Approximately 130,000 international students enrolled in Canadian universities to further their education every year. In addition to a wide choice of educational options and a lively cultural climate, Canada is a great place to live and work.
Canada and its academic institutions put a high value on research, international partnerships, and scientific publications. Does it take that long to receive a student visa for study in Canada (also known as a Canadian study permit)? When picking where to go to college, it’s crucial to understand what you want to major in before making your choice. How difficult is it to secure a student visa for Canada, & what are the measures you need to take?
How to apply for a student visa in Canada
We talked about some steps related to applying for a student visa in Canada. These are the following:
1. Get an acceptance letter from the Canadian university after using it.
Before you can begin applying for a student visa, you must choose where you wish to study in Canada. To receive a visa, you must submit a letter of admission from a Canadian university after being accepted.
2. Find out whether you need a student visa to study in Canada.
To determine whether you require a study visa or authorization to study in Canada, you may be using the official Canadian study permit tool.
A student visa is not required if among the following conditions is met:
- Anyone related to or works for someone working for a foreign government official in Canada has been given accreditation by a Department of Foreign Affairs.
- You decide to participate in a short-term study programme lasting six months or less.
- According to the law, you are a member of the foreign military force within the terms of the Visiting Forces Act.
- Although you are the citizen of another country, Canada has recognized your Indian heritage.
This visa isn’t meant to allow you to enter and travel to Canada but rather to enable you to study there. To do so, you will require a travel visa and an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA).
3. Begin the process of obtaining a Canadian student visa by submitting an application
Next, you must apply for a student visa (also known as a study permit in certain countries) after you have received an admission letter from the university.
The following are the first steps in obtaining a student visa:
- On the Citizenship & Immigration Canada (CIC) website, you may apply for the Canadian student visa, which can be done online before you arrive in Canada.
- If you cannot transmit the visa application papers online because of a limited internet connection, you may mail the documents.
- Proof of enrolment (including a letter of acceptance from an educational institution) should be provided (a university recognized by the Canadian government).
- Show that you can afford to study in Canada by providing proof of your financial resources (tuition fees & living expenses).
- If you are applying for a job, show no criminal record.
- Documentation of your health status should be provided, and if required, results of rigorous medical examinations should also be provided.
As a result of recent changes to visa requirements
- It will take two weeks to process your study permit application if you have a family member working or applying for employment authorization in Canada.
- If you want to continue your education, you may request an extension or renewal of your study permit.
- You’ve changed schools because the length of your programme has been extended.
4. Gather all of the necessary documentation for obtaining a student visa in Canada
- Permission to attend school as a student that has been completed in full.
- A copy of the university’s original acceptance letter may be seen here.
- To leave the nation and return, you must have a valid passport and travel document. If you are a citizen of the United States, you need to do nothing.
- Passport-sized photos of the subjects, with their names & dates of birth printed on the backs of the photographs.
- Proof that you will be able to support yourself during your school financially. You must be capable of showing that you have between 10,000 & 11,000 CAD a year to maintain yourself while in the country.
- Formal documents like a letter of intent are used to express your goals.
- Documents in English and French must be translated and a signed certification from the translator, and an official copy of the original documents.
- If you are applying for a study permit, you must show that you have paid the fee (150 CAD)
5. Requirements for studying in Canada in terms of language
The required documents for a student visa to Canada do not include proof of English competence. Unless you’re from an English-speaking country, Canadian institutions will want you to provide evidence of your English language proficiency.
6. Appointment for biometric testing and interview
Depending on your nationality, you may be needed to submit your biometrics for processing in person at such a Visa Application Center in your country. It costs 85 Canadian dollars to get your biometrics taken. See the average Visa Application Payments below for additional fees (150 CAD). If you live in one of these countries, you won’t have to go to an application centre since biometrics isn’t necessary there.
7. How long does it take to acquire a study permit in the United States?
For a Canadian student visa, processing may take up to 3 months after submitting your application, although this is usually considerably shorter. This is also influenced by the environment in which you were born. You may expedite the process of obtaining your study permit by using the Student Direct Stream. You’ll pay 150 Canadian dollars to get started, and the processing period is around 20 calendar days.