Canada Student Visa Latest Update
Priyanka Tanta (Chandigarh )
Indian students aspiring to go to Canada for higher education need a Canadian Student visa. The students also need to secure decent marks in IELTS. However, several students have been facing issues as Canadian authorities have been denying their visas for the past few weeks. So, here, we have listed down some of the important things and required documents that students planning to study in Canada should know about:
University acceptance
A University acceptance letter is the primary requirement for the Canadian visa process. The students willing to apply for a Canadian visa will have to first shortlist at least three top Canadian universities suitable for their profile and score. Candidates can categorise the universities into three sections — Dream, Reach, and Safe to make it easy to decide. Also, ensure that these universities are Designated Learning Institutions (DLI). Once the application will be accepted, students will receive their acceptance letter.
Canadian students permit and visa requirements
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the delay in visa processing as a result of travel restrictions. The students who have already received their Canadian student permits from the accepting university, either normally or via SDS, should begin to apply for their visas as soon as possible. It is necessary for all the foreign nationals willing to study at DLI in Canada to obtain a Canadian student permit.
What is SDS?
The Study Direct Stream (SDS) is a program launched by the Department of Immigration, Refugee, and Citizenship Canada for the students from India and some other countries to avail their visa in 4-6 weeks or in even lesser time, while for others it takes up to 2-3 months.
List of Required Documents for Canadian Student Visa online application:
— Letter of acceptance from your Designated Learning Institute (DLI).
— Financial proof for the complete program duration i.e, Tuition fee + Living Expenses.
— A report of the Immigration Medical Examination (IME) from CIC-approved doctors along with Chest X-Ray and Blood tests
— Required academic certificates and transcripts, along with work experience certificates (if applicable).
— English language proficiency test (IELTS) scores.
— Two passport-size photographs. The digital copy should not exceed 4 MB.
— Statement of Purpose.
— A valid passport.
— Fee receipt, if applicable on arrival in Canada
Those who’re studying in Quebec will also require a Certificate d’acceptation du Québec, English and French translations of the document, a statement from the translator, and a certified copy of the original documents. The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) will also ask to see these documents, hence, students must keep them ready.
Important things while applying for Canadian Visa:
Application mode: The students can submit their Canadian Visa application in online mode only on the official website of Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). The students will receive updates on the status of their applications directly.
Visa regulations: For those who have a family member working in Canada or are applying for a work permit, their student visa application will be processed in two weeks. However, others will have to wait for the standard Canadian Student Visa processing time of 90 days.
Language Requirements for visa: It is mandatory to submit proof of English language proficiency for Indian students. They will be required to pass IELTS, TOEFL, and Cambridge English: Advanced with a minimum score of 6.0 in each category.
Biometrics appointment and visa interview: Indian applicants should submit their biometrics and 85 CAD as the fee, which is an additional expense. They might be called for an interview at a local Visa Application Center, for which they will have to pay a fee as well.
Apart from all these, students travelling abroad must be aware of the travel guidelines and the relevant government and university’s Covid-19 restrictions and rules.
