a way that is actually useful (latter point is what’s truly hard). Don’t care if you even graduated high school,” he said. Musk, who is also a critic of AI technology, has been actively talking about AI adoption. He had recently invited people to join Tesla’s Autopilot Test team. This spreads across areas like hardware, autonomy algorithms and neural networks. “Join AI at Tesla! It reports directly to me and we meet/email/text almost every day. My actions, not just words, show how critically I view (benign) AI,” he said stresing how ‘benign’ tasks are also evaluated by him directly. 
	<div type="twitter" handle="elonmusk" handlename="Elon Musk" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1223183340171415552/XQcxk5Zb_normal.jpg" favoritecount="42448" retweetcount="4867" status="“At Tesla, using AI to solve self-driving isn’t just icing on the cake, it the cake” - @lexfridman Join AI at Tes… https://t.co/jQkNAReWlb" createdat="1580669694000" id="1224043531951583233"></div>



 The company is adopting AI for its self driving cars as well. Those hired may be a part of the autopilot project. As of now, the autopilot feature allows the car to navigate within the lane and apply brakes. However, it still requires human intervention. “Tesla will soon have over a million connected vehicles worldwide with sensors and compute needed for full self-driving, which is orders of magnitude more than everyone else combined, giving you the best possible dataset to work with,” Musk tweeted. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/india-will-be-picking-up-ai-enabled-military-tech-from-south-korea-at-the-defexpo-2020/articleshow/73933364.cms">India will be picking up AI-enabled military tech from South Korea at the DefExpo 2020</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/ai-and-machine-learning-jobs-are-in-demand-but-hiring-is-difficult/articleshow/72879872.cms">Indian CEOs are having a tough time retaining AI, ML, and data science experts</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/article/heres-how-artificial-intelligence-changed-the-way-we-eat-write-drive-and-talk/articleshow/71846412.cms">Here's how artificial intelligence changed the way we eat, write, drive and talk</a>

Elon Musk invites techies to his 'AI party' — Indian high schoolers can also apply

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Erin Ventura and her husband moved to Canada following a two-year long-distance relationship.</li><li>The couple bought a four-bedroom, two-story house in Halifax, Nova Scotia.</li></ul>Erin Ventura grew up in Los Angeles, and she describes herself as "a California girl" through and through. So her path over the past few years, after she met her husband, Justin Chiang, threw her family for a bit of a loop.Probably the most surprising change? They gave up on sunny Los Angeles and Vancouver, British Columbia, where he grew up, and she moved 3,000 miles northeast to Halifax, Nova Scotia.After an election season when <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/move-canada-surges-search-repeat-2016-election-result-aftermath-1544795">searches for "move to Canada" spiked</a>, Ventura talked with Business Insider about the culture shock of moving to a small city on Canada's eastern seaboard — and about how the move meant she and her husband could make a lot more money, buy a house near the ocean, and achieve the "American dream" in a different country.<h2>Big cities like Los Angeles and Vancouver were too expensive to live long-term</h2>Ventura, 32, and Chiang, 31, met at graduate school at Indiana University.They both have fairly unusual jobs in the music industry. He plays the euphonium, a brass instrument that looks a bit like a small tuba. She's a professional luthier, or someone who makes or fixes stringed instruments.They met in 2014 and got married in 2018. But since Chiang was a Canadian citizen and Ventura was American, they had to choose which country to live in.<div type="image" title="Erin Ventura" height="1335" width="1780" msid="105821916" hostid="261" sizebytes="158328"></div>At first, they tried a long-distance relationship. Chiang moved back to Burnaby, British Columbia, where he stayed with his family and worked at a job in arts administration.Meanwhile, Ventura lived with her mom in the San Fernando Valley and got a job in a high-end violin-repair shop in Pasadena."We were kind of going back and forth between both countries," Ventura told Business Insider, "because his job was really flexible and mine was fairly flexible. So we were kind of living in two countries for two years."Looking for a long-term place to live was difficult. Moving to one city or the other would mean one of them would lose their job. And their salaries — Ventura said she was making "somewhere in the 30s," while Chiang was making less than 50,000 Canadian dollars — wouldn't go very far in Los Angeles or Vancouver."They're just two really expensive cities," Ventura said.But then her husband auditioned for a job as a musician with the Canadian military and was offered a place in the <a href="http://www.navy-marine.forces.gc.ca/en/about/structure-marlant-units-stadband.page">Stadacona Band</a>, in Nova Scotia."Those jobs are really hard to get, and they don't open up very often," she said. "And we're thinking, like, you know what? Let's try it. Now's the time."<h2>They bought a four-bedroom, two-story house with a view of the ocean</h2>As the spouse of a Canadian citizen, Ventura was eligible to apply right away for permanent residency, and they moved to Halifax together in June 2019.It took a few months for her paperwork to come through, so at first she was technically just visiting, but she started looking for work as soon as she was able to.It might not surprise you to learn that there are not a lot of openings for a luthier in Nova Scotia; there was only one shop in the area, and it wasn't hiring. So Ventura wound up opening her own shop in a spare room in the house they rented."It just completely took off," she said. "I'm so lucky, because I was trained in a nice shop. I do really good work. There's the symphony here, and I've been lucky enough to have some members as customers. I'm very thankful."Ventura said her husband was making a bit over 60,000 Canadian dollars a year playing in the military band. He actually had to join the Canadian navy for the job, so employment security is high.In her first year of being self-employed, Ventura said, she made a bit over 50,000 Canadian dollars.The result is that they're making more money together than they were in cities with a much higher cost of living — and that meant they could buy a house together this past summer.<div type="image" title="Erin Ventura" height="1126" width="1500" msid="105821917" hostid="261" sizebytes="392374"></div>"It's a game-changer," Ventura said. "Honestly, one of my favorite things about moving here is we have this four-bedroom, two-story house with a basement suite, with a view of the ocean. To put a little disclaimer: It's the part where the ships come in, not the pretty part, but I still love it. I love being able to smell the ocean. And our mortgage is around 340,000 Canadian."I just can't believe it. We come from two of the most expensive cities in North America. So the fact that we could even get a house at age 28 or 29, I'm just blown away."<h2>It's less stressful in Halifax — but also less diverse </h2>Of course, moving from a big US city to a much smaller, fairly remote one in Canada (Halifax has a population of about 425,000 people) has involved some significant surprises."It's actually a pretty big culture shock," Ventura said. "It's kind of funny, considering the US and Canada are so similar. But I think in this case it's more of a 'big city, small city' kind of thing. Just the mentality is a little bit slower. And I think people here are not as receptive to outsiders and immigrants as some bigger American cities and bigger Canadian cities would be."<div type="image" title="Erin Ventura" height="970" width="1294" msid="105821920" hostid="261" sizebytes="51974"></div>The big changes she's noticed include less stress — but also less diversity, both in the people who live around them and in their daily lives.For example, Ventura said it was jarring to move from diverse cities like Los Angeles and Vancouver to Halifax, <a href="https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&amp;Geo1=CMACA&amp;Code1=205&amp;Geo2=PR&amp;Code2=12&amp;SearchText=Halifax&amp;SearchType=Begins&amp;SearchPR=01&amp;B1=Visible%20minority&amp;TABID=1&amp;type=0">which is heavily white</a>."My husband's Asian, and it's funny — we have this area in Halifax where we're really comfortable, like the area we live in and the downtown area with all the students and immigrants," she said. "There, it feels totally great. But I notice sometimes, even if we drive, like, 30 minutes outside, people kind of give me a stare or give him a stare, like, oh, you're different. You're probably not from here. Especially like a white woman with a Chinese-Canadian man. I think that's pretty unique here especially. It's just uncomfortable."She said she's also noticed there are fewer choices, from where to shop to where to get health insurance."I miss Trader Joe's. I'm a typical Californian," she said. "I miss Trader Joe's so much. I miss the food trucks. That was another one of my favorite things about LA was that the food is just phenomenal. And I miss that about Vancouver too."But at the same time, she said, there is a lot less stress in her daily life — even with things she hadn't noticed she was particularly stressed about, like the potential for gun violence in the United States, until she was living in Canada."I think a lot of Canadians really take for granted — like, I feel so safe here. It's amazing," she said, adding that gun violence seemed rare enough that the few times it's happened in Canada are still commemorated each year."Like, there was a mass shooting in Quebec at a technical college 20 years ago, and they still talk about that in the news, where in the United States we have something like the Pulse nightclub or Las Vegas and we just kind of forget about those things."Another big change? She said she was used to having men make unwanted comments when she went outside in the US, but that doesn't happen anymore."I have not been catcalled since I got to Halifax. I should point that out," she said. "I have never felt, like, any kind of aggressive, inappropriate energy from any man here, which is amazing. It's much more polite. It's an issue everywhere [in the US], but it was especially in Bloomington."Of course, one of the biggest changes is the weather — going from sunny California to chilly Canada is a big deal.<div type="image" title="Erin Ventura" height="1126" width="1500" msid="105821922" hostid="261" sizebytes="66694"></div>"Canadians are so funny with their winters that they think if it's slightly not terrible, it's the nicest day ever. I'm a California girl, used to nine months of summer," she said. "I adapted, though. You have to get a whole new wardrobe. There was one day last year we got about a foot of snow, and that was the most I've ever seen. I'd never shoveled a driveway before."Despite the weather and the adjustments, Ventura said it's starting to feel a bit more like home."I don't think anybody in my family had ever even heard of Halifax before I mentioned that I was considering moving here. It is so new for them," she said. "We were saying we'd try it out for a year, and if we didn't like it, we'd go somewhere else. But it's working out so well for us. We're really happy here. So yeah, we're going to stay here for a while."This story was originally published on December 30, 2020 and most recently updated on December 7, 2023.

A Californian says they achieved the American dream by moving to Canada: 'It's a game-changer'

<keyword id="6355101" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ukraine" source="Orion">Ukraine</keyword> has urged its citizens living in <keyword id="6358826" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="russia" source="Orion">Russia</keyword> to leave the country immediately, BBC reported. Up to three million Ukrainians are believed to be living in Russia and many have family in both countries. In addition, a state of emergency is to be declared in Ukraine, lasting 30 days, the country's top security official said. Ukraine is also conscripting reservists into the regular military as it braces for a possible invasion by its neighbour, Russia. Western countries and their allies have imposed sanctions on Russian banks and MPs, as the crisis escalates. But critics, among them the UK's Labour Party, say the measures so far are not strong enough. It's not clear if any new Russian troops have yet been sent into the two regions, which are run by Moscow-backed separatists. A state of emergency across the whole country is set to be declared, following a recommendation from Ukraine's security council. This will last 30 days, but is subject to approval by the Ukrainian parliament - expected later on Wednesday, BBC reported. Ukraine military has also called up a first wave of reservists - aged 18 to 60 - to join the regular armed forces. SEE ALSO <a class="tout-title-link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/vodafone-idea-could-finally-get-the-much-needed-capital-infusion-from-its-british-parent-vodafone-group-plc/articleshow/89774140.cms" style="">Vodafone Idea’s British parent could infuse capital in the telco after refusing to do so for several months</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/bikaji-files-for-ipo-of-likely-1000-crore/articleshow/89774474.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" style="">The third largest player in the Indian snack industry is coming up with a likely ₹1,000 crore IPO</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/lic-ipo-list-of-policies-that-will-not-be-allowed-under-the-policyholder-reservation-category/articleshow/89768342.cms" style="">LIC IPO: Here is a list of LIC policies not eligible under policyholders’ special quota</a>

Ukraine asks its citizens to leave Russia immediately

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Insider is attending the Dubai Airshow, which hosts some of <keyword id="12018329" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="aviation" source="Orion">aviation</keyword>'s latest and greatest innovations.</li><li><keyword id="11910631" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="boeing" source="Orion">Boeing</keyword> is showing off its 777X, the world's largest twin-engine aircraft. <keyword id="11896633" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="airbus" source="Orion">Airbus</keyword> is bringing its largest twin-engine jets. </li></ul>DUBAI - The Dubai Airshow officially kicked off on Sunday, marking the start of the first international airshow of the pandemic.International air shows are a time for aircraft manufacturers to show off their latest innovations, while airlines and other aircraft operators display their newest purchases and often make new ones. And with nearly two years without this type of meetup, there's plenty for the industry to catch up on.In the commercial aviation realm, Boeing and Airbus are - unsurprisingly - the main attractions with support from their airline partners. But smaller players including Brazil's <keyword id="12337321" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="embraer" source="Orion">Embraer</keyword> and Russia's Irkut Corporation are also in attendance with the hopes of winning orders for their competing products, offering airlines an alternative to the biggest in the business.Private aviation is another focus, with manufacturers like Dassault Aviation and Bombardier showing off their new flagship business aircraft. Private charter firms, including Comlux and VistaJet, will also make the case for why their high-end aircraft are worth thousands of dollars an hour to charter.And of course, the military, space, and defense industrial complexes will be present, with the US, Indian, French, Japanese, and UAE militaries bringing what amounts to a small air force in a display of military might. That's all in addition to the startups filling the convention hall that promise to revolutionize the aviation industry.Insider is on the ground at the Dubai Airshow. Here's what we're most looking forward to in the commercial, cargo, and private aviation realms.<h2>1. Boeing's latest and most controversial aircraft on display</h2><div type="image" title="Boeing 777X" height="3461" width="4614" msid="87697965" hostid="261"></div>The Boeing 777X is making its first-ever international debut and will be welcoming select attendees onboard for a sneak peek at what's to come from the landmark aircraft. Insider is those invited onboard for a first look.The <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/boeing-777x-twin-engine-plane-flew-for-the-first-time-2020-1">ultra-modern variant of the popular Boeing 777 family of aircraft promises increased efficiency and additional seating capacity</a> to its previous generation sibling. And in addition to the 777X being the largest twin-engine plane slated to fly passengers, the two <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/worlds-largest-plane-engine-ge9x-to-power-boeing-777x-2020-9">GE Aviation GE9X engines will be the largest commercial aircraft engines in the world</a>.Boeing will also perform a flying display with the aircraft to demonstrate its capabilities to a crowd that's been following the aircraft's journey, through its delays and all, since its first flight in early 2020.The 777X's presence in Dubai is likely an homage to Emirates as the launch customer and soon-to-be largest operator of the aircraft. More than 100 777X will fill the Emirates fleet in the next few decades, based on its current order.Boeing would also be hoping to land additional orders for the aircraft that's already garnered interest from the world's leading carriers. But orders for the smaller 777-8 will be key as most existing orders are focused on the larger 777-9.The <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/boeing-737-max">Boeing 737 Max</a> is set to be a prominent feature at the Dubai Airshow with two static aircraft on display. Boeing, in partnership with Alaska Airlines, is displaying the 737 Max 9 EcoDemonstrator aircraft that is being used to test new technology aimed at reducing the aviation industry's carbon footprint.Alternatively, the UAE's own FlyDubai is set to have its 737 Max on display as the region's largest operator of the model. The budget carrier recently unveiled a <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CVr9Jx6vf5e/">new business class cabin for the aircraft</a> including lie-flat seats, pushing the bounds of comfort on a narrow-body aircraft in a way most 737 Max operators have been unwilling to do.The Max displays come less than a year since the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/boeing-737-max-fly-again-news-update-recertification-faa-production-2020-11">Federal Aviation Administration ungrounded the aircraft</a> following <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/737-max-fly-again-crash-boeing-revisions-faa-2020-12">two deadly crashes that resulted in the loss of 346 lives</a>, attributable to a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/outrageous-messages-from-boeing-employees-2020-1">Boeing software issue</a>.Boeing's newest military aerial refueler, the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/air-force-expects-kc-46-tanker-this-year-defects-remain-2018-1">KC-46 Pegasus</a>, will also be on display as part of the US Air Force delegation. The aircraft has been plagued with scandal that's benefited its rival, Airbus and the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/airbus-a330-achieves-first-aerial-refueling-beats-boeing-2020-4">A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport</a>, the Airbus refueler which will also be at the Dubai Airshow.<h2>2. Emirates giving the world's largest passenger jet a new lease on life</h2><div type="image" title="Emirates Airbus A380" height="1665" width="2221" msid="87697966" hostid="261"></div>The <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/airbus-a380-boeing-747-stop-production-double-decker-airliners-2020-7">Airbus A380 hasn't fared well during the pandemic</a> as it quickly became a symbol for the opulence and excess that airlines needed to cut. And the result was groundings en masse for the likes of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-havoc-forces-airlines-to-retire-iconic-planes-sooner-2020-3">Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, and more</a>.Airbus, meanwhile, had already been <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/last-airbus-a380-fuselage-delivered-to-toulouse-factory-for-assembly-2020-6">drawing down production of the A380</a> with the final deliveries slated to All Nippon Airways and Emirates as the final two airlines still taking deliveries. The numbered days of the A380 appeared to dwindle as air <keyword id="11896628" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="travel" source="Orion">travel</keyword> recovered.Emirates, however, announced a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/emirates-unveils-new-design-for-new-airbus-a380s-premium-economy-2021-1">new investment in A380 to see to give it a brand new passenger cabin</a>. All classes of service will see enhancements and a new premium economy class is being added.One of the newly-refreshed A380s will be in attendance at Dubai. Insider will be on board.<h2>3. The best of private aviation with one notable exception</h2><div type="image" title="VistaJet Bombardier Global 7500" height="1665" width="2221" msid="87697967" hostid="261"></div>Bombardier will show off its flagship business aircraft, the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/70-million-bombardier-global-7500-for-sale-only-on-market-2020-5">Global 7500 jet, which holds the title of the largest and longest-ranged purpose-built private jet</a> currently in service. Both Bombardier and long-time customer <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/vistajet-takes-delivery-first-charter-ready-bombardier-global-7500-2020-11">VistaJet will have the Global 7500 on display</a>.Insider will be sitting down with Bombardier's new CEO, Eric Martel, to talk about the manufacturer's shift to an all-aviation product line.Dassault Aviation will have two aircraft on display including a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dassault-falcon-10x-largest-ever-private-jet-features-design-2021-5">cabin mock-up of the Falcon 10X, its soon-to-be largest private jet</a> set to go up against leaders from Bombardier and Gulfstream. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-dassaults-falcon-10x-will-be-category-killer-coolest-features-2021-7">Industry experts are particularly excited about the Falcon 10X</a> given its performance capabilities, interior design, and overall spacious cabin.Gulfstream is not attending this year's Dubai Airshow, and its absence is notable given the manufacturer has three new aircraft currently in development. Most notably, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gulfstream-debuts-75-million-g700-private-jet-tour-photos-2021-9">the Gulfstream G700 that made the rounds over the summer on a global tour</a> will not be making the trek to Dubai.But even with three new aircraft in the pipeline, Gulfstream is ceding Dubai to its French, Canadian, and Brazilian rivals. Boeing is bringing one of its 737 airliner-turned-private-jets, known as <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/boeing-business-jet-747-8i-private-photos-interior-2020-3">Boeing Business Jets</a>, to Dubai, but it won't be on display at the airshow. Rather, select attendees, including Insider, will be shuttled to Dubai International Airport for tours.Airbus, for its part, will <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inside-acropolis-aviations-new-110-million-acj320neo-private-jet-2020-3">show off an Airbus Corporate Jet 320neo</a>, the private jet variant of the A320neo airliner. These flying penthouse apartments are intended for a particularly wealthy type of traveler than can afford the ultra-high expense of purchasing and maintaining an airline for private use.Embraer is showing off its <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/embraers-newest-praetor-600-private-jet-enters-service-with-flexjet-2020-12">Praetor 600 super-midsize aircraft that's becoming popular with major private jet firms including Flexjet</a>.Aircraft completion specialist Citadel Completions will also bring a rare private jet to the skies, another airliner-turned-private jet based on the Airbus A340-500 airliner. The four-engine private offers a nearly unbeatable combination of living space and range, with the A340-500 a former favorite of airlines to fly ultra-long-haul routes.Other private aircraft manufacturers in attendance include Pilatus, Irkut Corporation, Textron Aviation, and Tecnam.<h2>4. A Brazilian and European rivalry on full display</h2><div type="image" title="An Embraer E195-E2 aircraft - Embraer E195-E2" height="1666" width="2223" msid="87697968" hostid="261"></div>Airbus and Embraer will both bring their next-generation aircraft that are fighting for control in the 100-150-seat market.Embraer is bringing its Embraer E195-E2 demonstration aircraft, featuring a special paint livery with a tiger on the nose and called the "Profit Hunter." <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/porter-airlines-breathes-life-into-embraer-e195-e2-program-2021-7">Sales have been poor when compared to Airbus</a> despite Embraer touting better operating economics over its Airbus competitor.Airbus and Air Baltic will be showing off the Airbus A220, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/history-of-the-airbus-a220-bombardier-cseries-plane-2020-2">formerly known as the Bombardier CSeries</a>. Airlines around the world have fallen for the A220 while Embraer has struggled to keep up commercially. It's been losing long-time customers, including <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/flying-on-jetblue-airways-brand-new-airbus-a220-photos-review-2021-6">JetBlue Airways</a> and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/air-canada-unveils-controversial-new-airbus-a220-aircraft-2020-1">Air Canada</a> to the Airbus jet.<h2>5. Russia's answer to the Boeing 737 Max and Airbus A320 family of aircraft</h2><div type="image" title="Irkut Corporation MC-21" height="2000" width="2666" msid="87697969" hostid="261"></div>Russia's Irkut Corporation is nearing the finish line on a new jet to compete against Boeing and Airbus' 150-to-200-seat aircraft market. The MC-21 is made with composite materials and powered by turbofan engines. It's unlikely that a Western airline will place an order but the jet could show promise in Europe and Asia. <h2>6. Israel comes to town</h2><div type="image" title="Israel Aerospace Industries Boeing 777-300ER &quot;Big Twin&quot; cargo plane" height="1421" width="1895" msid="87697972" hostid="261"></div>Israel is set to have a major presence at the Dubai Airshow for the first time in the event's history. The recent easing of tensions between Israel and the UAE under the Abraham Accords paved the way for Israel's attendance.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-passenger-airliners-are-converted-into-freighter-planes-2021-2">Israel Aerospace Industries</a> is one Israeli company that will make its first-ever journey to the Dubai Airshow, highlighting its experience in defense systems, passenger-to-cargo aircraft conversations, and maintenance and repair operations.<h2>7. Never-before-seen aircraft</h2><div type="image" title="Ethiad Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner" height="1198" width="1598" msid="87697973" hostid="261"></div>Etihad Airways is bringing the Airbus A350-1000 XWB to Dubai in a first-ever public display. Despite the airline taking delivery of five models from Airbus, according to <a href="https://www.planespotters.net/airline/Etihad-Airways">Planespotters.net</a>, not one has flown a paying passenger.If <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/etihad-airways-likely-retiring-airbus-a380-and-the-residence-2021-3">Etihad CEO Tony Douglas keeps his promise to retire the airline's A380s</a>, the A350-1000 will become the second-largest aircraft in the Etihad fleet behind the Boeing 777-300ER. That is, until the Boeing 777X joins the fleet and makes the Airbus A350-1000 the third-largest plane in the fleet. <h2>8. Leonardo shows off the civilian version of a popular military aircraft</h2><div type="image" title="AW609 Tilt Rotor" height="1296" width="1728" msid="87697974" hostid="261"></div>The <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/leonardo-aw609-civilian-v-22-osprey-details-photos-2020-3">Leonardo AW609 is one of the most unique aircraft coming to the Dubai Airshow</a> as it's one that can take off and fly like a plane or helicopter. Vertical takeoff and land aircraft are a special type of aircraft merging the best of fixed-wing aircraft with the flexibility a helicopter offers.The US Air Force is also bringing its Bell Boeing MV-22B Osprey, one of the aircraft that protects the US president, to the Dubai Airshow.Are you at the Dubai Airshow and want to get in touch with Insider? Email this reporter at tpallini@Insider.com.

8 things we're looking forward to at the Dubai Airshow this week

<ul class="summary-list"><li>To pay off your student loan faster, you'll want to create a written repayment plan that lists all of your <keyword id="44647" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="debt">debt</keyword>s and places them in order of importance using methods like the debt avalanche or debt snowball. Then pay extra towards your highest-priority loans whenever you can.</li><li>Next, look for "free" money in the form of federal forgiveness programs like PSLF or private student loan repayment programs related to your job or profession.</li><li>Student loan borrowers with an above-average debt load or a lot of private <keyword id="35522" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="student-loans">student loans</keyword> may want to try lowering their interest rate by applying for student loan refinancing.</li></ul>More than two-thirds of bachelor's degree grads from the class of 2019 graduated with student loans. The average debt load for these graduates was $29,900.And the student loan situation is even more dire for graduate and professional students. The average student debt total for master's degree grads was $44,900 in 2019. And PhD grads finished school with an average of $107,500 in student loans.The longer these loans hang around, the more you'll typically pay in interest charges. Plus, it can be difficult to start working towards other financial goals, like buying a home or saving for retirement, while you're still saddled with student debt.<h2>How to pay back student loans fast</h2>If you're looking for ideas for how to knock out your student loans sooner and save on interest charges, you've come to the right place. Here are seven tips that can help you kick student loans out of your life faster than you thought was possible.<h3>1. Think through your repayment plan</h3>The first step towards paying off your student loans is to create your "order of operations." If you can pay extra towards any of your student loans, which student loans should get that extra money first?If you have both private and federal student loans, you'll almost certainly want to focus on paying off the private loans first. Not only is there a strong chance that your private loans will have a higher interest rate than your federal loans, but they also come with fewer borrower protections.With federal student loans, you can join an <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/how-to-apply-for-income-driven-repayment-student-loans">Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) plan</a> if you suffer a pay cut. And if you lose your job altogether or decide to go back to school, federal loans also come with generous forbearance and deferment options. Your private loans won't typically be able to match these benefits. So it's usually best to knock them out as fast as you can.Once you've separated all your loans into the "private" and "federal" category, you have two options to order your loans even further. <ul><li>The first option is to order your loans by outstanding balance — from smallest balances to the largest. This is often referred to as the "debt snowball method." </li><li>The second option is to focus on the highest interest rate loans first and work your way down to your loan with the lowest rate. This is often called the "debt avalanche" method.</li></ul>The debt avalanche method will save you the most money mathematically. But the debt snowball method might be easier to get excited about since you'll experience your first paid off loan sooner. Many borrowers have had <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/how-to-get-out-of-debt-snowball-vs-debt-avalanche">great success with both methods</a>. So just choose whichever one you think will be the best fit for your personality.<h3>2. Make extra payments towards your principal</h3>Paying even just a little extra each month above the minimum on your student loans can make a big difference in how much you pay overall. For example, let's imagine that you graduated with $50,000 in student loans, with an average interest rate on your loans of 5%. On the 10-Year Standard Repayment Plan, your monthly payment would be $530 and you'd pay $63,339 overall. That means you'd pay over $13,000 in interest charges.But if you paid an extra $100 per month, your total cost would drop to $60,826. That's a savings of over $2,500 in interest. And if you were able to pay an extra $500 per month, your total cost would drop to $55,976, saving you over $7,000 in interest. Plus you'd pay your loans off in four years instead of 10.Not everyone can afford to make extra payments towards a principal balance. But if you can, just a small monthly increase could really save you a significant amount of time and money. Check out a student loan calculator like the ones offered by <a href="https://www.bankrate.com/calculators/college-planning/loan-calculator.aspx">Bankrate</a> or <a href="https://www.credible.com/blog/calculators/student-loan-repayment-calculator/">Credible</a> to see how much you could save by paying a little extra each month.<h3>3. Pursue Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).</h3>If you're employed by a government agency or a nonprofit organization and have federal student loans, you may qualify for the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/how-public-service-student-loan-forgiveness-works-guide">Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program</a>. And if you do, you should certainly consider applying for it. Unlike the forgiveness that's offered on Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) plans, you don't have to wait 20 to 25 years to qualify for PSLF forgiveness. Instead, you can earn forgiveness in as little as 10 years (120 qualifying payments).During those 10 years, you'd be making payments on an income-based plan like PAYE, REPAYE, or IBR. So you get to improve your cash flow today while hopefully qualifying for student loan forgiveness down the road.To learn more about PSLF and to see if your employer qualifies you for the program, <a href="https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service">check out this FAQ page from StudentAid.gov</a>. Or if you're already sure that you work for a qualifying employer, <a href="https://studentaid.gov/app/pslfFlow.action#!/pslf/launch">you can apply for the PSLF program here</a>. <h3>4. Look for profession-specific loan repayment programs</h3>Student loan borrowers who work in certain professions, like healthcare or law, could qualify for generous loan repayment programs. Below are a few examples of popular programs for doctors and nurses:<ul><li><a href="https://nhsc.hrsa.gov/loan-repayment/nhsc-loan-repayment-program.html">The National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program (NHSC LRP)</a>: Can provide up to $50,000 of student loan assistance</li><li><a href="https://bhw.hrsa.gov/loans-scholarships/nurse-corps/loan-repayment-program">Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program</a>: Eligible nurses can have up to 85% of their student loans repaid through this program</li><li><a href="https://www.ihs.gov/dhps/programperformancedata/lrp/#targetText=LRP%20Summary&amp;targetText=Loan%20repayment%20recipients%20with%20more,educational%20loan%20debt%20is%20paid.aid.">Indian Health Service Loan Repayment Program</a>: Can provide up to $40,000 of student loan repayment assistance</li><li><a href="https://www.lrp.nih.gov/">NIH Loan Repayment Programs</a>: Can provide up to $35,000 of student loan repayment per year</li><li><a href="https://www.vacareers.va.gov/Content/Documents/Print/EDRP_VA_Careers_Page.pdf">VA Education Debt Reduction Program</a>: The VA can provide up to $200,000 of student loan repayment assistance over a five-year period for medical professionals who agree to work in difficult-to-recruit positions</li></ul>Lawyers can receive up to $60,000 of student loan repayment if they gain acceptance to the <a href="https://www.justice.gov/oarm/attorney-student-loan-repayment-program">Department of Justice Attorney Student Loan Repayment Program (ASLRP)</a>. Attorneys can also apply for the <a href="https://www.bja.gov/ProgramDetails.aspx?Program_ID=65#horizontalTab7">John R. Justice Program</a> or the <a href="https://www.lsc.gov/grants-grantee-resources/our-grant-programs/loan-repayment-assistance-program">Herbert S. Garten Loan Repayment Assistance Program</a>.Finally, if you decide to enlist in the military, you may qualify for up to up to $65,000 of student loan repayment assistance through the College Loan Repayment Program. These funds are provided by the federal government and each branch is free to decide how much loan repayment to offer to new enlistees, up to the $65,000 limit.<h3>5. Work for an employer that offers student loan assistance</h3>Employers are slowly becoming aware that student loan assistance is a valuable employee benefit that can help them attract top talent. So as you're searching for jobs after you graduate, it would be worth your while to see if any companies in your industry have an <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/these-employers-chip-in-on-your-student-loans-2019-11">employee student loan repayment program</a>.If you already work for an employer that has an available student loan repayment program, there's never been a better time to take advantage of it. Typically, these loan payments are considered taxable income to the employee. But the recently passed CARES Act gives employers the opportunity to make up to $5,250 of tax-free student loan payments for their workers through the end of 2020.<h3>6. Lower your interest rate</h3>If you have a strong credit score and steady income, you may be able to save a lot of money in interest by <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/refinance-student-loans-now-low-interest-rates">refinancing your student loans to a lower rate</a>. This option tends to be best suited for borrowers who graduated with higher-than-average debt loads and who have a lot of private loans or Grad PLUS loans (which have significantly higher interest rates than <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-a-direct-subsidized-loan-federal-student-loan">Direct Subsidized</a> and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/what-is-an-unsubsidized-loan-federal-student-loan">Unsubsidized loans</a>).If you fit into this category, refinancing could be a smart move. For example, let's say you graduated with $100,000 of student loans with an average interest rate of 6.5%. By refinancing at 3.5%, you could save $17,594 over the life of your loans. However, there are downsides to refinancing that you need to be aware of. Most importantly, if you refinance federal student loans, you lose all of their federal benefits, such as the ability to join an Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) plan or pursue PSLF. Finally, it's important to point out that all federal student loans are <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/federal-student-loans-borrowers-pause-payments-no-interest-2020-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">currently charging 0% interest</a> to provide relief during the COVID-19 crisis. So even if you have Grad PLUS loans, it wouldn't make any sense to refinance them until after the administrative forbearance concludes on September 30.<h3>7. Claim the student loan interest tax deduction</h3>Student loan borrowers can deduct up to $2,500 of the interest they pay on their student loans from their taxable income. This is an "above the line" deduction, which means that even taxpayers who take the standard deduction can take advantage of it.To qualify for the student loan interest deduction, your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) will need to fall below a certain threshold, which is published each year by the IRS. You also can't claim this deduction if you can be claimed as a dependent on someone else's return or your filing status is married filing separately.With the Department of Education is pausing student loan interest for six months during 2020, fewer borrowers will be able to claim the maximum student loan interest deduction on their 2020 tax returns. However, this is still a deduction that you'll want to remember to claim in future years. Also, if you're still in school, don't forget to see if you qualify for other <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/four-major-student-tax-breaks-2013-1">higher education tax benefits</a>, like the American Opportunity Tax Credit or the Lifetime Learning Credit.<ul class="read-more-links"><li>More <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance">personal finance</a> coverage</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-open-high-yield-savings-account-now-interest-rates-down">4 reasons to open a high-yield savings account while interest rates are down </a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/average-auto-loan-interest-rate">Here's the average auto loan interest rate by credit score, loan term, and lender </a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-high-yield-savings-accounts-rates-right-now">The best high-yield savings accounts right now</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-has-the-best-cd-rates-right-now">Here are the banks with the best CD rates</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-rewards-credit-cards">The best rewards credit cards</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reasons-to-get-life-insurance-you-havent-thought-of-yet">7 reasons you may need life insurance, even if you think you don't</a></li></ul>Read the original article on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/how-to-pay-back-student-loans">Business Insider</a>

How to pay back student loans: 7 tips to help you reach your debt payoff goals faster

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