Canada has been ranked third in terms of education by the US & World Report in 2019. Hence, studying in Canada can serve one with opportunities from within the country and beyond. Due to the quality of education provided by the country, it keeps attracting students from all over the world. But foreign students will have to get a study permit in order to receive various levels of Canadian education.
There is no need to get a study permit if one is going to study a program which has a duration of less than six months. But it will allow them to study only that particular program in Canada and at the end of it, they will have to go back home. On the other hand, the students who will go there with a study permit, will get the opportunity to renew it after its duration expires while staying in Canada. They will also get to work while being a student and apply for permanent residency in Canada after graduation.
What is a study permit?
A study permit is predominantly a document that the Canadian Immigration officials publish. This is basically an approval letter that allows foreign nationals to study in Canada. Although the study permit is issued to foreign students upon their arrival in Canada, you will have to apply for it beforehand via an online or paper medium of application. Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) website will provide you with that. But this will only allow you to study in a designated learning institution. Whereas, to migrate to Canada you will need to receive a Temporary Resident Visa from the Canadian High Commission.
But in order to gain the scope and to be permitted to study in Canada as a foreign national, it is necessary to follow the Canada student visa rules.
Canada Student Visa Requirements:
- As your first step, you will have to have received a letter of acceptance from a registered and designated learning institution (DLI). Not only foreign students, but students from Quebec, a province in Canada, will have to acquire a certificate of acceptance (CAQ) from the government of Quebec. This has to be obtained before they can apply for the study permit.
- You will need to get a Canadian student visa application package as your next step. For this you will either need to contact your local visa office, or the Canadian Embassy in your home country, or visit the CIC website. On top of this, if you belong from a designated country, you will be required to get a temporary residence permit.
- A very important requirement to receive the study permit is to possess a valid passport. In this case, a ‘valid passport’ indicates to a passport will remain valid till the time your course duration is over. If the course or program that you are attending is three years long, you will have to apply for the visa with a passport that will last for the next three years. This is to ensure that your passport will be able to take you back to your home country upon completion of your course in Canada.
- Another step into the Canadian student visa requirement is to provide the immigration officials with enough evidence of funds directing that you will be able to pay for your tuition fees and carry living expenses in Canada. As of the present living standards, a student will need to have $10000 for every year of their stay in Canada.
- International students, especially from Africa and some countries in Asia will have to go through a thorough Immigration Medical Examination under the supervision of an empaneled physician. Canadian Immigration requires the examination to take place a week before you start with the process of Visa Application. This provides the physicians with enough time to receive the results to the test and inform you about the results so that you can start your process of application without having to experience any backlash.
- The process of supplication for a study permit requires you to apply with recent photos of yourself (not older than six months)
If your application process is taking place offline, you will need to submit 2 copies of passport size photos measuring at least 35 mm x 45 mm. For online application a soft copy of the photograph will be required, the size of which should not be more than 4 mb.
The study permit will last for 90 days till after your graduation. If you want to extend your stay in Canada and seek work, you will have to apply for a work permit within this period of time. But remember that you will need a Social Insurance Number (SIN) issued by Service Canada to be able to work there.