Home Student & Career Tips How to Get a Canadian Student Visa – 2023

How to Get a Canadian Student Visa – 2023

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This article contains information on how to Get a Canadian Student Visa for this year, 2023.

How to Get a Canadian Student Visa - 2020

Do you want to process a Canadian student’s Visa before the year is finally over? Keep reading. According to a survey conducted on the universities in Canada. It is believed to be highly accepted by an average of 130,000 international students yearly, these are because of a conducive learning environment and quality of teaching procedures, research, scientific and technological interventions in our day to day activities. They also boast of international standards in education and industrial collaborations. The only difficulty international students get is acquiring the student visa, which we hope to explain in detail in this article. A student visa is an official endorsement by the government wherein the educational institution a set or group of students enrol and qualify to earn a degree, it is added with passport to serve as pass entering the prospective country where the school is sited, they are mostly termed non-immigrant visas ( because they do not require the citizenship of the holder).

Student Visa Vs Study Permit 

There are similarities between a student visa and study permit, it’s a permit issued by the Citizen and Immigration (CIC) of Canada which allows one to study in Canada but cannot be used solely without a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV). Possessing a study permit means you are enrolled in one of the institutions in the country and you must make timely and progressive effort completing your course, temporary resident visa (TRV) gives you entry into Canada. It works hand in hand with the student visa or study permit. It is important you take note that a study permit is a document that allows you to study in Canada while a temporary resident visa (TRV) is a visa that allows you to enter in Canada.

The Canadian student visa application process is as follows:

Step 1: Apply to a Preferred University in relation to your Career

Canada has an array of top universities (Seneca College, University of Regina, Brock University, Wilfrid Laurier University) where you can pursue a career in fields like science, medicine, arts. Apply for your preferred option, fill out your information, take out an interview questions and obtain an admissions letter from an accredited college/university. After a thorough and detailed research into your preferred university, the following reasons should be considered:

  • The purposed number of years to graduation,
  • ranking of the school,
  • areas where you want to specialize on,
  • program structure/fee all through year of study.

Thereafter, you must adhere to all the terms and conditions of your choice Institution where you will need to submit documents like credentials from a previous academic institution, passport copy, and proof of English language ability. The institution then processes your admission letter between 4-8 weeks, therefore you as a prospective student will need to wait until you have been admitted.

Step 2: Pay Acceptance Fee

In the admission letter, it will be stated you have been offered a particular course, you will be notified to accept the admission by paying a particular sum of money as acceptance/tuition fees within a particular time period, this payment is being made by international Wire Transfer, once received and confirmed, receipt and an original admission Letter is issued, the receipt helps in the processing of your Canada student visa application.

Step 3: Purchase of GIC (Guaranteed Investment Certificate)

It is mandatory for students to purchase a special guaranteed investment certificate (GIC) from banks like; the Nova Scotia Bank, ICICI Bank, SBI Canada Bank, CIBC Bank for the amount of $ 10,200 CAD mainly for the first year living expenses adjustment of the first year. Roughly $200 is charged as the administrative charges of the bank (these vary from bank to bank). The student receives $2000 immediately on arrival in Canada, followed by the sum of $8000 in 12 months instalments as living expenses per month (it is a nonredeemable investment).

Step 4: Inquire the need for a student visa in Canada

You need to make an inquiry about the necessity of student visa in Canada as it is not imperative for everyone owning to the following:

  • Been a family or staff of a foreign representative in Canada, who is accredited by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Development Canada.
  • Enrol in a study program that lasts less than six months.
  • Been a member of foreign armed forces from the Visiting Forces Act.
  • Been a citizen of another country, but you have an Indigenous status registered in Canada. An Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) [1] is needed to fly to Canada.
Step 5: Undertake Medical Examination

You will be mandated to take a medical examination from an approved medical facility approved by the Canadian government. Here is a list of approved facilities where you can find a list of approved panels by visiting; you will be provided with a receipt for the medical, which is a requirement for visa application. The medical report will automatically be transferred to the visa office.

Step 6: Language requirements for the Canadian student visa

Canadian universities will require you to submit proof of English language proficiency. Accepted language tests are IELTS (International English Language Testing System), Advanced Cambridge English and TOEFL

The language requirement helps you to gain a Canadian visa, but it will mean you passing a secure English language test to prove communication and correspondence skills. The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is the world’s most popular high-stakes English language proficiency test for study, work and migration, with more than three million tests taken in the past year. The IELTS results are recognised by more than 10,000 organisations, including educational institutions, employers, professional associations and governments, in 140 countries around the world.

Step 7: Biometrics appointment and interview

Depending on the requirements for your home country, you might have to show up at a Visa Application Centre in your country to have your biometrics taken. The biometric fee is 85 CAD. This fee is in addition to the regular visa fee. Some countries are exempt from the biometrics visit, so it’s likely they won’t need to visit an application centre at all.

After applying for your Canadian study permit, the processing time for your visa may take up to 90 days but usually takes less. This also depends a lot on the situation in your home country.

Step 8: Begin your application for the Canadian student visa

You can apply online or offline; online is by registering on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) website [2], offline by visiting the embassy of Canada ( these are applicable in countries with limited internet access, or the paper application of visa.

Other requirements are visa application form, original passport with photocopy of the Biodata page, family information biodata, acceptance Letter issued by the SDS Educational institute in Canada, proof to show study permit fee (150 CAD), Use of Representative Form (IMM 5476), proof of English proficiency test, letter of intent, academic documents, receipt of tuition fee payment, the evidence of GIC purchase, student questionnaire, medical form etc. Proof of financial support during your study programme. This means proving you have between 10,000 and 11,000 CAD per year for living in the country.

  • If your preferred institution is in Quebec, you will need a Certificat d’acceptation du Québec, English and French translations for your document, a statement from the translator and a certified copy of the original documents
  • Another important requirement you need is to prove your financial capacity which includes creating a Canadian bank account in your name, if money has been transferred to Canada, creation of a student/education loan from a financial institution, bank statements, bank draft in convertible currency. proof of payment of tuition and accommodation fees, a letter for the person or institution providing your funding, proof of funding paid from within Canada if you have a scholarship or are enrolled in a Canadian-funded educational program

Presently in visa regulations, it is easier when you have a family member applying for a work permit in Canada at the same time you are applying for a student visa because it will speed up your processing into two weeks. Another inquiry you need to make is to check if your home country is on the list of biometrics requests for the student visa application, once issued you may renew or extend your study permit in cases where you want to further your studies or your program has an extension or in the case of a change in school. The study permit expires 90 days after notification of successful program, you can choose to stay in Canada for job application, travel but you must start processing to get a work permit so as to allow you to apply for a full time or part-time job.

For further information, kindly visit the Canada embassy frequently to get answers to all impending questions you will like to ask, they will be available and accessible to give you necessary guideline and information.

References

[1] (N.d.-a). Canada.Ca.  https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/eta.html

[2] (N.d.-b). Canada.Ca. Retrieved https://www.canada.ca/en/services/immigration-citizenship.html

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