Brazilian study tour operator CI has announced its ongoing international expansion, with an international HQ opening in Toronto, Canada to focus on helping deliver customer support to a new office in New Zealand, complementing existing offshore offices in Ireland and Australia.
As reported in The PIE News last year, CI opened in Dublin and Sydney after realising a trend towards re-enrolment from its Brazilian clientele once they had travelled overseas.
“The branches are there to help any Brazilian who travels to these places”
In May, a third office was opened in Auckland, New Zealand. CI is also expanding its business to the Middle East.
“[Canada] is very attractive for Brazilians for its natural beauty, super safe, high standards of living and education excellence from high school to post graduation,” related Victor Hugo Baseggio, CI co-founder.
“The opening of these 3 overseas branches will add [to] our overall 2017 sales,” he added. “Not to mention the staggering sales growth to Ireland, Australia and New Zealand we already accounted for in the first half 2017.”
The three countries to cite offices in were chosen due to their typical client profile, explained Baseggio.
“These travellers normally stay longer and wish to combine study with work. And, to apply for a job in foreign countries requires closer, personal and local support,” he said.
Therefore, these branches offer a wide array of student services, such as bank account opening, public transit orientation, health care insights, longer-term accommodation options and so on.
“The assistance is certainly customised for CI clients. However, the branches are there to help any Brazilian who travels to these places”, said Baseggio.
CI claims to be Brazil’s largest educational travel company, and aims to provide counselling and support end-to-end from seasonal education tours to post-study work needs of their clients.
The international division will be headed by Jan Wrede, former Sales Director of CI Brazil for 10 years.
The Sao Paulo-based company also moved into offering internships in Dubai in 2017. Baseggio explained, “Due to the endurance faced by Brazilian economy, many young adults are looking for options to work , to study abroad or both.
“As we all know, Dubai has became a great destination where our students can learn English, add an overseas working experience together with exploring a quite unusual new land. Furthermore, the visa application is quick and rather straightforward.”
