Canada FAQs
A Canada Student Visa will require you to score a minimum of 5.5 bands in each of the 4 IELTS segments for Undergraduate Courses with an overall minimum score of 6.0 and plus. Graduate Courses require 6.5 bands score with at least a score of 6.0 in each of the 4 segments.
The following are the steps to be followed to obtain the Canada Study Visa:
• Submit an online application for the Canada Study Visa on the website of the Citizenship and Immigration Canada prior o your arrival to the nation
• It is also possible to submit a paper-based Visa application in nations that have limited access to internet
• Provide a Letter of Acceptance from a Designated Learning Institution (DLI). It refers to a University/College recognized by the Government of Canada.
• Offer evidence of adequate financial resources for supporting your studies in Canada including living expenses and tuition fees
• Have no record of crime
• Provide medical records that state you are having a good health condition and if required complete medical examinations
A study permit for Canada costs CAD 150.
Issued by the Government of Canada, a study permit is a document that allows foreign nationals to study at any of the Designated learning Institutions [DLI] in Canada. A study permit is not a visa. A visitor visa or eTA for Canada will be issued along with the study permit, whichever is required in the specific situation.
The processing time varies from country to country. For Canada study permits, anyone applying from India can expect a processing time of around 20 calendar days. As Indians are eligible for applying under the Student Direct Stream [SDS], they can expect a faster processing time for their study permit for Canada. A legal resident living in any 1 of certain countries – India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Morocco, Senegal, Vietnam, and China – can apply under the SDS.
Do note that a study permit is not a visa and you cannot enter or travel to Canada on your study permit alone. You will also require either an electronic travel authorization [eTA] or a visitor visa. If required, the same will be issued along with your study permit.
Canada Student Visa requirements include offering proof of funds to support oneself. As of now, it is CAD 10,000 annually excluding the tuition fees. It is CAD 11,000 if you are applying to study in Quebec province.
Submitting ITR – Income Tax Return as evidence of income has not been listed specifically among the mandatory documents for submission. However, Canada Student Visa applicants must note that:
• The mindset of the Visa Officers is to ensure that the student does not become a burden on Canada’s economy and must be able to bear the cost of studies
• Students who fail to support themselves can resort to work unlawfully or in other illegal activities and no nation would be happy about this
• Submitting ITR acts as evidence or a measure that builds confidence that the student will be able to fund the education in Canada without any support externally
• Any Education loans that are approved for Study in Canada are also deemed as available sources
Canada Student Visa applications filed by citizens of India from within India do not require PCC.
You must prepare for standardized tests such as TOEFL, GRE, GMAT, IELTS based on the requirements of the university or course you are applying to. You must register for these tests in advance. Prior preparation for these tests is also necessary. You can do this by attending coaching classes or taking online courses. Sometimes you may have to retake these tests to get the qualifying score.
Before you leave for Canada, ensure that you have enough funds that will take care of your entire period of stay in the country. This should include funds for tuition fees, accommodation, food, clothes, local travel and other expenses. You must plan on how you will fund these expenses either with your personal savings, educational loans, scholarship etc.
Students going to Canada must buy a special guaranteed investment certificate (GIC) from any of the participating bank such as Nova Scotia Bank, ICICI Bank, SBI Canada Bank, CIBC Bank for an amount of CAD 10,200 to facilitate the adjustment of the living expenses of the first year. With the GIC the student will receive CAD 2000 on arrival in Canada. The rest of the money will be paid in 12 equal instalments to take care of his monthly living expenses.
Canada’s immigration policy allows the spouse and minor dependents of student visa holders to come to Canada to work and study. The spouse of a dependent visa holder can work in Canada on an open work permit. They can work for any employer in Canada and does not require an LMIA or job offer before arrival in the country. The work permit will have the same period of validity as the study permit
Minor children of student visa holders can study and do not require a study permit to pursue their education in Canada.
To bring dependents the student visa aspirant can apply for his dependents concurrently or wait for his student visa application to be approved before making his application for his dependents.
The following relations can be sponsored for a dependent visa:
• Spouse or common-law partner or conjugal partner
• Dependent children under the age of 21
• Dependent parents or grandparents
• Child adopted outside Canada while you held a Canadian citizenship or PR
• Your brother, sister, niece, nephew, uncle, aunt or other close relatives
Your dependents can live with you in Canada.
Passport & travel history
Background documentation
Spouse/partner documentation including marriage certificate
Other proof of relationship
Income proof of sponsor to show adequate finances
Completed application & consulate fees
While a study permit authorizes international students to pursue their studies while in Canada, a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) allows a person to enter Canada. Depending on the country of citizenship, an international student may need a TRV for entry.
For overseas applications, applicants from countries whose citizens require TRV in order to enter Canada will be issued a TRV automatically if the application for a study permit is approved. These applicants do not need to submit a separate application for a TRV and there is no separate fee. The same applies to applicants from countries whose citizens need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) in order to enter Canada by air.
An international student may be eligible to work while studying in Canada. A student must have a valid study permit and be enrolled full-time at a Designated Learning Institution (DLI). Study permit holders may be allowed to work for up to 20 hours per week during regular academic sessions and full time during scheduled breaks. To work “on-campus” a student must meet the following criteria listed on this page.
In order to work “off-campus”, a study permit must be authorized for off-campus work by a visa officer. If you are enrolled in a full-time academic, professional or vocational training program at a designated learning institution, you may be eligible to work “off-campus” without a work permit. However, it should be printed on the study permit that you are authorized to work off-campus.
An international student must stop working the day they no longer meet the eligibility requirements. There is an important exemption to this regulation: students enrolled in an English as a Second Language (ESL) or French as a Second Language (FSL) program are not authorized to work with a study permit.
Canadian immigration policy offers international students many ways to stay and settle in the country after graduation. A popular option available to international students after graduation is the possibility for an open work permit under the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWPP). Under the PGWPP, an individual who has studied full-time at a participating Designated Learning Institution (DLI) may be eligible to apply for a PGWP.
Gaining work experience in Canada after graduation may help you qualify for permanent residence in Canada through a variety of immigration available immigration programs. For more information on PGWP eligibility criteria, please visit this page. Generally, if a PGWP is issued, it is for the same duration as the applicant’s studies for a minimum of eight months and a maximum of three years.
If a student is transferring from one Designated Learning Institution (DLI) to another, even if it is at the same level of study, he or she must notify Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship (IRCC) by updating his or her online account and ensuring that the school is a DLI.
The same applies for post-secondary students changing their level of study (i.e. from a bachelor’s to master’s program). Please check the conditions listed on the study permit to verify whether the permit restricts the holder from studying at a particular institution or program.
If a student transfers to a school, college, or university in Quebec, he or she will need to apply for a Certificate of Acceptance to Quebec (CAQ) and, if necessary, a new study permits. Primary students who are entering high school, as well as high school students who will move on to post-secondary education, must apply to modify their study permit.