You are one of the thousands of students who come to Canada to study. You are lucky! Know that before joining your new campus and your new life in the land of caribou, you will have to take several steps. And so that they are neither long nor winding, we give you a little topo on the essential information to know before the big departure!
What are the eligibility criteria?
Know firstly that if you intend to carry out your studies for a period equal or inferior to 6 months, no study permit will be asked you. Nevertheless, you will have to leave Canada as soon as this six-month period is over. For longer studies, the first step in your application for a license will be to verify your eligibility on the CIC website. For this, several documents will be requested in addition to the application form. These are non-negotiable from the point of view of immigration:
- Obtain a letter of acceptance from an educational institution in Canada ( list of designated institutions )
- Have proof of income sufficient to pay the tuition fees, and those directly related to the stay (housing, food, transportation …)
- Have a clean criminal record
- Pass a medical examination to ensure that you are in good health (stays longer than 6 months)
- Do not want to stay in Canada at the end of the study period (proof ticket A / R)
What steps after the permit application?
Once you have submitted your application, you will have to wait for CIC services to process it. Deadlines may differ from year to year depending on the number of requests. Also, if the application is not complete, the visa office will not process it and return it, which will require longer processing times! Be careful to check that your file is complete and to do it as soon as possible to cope with the massive influx of applications each year. Lately, the average time was one week. Of course, this information can change as soon as quotas are reached to issue study permits. If you feel any genuine issue it would be better to get assistance from the professional Canada immigration consultants they’ll guide you properly.
Once your application is approved, you will receive your letter of introduction. Be careful, this letter is in no way a study permit, but only proof that you are in good standing to study in Canada. It will then be requested when you enter Canada by one of the immigration officers. In addition, an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) ticket will be issued to you at the same time as your letter of introduction. The eTA is mandatory for French students, it is valid for a period of 5 years or until the expiry of your passport.
In the event that your application is rejected, a letter of justification will be sent to you by the visa office to explain the reasons for its refusal. These may concern: the proof of your income considered insufficient, if you have not passed your medical examination, and if you have not convinced the visa service of your intention to go to Canada for your studies. It is also quite possible to contact the visa office for further justification.
Additional Information
In case you wish to extend your study permit. It is possible to make a request to modify your conditions of stay. Your new application must be made at least 30 days before the expiry date of your study permit, directly via the CIC website.
You may want to work during your study stay. To do this, you will have to go through a new screen with new eligibility criteria to obtain a work permit. Please note, however, that if you wish to work off-campus, no work permit will be required. You will then need to obtain a Social Insurance Number (SIN) by applying. Your study permit will be requested, mentioning that you are authorized to work. If this is not the case you will not be able to apply for a SIN, but you will be able to make a modification of your study permit.
In the event that your new application is accepted, you will be allowed to work up to 20 hours maximum per week during the course period, and full-time during your leave periods.
