With Canada student visa rules getting stricter in countries like US, there is a surge in students opting for Canada as their study destination. A report by Statista clearly shows how the number of students applying for Student Visa in Canada has been increasing for some years now.
If you are also planning to study in Canada, two of your most common queries will be,
1. What are the Student Visa in Canada Requirements?
2. How to apply for a Student Visa in Canada?
While this Student Visa in Canada Guide contains each and every detail of all that is required to get it, we also wanted to ensure that it helps even those who have no idea about what a Student Visa in Canada is or who can apply for student visa in Canada. So we thought to start with the very basic and then go into further details. Unlike in the USA, there are no multiple types of Student Visa in Canada.
A Canada student permit is a document issued by IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) for international students in Canada. To study in Canada, you will require a student permit, which serves as a student visa. The student permit is issued for the duration of the period student will need to complete the program. If your program is of six months or less, the student permit is not required. International student visa Canada is required to study for more than 6 months.
At Canada, there are some rules where the student doesn't need a visa for the study you should check those rules properly, and if you are in this category then you don't need to apply! If your family or any relatives member of the foreign representative in Canada, then you don't need a student visa. Or if you are interested in a program which duration less than six months, then you don't need a permit. From the Visiting Forces Act, if you are a member of foreign armed forces, then you don't need a license. But always remember, though you don't need a student visa, you need an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) to visit Canada.
Therefore, there are two options to stay in Canada after you have completed your studies:
After completion of your program, you can apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit. The duration of your Post-Graduation Work Permit cannot be longer than your studies in Canada.
Official length of your Program | Work Permit Eligibility for Canada Study Visa |
Less than 8 Months | Not Eligible for Work Permit |
Less than 2 Years but more than 8 Months | Same length as the length of Program |
2 Years or more | 3 Years |
For Studying in Bachelor’s and Masters in Canada, the students should be at least 18 years of age. In most cases, the students who fall in the age group of 18 to 35 are eligible to apply for a student visa in Canada.
A number of universities in Canada are lenient about the study gaps, considering one can justify it with related work experience or test preparation. However, when the competition is fierce for highly selective universities, there might be a problem with the study gap if there is no work experience to prove.
Excellent results and a high percentage is preferred more by the universities. The student has high chances of getting selected. But a student with a low percentage can also apply and fulfil their dreams to study in Canada.
Once you get admission with a low percentage, you can apply for the student visa in Canada.
To apply for Canada visa for study, or any kind of application that is temporary resident type (visitor, study and Canada work visa) for Indian students, VFS (Visa Facilitation Services) Global is in charge of CVAC. CVAC stands for Canada Visa Application Centre. CVAC is an exclusive service provider for Government of Canada. It deals with collection of application, return passports in decision envelopes, and scheduling interviews on behalf of Canada Visa Office. You can fill out Canada visa Application on VFS Global’s official website.
You will need to go to the visa application centre for giving biometrics(fingerprints and photograph), as it is the compulsory CIC Canada student visa requirements. VFS Application fees for Indian Students: $CAN 150, roughly converted, that is 7890 INR. You can also contact the Canadian embassy for Student visa in your home country itself.
State / UT | City | CVAC Timings | Passport Collection |
Delhi | New Delhi | 08:00AM - 05:00PM | 08:00AM - 04:00PM |
Chandigarh | Chandigarh | 07:00AM - 05:00PM |
08:30AM - 09:30AM 04:30PM - 05:30PM |
Punjab | Jalandhar | 07:00AM - 05:00PM |
08:00AM - 09:00AM, 05:00PM - 06:00PM |
Tamil Nadu | Chennai | 09:00AM - 05:00PM | 02:00PM - 04:00PM |
Karnataka | Bengaluru | 09:00AM - 05:00PM | 02:00PM - 04:00PM |
AP / Telangana | Hyderabad | 09:00AM - 05:00PM | 02:00PM - 04:00PM |
Maharashtra | Mumbai | 09:00AM - 05:00PM | 02:00PM - 04:00PM |
Pune | |||
Gujarat | Ahmedabad | 09:00AM - 05:00PM | 02:00PM - 04:00PM |
West Bengal | Kolkata | 09:00AM - 05:00PM | 02:00PM - 04:00PM |
Now, Let’s dive into the Canada Student Visa Application Form and Process. Few things should be checked off your list before you start the process and some conditions that you must follow while applying for Study Permit in Canada. Moreover, there will be some necessary documents, funds and Medical testing required. Make sure you go through the list step-by-step over the whole application process, to apply Canada Student Visa, so you do not miss anything.
Before applying check the eligibility requirements for Canada student visa, you must have a letter of acceptance from a Designated Learning Institute. Provincial or territorial governments approve the schools to host international students, and these institutions are called DLI. You will have to provide your DLI number at the time of your application. A DLI number starts with an “O”. You are not required to have DLI # if applying for Primary or Secondary school. Primary and Secondary Schools are not included in the list as they are automatically designated.
You can find the list of Designated Learning Institutes on the official website of Canada Immigration and Citizenship.
Here are the conditions in the Canada student visa eligibility, to check whether you have fulfilled them before applying to get approval:
You can apply for Student Visa in Canada Online or On Paper. Here are the details
Student Direct Stream, or abbreviated just as SDS, is a replacement of the older SPP program. While the SPP program was linked with college, the SDS is liked with the student directly. Scotia Bank backs the process, as it will be providing a GIC of 10000 CAD to deserving students for the first year living expenses of Canada. Only some of the listed countries are allowed to apply through SDS others have to apply through the regular stream for student visa Canada
The most significant change in the admission process is the Canada study visa is IELTS requirements, that is an overall 6.5, with no less than 6 bands in each module. You cannot get Canada study visa with IELTS 5.5 as universities of Canada will not accept you and without offer letter, you cannot get a visa.
If you want to study in Canada without IELTS, then you need to prove your admission into a university which has accepted you through enrollment letter. Without IELTS you cannot apply for Student visa in Canada with SDS. The application without IELTS would be considered non-SDS, and would be processed as a general application. Either way, there has to be some English language proficiency proof for a student visa in Canada. It is available to apply for the students of China, India, Vietnam and the Philippines.
Student Visa in Canada processing time for your application keeps changing according to the country you are applying from, and it keeps updating weekly. As far as Student Visa Canada Process is concerned, you can check the latest processing time for Study Permit Application on the official website of Canada Immigration and Citizenship, under the “immigration” tab. The time for the Canada student visa process can be from 15 days to 1 month.
What Documents are Required for Student Visa in Canada?
The following documents are mentioned in the list of Canada study visa requirements
A letter from the institute you have been accepted in.
Proof that the fees for the first year of study are paid. It is one of the important documents required for Canada student visa.
Proof that you have graduated from:
Financial evidence is required to prove that you have the capacity to sustain in Canada for your study period. Here are the financial documents required for Canada student visa:
Here is the list of outside and inside Quebec study visa requirements of funds:
Person Coming to Canada | Location | Amount required per year additional to tuition | Amount required per month additional to tuition |
You (Student) | Outside Quebec | $10,000 | $833 |
Inside Quebec | $11,000 | $917 | |
First Family Member | Outside Quebec | $4,000 | $333 |
Inside Quebec | $5,100 | $425 | |
First Family Member (under 18 Years) | Inside Quebec | $3,800 | $317 |
Every accompanying additional Family Member | Outside Quebec | $3,000 | $255 |
Inside Quebec | $5,125 | $427 | |
Every accompanying additional Family Member (Under 18 Years) | Inside Quebec | $1,903 | $159 |
You need to submit the financial documents for Canada student visa to prove your sustainability in both the cases, inside Quebec region or outside of it.
If you have lived for six or more than six months in a row in any country or territory that is listed for medical examination on the CIC (Canada Immigration and Citizenship) website, or you have lived in the listed countries for six or more months in the year immediately before the date of your program, then the medical examination is required.
Your family member may need a medical examination, if the family member is going to stay in Canada for more than six months, the same rules of medical examination requirement apply to them, too. Medical examination requirements for a study permit in Canada should be fulfilled for the family member as well.
1. On the Instructions given after Submitting the Canada Student Permit Application:
You can wait for the instruction given to you after submitting the application. You must go for the medical exam within 30 days after that. If not, the application may be rejected.
2. Upfront Medical Exam
The letter of Explanation should convey your goals to the visa officer:
If a custodian is required for a minor in Canada, you should fill out a “Custodian Declaration Form”. It is a two-page form where the custodian signs on the first page, and parents or legal guardians sign on the second page. It is one of the compulsorily required documents for Canada study visa for the Custodian. With all these documents you can start your procedure to apply for Canada student visa online process. Be careful while submitting the documents, as a minor mistake can lead to rejection of the visa. Here are the different kinds of Canada student visa form for a different purpose.
Once you have all the documents required for Canada study visa, you need to fill up the following forms.
Here are the Canada Study visa forms that are required for different purposes:
Canada Visa Forms | |
1. Application For Student Visa in Canada Made Outside of Canada | IMM 1294 |
2. Family Information | IMM 5645 or IMM 5707 |
3. Document Checklist | IMM 5483 |
4. If Applicable, Statutory Declaration of Common law Union | IMM 5409 |
5. If Applicable, Custodianship Declaration - Custodian for Minors Studying in Canada | IMM 5646 |
6. If Applicable, Use of a Representative | IMM 5476 |
7. If Applicable, Authority to release personal information to a designated individual | IMM 5475 |
By filling the required form you can begin your procedure of Canada student visa.
The student visa Canada cost is nominal. Here is the process to pay the fee:
You will get a receipt for the payment of your fees on your email account. Include that in your application if you are applying on paper.
This Visa is for overseas students. It is a kind of Temporary Resident Visas which is abbreviated as TRVs. The TRVs are required for certain nationals who want to live in Canada for the short term purposes of studies. The application for TRVs can be done along with the application for the Canada education visa process.
If you qualify for the Student Direct Stream (SDS), the Canada student visa procedure takes place much faster. If you are not eligible for SDS program, then the application will get through a slower processing channel.
Once the Permit is Approved or Refused:
You will receive a letter explaining why the application was rejected, the reasons might include:
You can contact the visa office that sent you your Canada Study Permit refusal letter if you have any queries regarding your rejection.
There are few Canada study visa rules, which you need to follow. The first condition one has to follow when you hold a study permit is to remain enrolled in a DLI. Failing to do that, or not maintaining timely progress towards the completion of the study program you have chosen. The DLI you have enrolled in will send your academic enrolment report continuously to the immigration department.
Additionally, an officer can impose, change or cancel the conditions on the Study Permit, which may include:
To know about the temporary new rules for Canada study visa 2020, go through this: Canada Announced Major Changes to Help International Students
Can you work on a Student Visa in Canada?
Here are the new rules for international students in Canada: Canada Introduces New Measures on PGWP Eligibility for Students Studying Online
International students studying in Canada can apply for Canadian permanent resident status during stuyding in the country or after completing their studies. They should meet the eligibility criteria of the Canadian immigration program under which they apply. Students who have the highest rankings in the Express Entry system are invited to apply for PR (permanent residency)
If you are not among the selected candidates to immigrate to Canada, you may want to apply for a PGWP (post-graduation work permit) after you have completed your studies in Canada. This will give you the right to stay in Canada and work legally. In several cases, doing job in certain occupations can build your chances of getting a successful immigration application.
On the top right corner of your permit, the expiry date of your permit is given. The length of your study is decided by,
The extra 90 days gives you time to extend your permit or to prepare to leave Canada.
First, make sure the program you have applied is on the DLI (Designated Learning Institutes) list.
Important Tip: The international student should check on the official website for Canada student visa new rules as these keep changing.
If the expiry date of your study permit has passed before you applied for an extension or a work permit/visitor’s visa, then you have lost your status. In some cases, the permit can be restored. You will have to apply online or offline (IMM 5553) for restoration. You can convert a visitor visa to student visa in Canada only if you are in the country. Here is how to renew student in Canada:
Student Visa Renewal Canada
On your application for restoration, clearly explain how you lost your status. You can stay in Canada during the time restoration application is under process. However, you cannot study since you have lost your status.
Restoration Cost | |
Restoration Charges: | $CAD 200 |
Student Visa in Canada: | $CAD 150 |
For the students who want to start early, there are private and public schools in Canada where students can apply to study in Canada after 10th. The students will move on to a college or a university once they finish their schooling till 12th grade. Since the students will be under 18 years of age, some schools would ask for a guardian to accompany them, though it is not mandatory. Other than that, the requirements for the Student Visa in Canada after 10th are the same.
For pursuing undergraduate courses in Canada, you will need certain documents for Canada student visa after 12th once you receive your offer letter. The financial requirement may be changed accordingly but other than this the requirements for the Canada study visa after 12th are the same as mentioned above.
International Students, after completing their graduation in Canada, also plans to work there. For this, they require a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) which allows them to obtain Canadian work experience after their studies. Many international students going to Canada for study end up working there or settling up permanently.
The same requirements as mentioned above is required in the Canada study visa requirements after graduation.
In which cases do you not need a study permit to study in Canada
In some exceptional cases, you will not be required to apply for Study Permit Canada. Some of them are:
If your program is of less than six-months and you are not part of any other program longer than that, and you will complete all your studies in the time that is defined for short-term program then you do not need a study permit.
Foreign Representatives in Canada:
If you are a family member or staff member of Foreign Representative to Canada, which is accredited by Global Affairs Canada (GAC), you might not need to have a student permit.
Foreign Armed Forces:
You will not be required a student permit, if you are a member of foreign armed forces on official duties in Canada.
Status Indian Canada:
Registered Indians, also known as Status Indians from another country, are eligible to study in Canada without student permit.
Canada is one of the best study destinations for international students to study and pave their careers to a bright future. The first step to that would be applying for the Study Permit and starting your journey there. The process of Canada study visa may look like an intimidating process, but once you understand it thoroughly, it is not complex at all. We Hope this Study Permit guide helps you in doing that. You can get information about intakes here: Intakes in Canada.
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