Canada has been a consistently top-ranked education destination over the past few years. This North American country is home to renowned universities and colleges offering various programs and courses. If you wish to study in Canada and experience its academic richness, you must first know everything about a valid Canada education visa. This becomes especially important because of the Canadian government’s newly announced two-year cap on international student visas for tackling their housing crises[1].
Here are the steps to follow when applying for a Canada international student visa:
1. Seek admission into a Canadian institution
Your first step is to apply and secure admission into a Canadian educational institution. If your institution is in Quebec, you will need a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) from the Government of Quebec.
2. Gather all necessary documents[2]
You will need to furnish the below list of documents for your student visa application:
- Proof of acceptance from your school/institute.
- Provisional Attestation Letter (PAL) from the province or territory where you intend to study.
- Proof of identity such as a valid passport or travel document and two recent passport-sized photographs.
- Proof of financial support such as a Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC).
- A letter of explanation stating your reasons for studying in Canada and acknowledging that you understand your responsibilities as an international student in Canada.
In addition to these, you may need medical reports and other documents as applicable in your case.
3. Visa application
You can apply online and offline, but the Canadian government strongly urges students to apply online. In fact, you can apply offline only in two special cases[3].
You will encounter the following steps when applying for your visa:
- You must have a scanner or camera on your device for an online visa application along with a valid credit or debit card.
- You must begin by reading the instruction guide out loud.
- Next, you must answer a few questions so that a personalized document list can be curated for you.
- Understand the fees that you must pay at the end of the application, namely processing and biometric fees.
- Lastly, you must create an account on the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) portal[4] to submit your application, pay your fees and check your visa status later.
The processing time for the Canadian visa is about ten weeks[5], excluding the time needed for biometrics. However, if you wish to expedite the process and want it within 20 calendar days[6], you can opt to apply under the Student Direct Stream (SDS). The visa fee for this route is CAD 150, and you will also need to furnish GIC. Till 2023, GIC of CAD 10,000 sufficed, but you now need to deposit CAD 20,635 to assure the Canadian government of your ability to meet the cost of living when studying in Canada[7]. You have to deposit this amount in your GIC account before applying for your visa. Once you move to Canada, you will be entitled to receive the same along with accrued interest over the course of 12 months.
4. Complete your biometric authentication[8][9]
Biometrics are needed when applying from outside Canada for the first time. For the same, you will be asked to provide your fingerprints and photo to a Government of Canada-authorized VAC. This will cost you an additional CAD 85. In certain cases, a personal interview and some medical tests may also be required as part of the visa application process.
The IRCC portal has streamlined the Canada visa tracking process. All you need to do is enter your IRRC login details and check the status. If rejected, you can reapply after carefully assessing the errors of your first attempt.
Good luck!
