What Are The Requirements For Student Visa In Canada

Have you ever wondered what the requirements for a student visa in Canada are and how to apply for one? Well, you’re in luck. In this post, we break down not only what a student visa is and who can get one but also how to apply for one.

Students are considered as one of the main immigration sources for Canada. Canada is providing a lot of immigration facilities to international students. If you want to go abroad for your studies, Canada is just the place for you!

What Are The Requirements For Student Visa In Canada

Canada is a beautiful country, and many people dream of studying there. However, it’s not always easy to get a student visa in Canada.

The first step is to make sure that you meet the requirements for student visa in Canada. You should be at least 18 years old, have an acceptable level of English or French proficiency, and have enough money to support yourself while you’re in Canada.

If you meet these requirements, then you can apply for a study permit (which allows you to work part-time on campus). If you want to transfer schools or study off campus, then you’ll need another permit called an Off-Campus Work Permit.

You can apply for these permits online through Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s website. You will need to submit proof that you are eligible for these permits before they will issue them to you.

For students who are looking to study in Canada, there are a few requirements that must be met before applying for a student visa.

First, you need to have the money to pay for your education. This means having enough money to cover tuition, housing and living expenses, as well as any other costs associated with studying in Canada. The amount of money you need depends on where you’re planning to study, how long your program will last and what kind of school it is.

Next, you need to be accepted by an eligible school or institution in Canada. You can check out this list of schools with international student programs here: http://internationalednresearch.ca/partners-a-z/schools-a-z/schools/. If you don’t know which school or institution is right for you then there are many websites that offer free information about universities around the world including rankings and reviews from current students who have studied there before!

Finally, once your application has been accepted by both the school itself (which can take several months) and by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (which takes just under two weeks), then you should be good to go!

What is a Canada Student Visa?

A Canada Student Visa allows the person who has it to start their studies in Canada. The visa for students is basically the same as a Canada Visitor Visa or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), but the student also needs a study permit. So the Canada student visa is a combination of either a visitor visa and a study permit or an eTA and a study permit.

The Canada study visa will only allow you to start your studies in Canada at what are called Designated Learning Institutions (DLI). The study permit allows you to stay in Canada until your program ends and in some cases work while you are enrolled in school or work after you graduate. To keep the Canada study visa, you must fulfill these conditions:

• Always be enrolled in a DLI.
• Be working to complete your study program.
• Meet the requirements of the student visa.
• Stop studying if you do not meet the requirements of the student visa.
• Leave Canada immediately once your study permit expires.

The study permit will not allow you to get Canadian issued documents or Canadian government benefits such as health benefits. It will however create an easier path for you to be able to apply for a Canadian citizenship if that is your goal.

What is a Designated Learning Institution?

As mentioned, you can only get a Canada student visa if you are enrolled in a Designated Learning Institution (DLI). DLIs are schools or universities which are approved by the provincial or territorial government to allow them to host international students.

All primary and secondary schools that are in Canada are by default DLIs; however, there are many universities or other educational institutions which are not certified DLIs. You must not apply in those, since you will not be allowed to attend them even if they accept you.

To check whether a university or educational institution is a DLI, follow this link. It will take you to the Government of Canada website, which is the official institution for all Canadian visas. On the page, you must select the province or territory, and it will generate a list of all institutions that are DLIs. You can check there whether the place you want to apply to is a DLI or not.

If while you are attending the institution, it loses its DLI status, then you can continue studying there until your study permit expires. If your permit expires before you complete your degree, then you must enroll in a new institution, which is a DLI, to be able to get a new study permit.

Who Needs a Canadian Study Permit?

All international students who want to study in Canada and who need a visitor visa or an eTA to enter Canada must get a student visa and permit. The permit in itself does not allow you to enter Canada, but coupled with a visitor visa or eTA, it gives you permission to start your studies.

However, there are some groups of people who might not need a study permit to study in Canada if they are in certain situations, such as:

• If your study program is less than 6 months in Canada, you will only need a visitor visa or eTA, but not a study permit on the condition that you complete the program in 6 months or less. If you cannot complete the short program in 6 months, then you will need a study permit.
• If you are a family or staff member of a foreign representative to Canada who is accredited by the Global Affairs Canada, then you do not need a study permit.
• If you are a member of the foreign armed forces in Canada and are on official duties, you do not need a study permit, but your family members might need one.
• If you are a citizen of another country who has a Registered Indian Status in Canada, you do not need a study permit.
• If you are a minor child in Canada, then you do not need a study permit if you are:
• In kindergarten;
• A refugee or refugee claimant;
• If your parents are refugees or refugee claimants;
• Going to pre-school, primary or secondary school and you have a parent who is allowed to work or study in Canada.

Do I Qualify for a Canada Student Visa?

To be eligible to apply for a Canada Student visa and permit you must fulfill the following conditions:

• Have a valid acceptance letter from a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) with this information:
  • An official letterhead of the school.
  • The program and degree you will obtain.
  • The amount of tuition fees you must pay.
  • The start and finishing dates of the program.
• Be at least 18 years old to apply as the primary student visa applicant and your children who are under 18 years old cannot apply alone. So, if you have a child who wants to attend primary or secondary school, you must apply on their behalf.
• Have a clean criminal history and submit court documents to prove it.
• You must fill and sign a Visa Application Center (VAC) Consent Form.
• You must submit copies of your current immigration status in another country or in Canada.
• Prove that your stay in Canada is temporary and that you will return to your home country once your studies are over.

Canada Student Visa Requirements

When you complete the forms, you will also have to submit the following supporting documents:

• Your passport scan to prove that it is valid.
• Your travel history, meaning your whole passport scanned to also prove that you have blank pages in it.
• Letters from the court and police in your country to prove you have a clean criminal record;
• A Declaration Letter from you to the Government of Canada where you explain why they should give you a visa and study permit.
• Two photos that meet the Canada Photo Requirements.
• Medical examinations.
• Your employment or education status through a resume or diplomas.
• Proof that you can cover the expenses of studying in Canada (tuition and living costs) through one of the following:
  • You must have proof of a Canadian bank account that is in your name;
  • You must have a Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) issued by a Canadian financial institution.
  • You must have proof that you have taken a student loan from a bank.
  • You must have bank statements for at least the past 4 months.
  • You must have proof that you have already paid your tuition and housing fees.
  • You must have a letter from a person or institution giving you money.
  • You must have proof that you have a scholarship.
• If you are going to study in Quebec, then you will also need to submit a Certificat d’acceptation du Quebec (CAQ) which is issued by the Quebec government. You will get the instructions from your school on how to apply for a CAQ.
• You must submit a letter of explanation saying why you want to study in Canada and guaranteeing that you accept and understand your responsibilities as a student in Canada.
• If a minor is going to Canada to study and need a custodian that is not a parent of the minor, then you also need to submit a Custodian Declaration Form which states who the custodian of the child is and must be signed by the parents or legal guardians of the child.
• If you are applying for the first time, then a document number on the study permit that is called a Unique Client Identifier (UCI) is not required for you. If you have applied for a study permit before, you are required to write your study permit document number which you can find in any letters that have been sent to you by the Canadian Government.
• If your family members (spouse or common law partner and minor children) are also accompanying you, you must also have the application forms ready for them and apply together as a family.

All the documents must be translated into English or French and you must have certifications and proof that the translation is correct. Once you submit all the documents, you can then proceed to submit the application and pay the fees.

Conclusion

The information is given in this article is to help international students to understand and also to find the information what they need in order to apply for a visa.

Fortunately for international students, you may be eligible to apply for a Canadian study permit without a job offer. Each application is assessed on its own merits, so if you are still unsure of your eligibility, you can use this checklist to help determine your status.