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Canada’s international student population has skyrocketed in recent years. International students are attracted to Canada’s high quality of education, diversity, safety, affordability, work opportunities, and immigration pathways.
If we look at the records, in 2019, Canada had over 640,000 international students which means its foreign student population has tripled over the past decade. Also, an early look at Canada’s 2020 international student data shows that many students were still coming to the country up until coronavirus lock downs were imposed around the world.
New data by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) shows that Canada welcomed 67,000 students from 156 countries between January and April 2020.
If you’re planning to study in Canada, let’s discover the whole process of applying for a successful Canada Student Visa!
1) Apply at a Canadian University and receive your acceptance letter.
First things first, you must research on the colleges and universities of Canada, the program you want to enroll into, considering your academic needs and career opportunities. This will be the first step of your student visa application process.
Then after you apply into your desired college/university, you’ll get an acceptance letter required for the visa application, after being accepted at a Canadian university.
2) Check if you need to apply for a Canada Student Visa.
You don’t need a study visa if one of the following situations applies to you:
- You are a family or staff member of a foreign representative in Canada, who is accredited by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada.
- You enroll in a study program that lasts less than six months.
- You are a member of foreign armed forces from the Visiting Forces Act.
- You are a citizen of another country, but you have an Indian status registered in Canada.
Remember that the study permit/visa does not act as a regular visa, which allows you to enter or travel to Canada. For that, you will need a travel visa or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA).
3) Begin your Application for the Canadian Student Visa
As soon as you receive your acceptance letter from the university, it is time to proceed to the next step: applying for a student visa, which is locally known as a study permit.
The initial steps for obtaining your student visa:
- Apply online for your Canadian student visa, on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) website before you arrive in Canada.
- Send the visa application documents by post if you have a limited internet connection or cannot submit the documents online.
- Provide an acceptance letter from a designated learning institution (a university recognized by the Canadian government).
- Deliver proof of sufficient financial resources to support your studies in Canada (tuition fees and living expenses).
- Present proof confirming you have no criminal record.
- Submit clinical records that state you are in good health; submit complete medical examinations if required.
4) Arrangement and Preparation of Documents
- Filled-in student permit application form
- The original letter of acceptance from the university
- A valid passport/travel document, which also allows you to return to your home country. If you live in the USA, this is not necessary.
- Two recent passport-size photographs, with specifications of name and date of birth on the back
- Proof of financial support during your study programme. This means proving you are financially capable for living in the country and managing all your expenses soundly.
- A letter of intent
- If you plan to study in Quebec, you will also need a Certificat d’acceptation du Québec, English and French translations of your document, a statement from the translator and a certified copy of the original documents
- Proof that you paid the study permit fee
5) Language Abilities
Proof of English language skills is not included on the list of required documents for a Canadian student visa. But unless you come from an English-speaking country, Canadian universities will require you to submit proof of English language proficiency. Following are the accepted language tests:
- IELTS Academic
- TOEFL iBT
- PTE Academic
- C1 Advanced
After applying for your Canadian study permit, the processing time may take up to 90 days, but it’s usually faster. This also depends on the situation in your home country.
You can find more up-to-date information about the Canadian student visa on the official student visa page of the Canadian government, or you can even talk to our experts at Future Link Consultants.
Future Link Consultants are one of the leading visa consultants for overseas education, since the last 20 years. We believe in shaping the career of our clients with a lot of responsibility and care.
Need Canada student visa consultations? Call us today! +91 999-822-4688 (India); +1 416-294-2739 (Canada). Feel free to write us here> canada@futurelinkconsultants.ca
