Applying for a student visa in Canada require certain standard processes, especially with the recent developments. Meanwhile, statistics show that more than 130,000 international students apply for a student visa to study at a Canadian University.
Canada has well-known institutions that are rich in research, scientific publications, and international collaborations. Moreover, Canada has a vast expanse of opportunities for international students alongside a vibrant culture.
Consequently, there is a relatively high competition for student visas for Canada, which is why you need to know-how. Moreover, a piece of detailed information is also available on the official student visa page for the government of Canada.
A student visa of Canada is also known as a study permit. So, we will use both terms interchangeably in this article.
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Eligibility for Student Visa Application of Canada
How do you know if you are eligible to apply for a student visa in Canada? An official Canada study permit tool can help you figure it out.
Moreover, if you fall into any of the categories below, you don’t need a study visa of Canada for entry;
- Your study program duration is less than 6 months
- If you below into the foreign armed forces through the Visiting Forces Act
- As a citizen of another country, you have an Indian status registered in Canada
- You are a family member or staff member to a foreign representative in Canada. However, the representative must have the accreditation of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development.
Student Visa in Canada Requirements.
Before you begin the student visa application process, you may need to prepare the following items ready:
- An original acceptance letter from a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) in Canada
- A completed student permit application form
- Proof of payment of your study permit fee of 150 CAD
- A letter of intent to apply
- A valid international passport with other important travel documents except for students from the US
- Proof of funding or financial support for the study period. Usually, proof of funds between 10,000 and 11,000 CAD per year of living in Canada is required. However, if any family member is coming with you to Canada, you may have to prove more funds.
- Two recent passport-sized photographs containing your full name and date of birth at the back
- Studying in Quebec also requires the
- “Certificat d’acceptation du Québec”
- An English or French translation of your document
- A legal statement from your translator
- Certified copies of your original documents
Start your Student Visa application in simple steps
Applying for a Canadian student visa is already an indication that you have been accepted to study in Canada. When you receive the acceptance letter from the DLI, you may proceed with the steps below:
- Apply for a student visa of Canada on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) site before arrival in Canada
- Apply online or send the completed form via post
- Upload or add the acceptance letter from the DLI
- Upload proof of financial resources to support your study in Canada, including tuition fees and living expenses
- A clearance certificate from all crimes, showing you have no criminal record.
- Submit clean clinical records stating your sound health after completing all required medical examinations
Biometrics appointment and Interview for Student Visa Permit
The visa application process depends on the nationality of the applicant. However, generally, the first involves taking biometrics, a process which costs about 85 CAD. On the other hand, the regular application fee costs about 150 CAD.
Also, there might be other requirements or payments by each country’s local student visa processing centres. Meanwhile, the individual applicants may also be summoned for a visa application interview,
In addition, COVID-19 has a few changes to the biometrics requirement for temporary resident applicants in Canada. In other words, you may not need to submit your biometrics details for a temporarily staying in Canada.
However, this temporary measure applies if you are only working, study or going for only a limited period. At the same time, another special condition for extra details applies to student visa applicants from Venezuela.
How to Apply for the Student Visa
Generally, the application process for study permits for 2021 fall takes roughly 60 days. However, some applications may take a long time, especially if it is incomplete information or the officer requires more info.
In addition, the Canadian Immigration board requires that applicants from Quebec need the Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ). Otherwise, applicants need to submit an official copy through the online account or web form.
Applicants should also note that the study permit application for Canada study may be required before arrival. On the other hand, a few student applicants may be allowed to apply for study permits from within Canada.
Benefits of Online Application
The following are some of the benefits of applying for a student visa of Canada online:
- Applicants can send in their applications instantly without any need to use courier fees or mail delivery time.
- Similarly, applicants can quickly submit more documents online if so required.
- Fast processing of your applications
- Applicants can also get instant updates on their application status through their online accounts.
- There is a good chance that you can verify if the application documents are complete before submission. However, paper applications through courier service may omit some documents.
How long does a Student Visa application take?
The standard processing time for study visas by international students may take between 60 and 90 days. Some of the factors responsible for that may include the current situation of the applicant’s home country.
Meanwhile, a faster way to get the study permit is to use the Student Direct Stream. Also, the application fees start from 150 CAD, while the processing time is about 20 calendar days. However, the Student Direct stream is only applicable to international students in any of the following countries:
- Senegal
- Morocco
- China
- Pakistan
- India
- The Philippines
- Vietnam
Language Requirements
Ordinarily, you do not need proof of English language skills as part of the official documents for a student visa to Canada. However, students from non-English-speaking countries have to submit proof of English Language proficiency. Below is the list of accepted language tests for student visas in Canada.
- IELTS Academic
- TOEFL iBT
- C1 Advanced
- PTE Academic
When you get a Student Permit for Canada, can you work with it?
When applying for a study visa in Canada, one of the questions that may come up is, can you work with it? The answer is simple but subject to several conditions, which you should know.
Most international students can work for up to 20 hours per week in Canada during the study. In addition, when there are scheduled breaks, they can work full-time even without a separate work permit. Below are the stated working conditions as a student in Canada;
- You must have a valid study permit.
- You must be currently enrolled in a Designated Learning Institution (DLI)
- Your study permit also shows if you are permitted to work in Canada or not.
- Enrolment in the English as a Second Language (ESL) program makes you ineligible to work with your student visa. Similarly, if you enrol on a French as a Second language (FSL) program, you may not be eligible to work.
Oftentimes, the study permit contains permission to work in Canada while issuing you a Social Insurance Number (SIN). But if your study permit does not carry this permission, you can apply for an amendment for free.
On the other hand, if your study period in Canada is less than six months, you may not be authorized to work. Finally, you cannot start working in Canada until you officially begin studying with your student visa.
Let us know how we can help you with student visa processing.
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