A student visa or a Study Permit is a mandatory document that foreign citizens must obtain to study in Canada. A student visa allows you to study in Canada or complete a preparatory study program for a period of six months. This document is required to be eligible to reside in Canada for the period of your study.
A study permit is an official document issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). This document gives the right to reside in Canada for up to 4 years.
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To obtain a study permit, prospective applicants must wait from 60 to 120 days, depending on many circumstances. Considering that this is a rather lengthy process, it is not worth delaying collecting all the necessary documents.
What do you need to get a study permit in Canada?
It is no secret that to become a student of one of the Canadian colleges or universities, you must meet specific criteria and, among other things, prepare the necessary documents.
First, you need to receive a Letter of Acceptance or a Letter of Admission from an educational institution accredited by the Government of Canada (Designated learning institution, DLI). The college or university that issues the letter must have a Designated Institution Number on a government-approved registry.
Next, you need to apply for a study permit. When filling out the application for a Study Permit in Canada, it is necessary to supplement it with documents that confirm the identity of the future applicant and his/her financial situation. Do not forget about a police clearance certificate and a letter of motivation.
After reviewing the documents, applicants for a study permit will receive a referral for a medical examination (IME) since a satisfactory health condition is a prerequisite for studying and staying in Canada.
Do not forget about the documents that can convince the officer that you have an intention to return to your country at the end of your stay in Canada, that is, to provide facts of close ties with your homeland.
It is also worth emphasizing that a student visa is not required if the study program lasts less than six calendar months.
This completes the first stage on the path to education in Canada. After a favourable decision by the IRCC to issue a study permit, you will receive a letter of confirmation of the application – a Letter of Introduction. This letter must be printed and shown to the border officer to be able to cross the border.
Pros of studying in Canada
While studying in Canada, international students have a vast range of opportunities. The study permit allows full-time students studying at one of the colleges or universities in the country to work up to 20 hours a week during their studies, and full time during the holidays without a work permit. Moreover, if a student gets a job from their DLI, those work hours are not included in the 20 off-campus hour limit!
In addition, spouses and common-law partners of international students can apply for an Open Work Permit, and their children can be eligible to study in Canadian schools for free! Thus, you do not need to sacrifice your family and leave your loved ones while studying abroad. It should be noted that such a loyal attitude towards international students and their families is possible only in Canada.
And that is not all. After graduation, international students can stay in the country, live here, and work, receiving a Post-Graduated Work Permit (PGWP). Canadian work experience will undoubtedly help graduates to obtain permanent residence in Canada!
The main reasons for study permit refusals
Not everyone who wants to study in Canada receives a student visa. The decision to issue a study permit is entirely up to the Government of Canada. The fact of enrollment does not guarantee approval of a student visa. Therefore, it is so essential to submit the documents correctly.
Based on personal experience, our team has collected the main reasons for refusing a student visa:
- Insufficient finances;
- Unsatisfied results of the medical exam;
- Incorrectly formulated purpose of the visit;
- Lack of evidence that you intend to leave Canada after completing your studies.
Who has increased risk and may be refused a student visa?
According to our long-term observation, there are several categories of international students whose risks of being refused are higher:
- Applicants over 27 years old who are applying to study for undergraduate programs
- Applicants over 35 who are applying for postgraduate studies
- Applicants whose gap in study is more than eight years
- Applicants who have been refused a visa to Canada, USA, UK, New Zealand or Australia in the past (these countries share information about all visa applicants)
- Applicants who are applying for a program of study lower than their previous education (for example, applying for a one-year college program with a bachelor’s degree)
- Applicants who choose a field of study that is radically different from the candidate’s professional career or previous education.
In addition, citizens of some countries are more likely to be refused than others.
Our goal is to identify all the possible risks of your application, and if any, provide the Department of Immigration with a reasoned explanation in advance, explaining your motivation for obtaining a Study Permit in Canada.
Book a consultation about Study in Canada and how to obtain a study permit with Oleg Schindler, Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant and Educational Advisor!