Student Visa
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
One of the oldest and will continue to be the most popular pathway for immigrants to come to Canada. Canada now ranks third globally for the number of International Students because of its quality of education and reputation as a diverse multicultural and tolerant society.
A study permit allows you to study in Canada at designated learning institutions (DLIs) in Canada.
There are two (2) different streams for a study permit:
- Regular Stream and
- Student Direct Stream (SDS).
SDS is designed to quickly obtain a study permit for residents of certain countries, including India, China, Brazil, Philippines, and Columbia. SDS study permit applications can be processed within 20 calendar days.
While the regular stream can generally take longer to process, it has less specific eligibility requirements to SDS.
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
To qualify for the regular stream, you must:
- Have a letter of acceptance from a DLI
- Plan to go to a DLI outside of Quebec
- Meet the required funds and show proof of paid tuition fees
- Prove to an officer that you will leave Canada when your study permit expires and not overstay
- Satisfy any admissibility and/or medical requirements
Note that these are the immigration requirements for a study permit and there are separate requirements for the school and their admission. You will need to comply with any applicable eligibility requirements for these different institutions.
To qualify for SDS you must:
- Be a legal resident of an eligible country
- provide proof of a valid language test result, completed within 2 years of the date the application is received by IRCC for submission:
- an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) academic or general training score
- of 6.0 or higher in each skill (reading, writing, speaking and listening), or a Test d’évaluation de français (TEF) score that is equal to a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) score of at least 7 in each skill (reading, writing, speaking and listening)
- Have a letter of acceptance from a DLI
- Plan to go to a DLI outside of Quebec
- Show proof that tuition fees for your entire first year of study have already been paid
- Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) of CAN$10,000
- Most recent secondary or post-secondary educational transcript
- Satisfy any admissibility and/or medical requirements
- Prove to an officer that you will leave Canada when your study permit expires and not overstay
PROGRAM PRIVILEGES
As an international student studying in Canada, you can gain quality education that can track start your career, training and skills. Full-time students in Canada can work a set number of hours per week and this can help you build valuable employment connections. Some programs also have co-op or practicums, which give you real life experience to complete your studies.
This program is advantageous in allowing family members to come to Canada, which means the family can stay together and spouses/partners can work too. Once the student is finished with their studies, they can look at other pathways to stay in Canada, such as applying for a Post Graduate Work Permit. This open work permit allows students to obtain qualifying Canadian work experience after they have completed their studies which will make them eligible for PR, and then Citizenship later on.
COMMON TRAPS, PITFALLS AND MISCONCEPTIONS
While everyone’s case and circumstances are different, there are some common traps, pitfalls, and misconceptions when it comes to applying under this program. Here are some general and common ones we have experienced and encountered throughout the years:
When it comes to proof of funds, here is a more detailed list of how much is needed, which will depend on your family size. Please see the link here with a breakdown of living fees required. You will need to show the required funds and cover the tuition fees too. If you’re applying under SDS, you will need to comply with the GIC and tuition fee requirements. Note that the funds must stay constant throughout the whole process, from the time you apply to the when you land in Canada. Do not withdraw the bank account and buy a car after you submit the file before you get approved.
There is commonly confusion regarding family members and what is required from them. A spouse can accompany the applicant on an open work permit; however, this is a separate file, and they will need to apply on their own.
Minor children don’t need a study permit under certain conditions, such as if they’re in kindergarten. They can enter Canada as a visitor and be issued a visitor record. However, there are other cases where they would not need a study permit but you can apply for one anyway, so they can maintain status in Canada.
Note that you must be a resident in one (1) of the eligible countries. If you live anywhere other than one (1) of the countries listed above (even if you’re a citizen of one of the countries), you must apply through the regular study permit pathway.
Not necessarily. Depending on your country of citizenship or residence, you may need a valid visitor visa or eTA to enter and exit Canada. If you’re from a country that requires a visitor visa, such as China or Philippines, then you will need a valid Visa in your passport to enter back into Canada. While you do have a valid study permit, you need that valid Visa to come back into the country. Other countries, such as Ireland or Australia, will require an eTA to travel.
OUR VALUE – HOW WE MAKE THIS EASY FOR YOU
We understand that information can be found on the Internet and there are lots of other consultants or lawyers out there, so things can certainly get confusing very quickly for you. However, our value is in our services and how can simplify a sometimes-complicated process while anticipating and proactively making this whole process easy for you, from the start to the end of your immigration journey. We will guide you and provide:
- An affordable service with an individualized payment schedule to suit any budget
- Comprehensive documents required for the process, including information and tips that can’t be found on the IRCC website
- Personalized immigration advice and solutions that are tailored to your case
- Collaboration with a licensed immigration consultant who will communicate and represent your case on your behalf
- Support and Assistance through every stage of the process, from the application to the arrival in Canada.
FAQ
A: Depends on your goals and where in Canada you want to be located.
A: Would be dependent of what your study goals are. Schools offer various programs in different industries to meet the different study goals of students. Furthermore, this will depend on your current career aspirations and long-term plans.
A: Tuition fees vary per school and program. Once you have decided, then you can determine the fees required for tuition.
A: Yes, we work with a partner company that helps our students through the admission process which includes doing admission. They also provide advising on school and program options based on each student’s goals.
A: We currently only have a sister company in CDO. Even if you are not located in Philippines and are in other parts of the world, we are still able to assist you as we help students internationally, regardless of their location.