Student Visa Canada

Canada is a consistently popular destination for those wishing to study in another country and every year more than 130,000 students choose Canada as their preferred place of study. A Canadian visa for students offers a range of benefits including the freedom to work on campus and its duration can be extended if necessary whilst already studying in Canada.

In Canada, student visas are issued as a temporary immigration service and although they afford a much greater duration than that of a Canadian tourist visa, they oblige their holders to return home when their grant of leave expires. Like a Canadian work permit, the study visa Canada does not provide a route to obtaining permanent residency and will not lead to the opportunity to apply for Canadian citizenship.

Benefits of Canadian Study Visas

In Canada, study visas are commonly issued for the duration of the course of study, although students in Montreal or another city in the province of Quebec will need to renew their study permit every year. Whilst applicants undertaking courses with a duration of less than six months do not specifically need to obtain a study visa, it is a worthwhile exercise to secure one since, should the applicant decide to continue to study in Canada, the permit can be renewed from within the country.

Canadian student visas are classed as a route to living and working in Canada and to attract more international students, Canadian immigration set up the Canadian Class Experience.

To help finance your time in Canada student permit their holders can work part time in conjunction with their studies. In some provinces, namely Quebec, Manitoba and New Brunswick, it may be possible to work off campus which will also require a separate application for a Canadian work permit. However, in most cases students are only permitted to engage in employment on campus.

Qualifying for a Canadian Study Visa

Like applying for Canadian work permits, study visas depend upon an offer of a place on a course of study. Applicants must have a firm offer of a place from a bona fide Canadian educational institution in order to apply. Applications should be submitted as soon as possible after the offer is confirmed in a letter of acceptance from the institution concerned. All applicants must be able to meet the following requirements.

• Candidates must possess an acceptance letter from a recognised educational institution in Canada confirming a definite offer of a place on a course of study.
• Candidates must be able to show that they can support themselves financially throughout their time in Canada, and that they can afford to live near to the location of the institution.
• Since Canadian study permits are issued as temporary visas, it will be necessary for applicants to show their intention to return to their country of residence upon completion of studies.
• In some cases, applicants may have to undergo a medical examination.

Applying for a Temporary Resident Visa

Nationals of some countries who wish to temporarily immigrate to Canada in order to study will need to apply for a temporary resident visa or TRV. If you require a temporary resident visa for Canada this must be obtained at the same time as the application for a study visa. A Global Visas immigration consultant will be able to advise as to whether non-Canadian nationals from your country of residence require a TRV in order to study in Canada.

Canadian Study Visa Exemptions

Although the vast majority of people studying in Canada need to be in possession of a visa, in some cases it is possible to study in Canada without one. As outlined above one example of this is a course whose duration is less than six months, although having a study visa will be necessary if the applicant wishes to take further studies, and not obtaining one will require the candidate to leave the country and reapply. Student visas are also unnecessary for those who are either related to or an employee of a foreign representative to Canada.

As specialists in Canadian immigration and visa services Global Visas offer a complete range of services for your relocation to Canada with specialist immigration lawyer advice throughout your application. You can find out whether you qualify for a Canadian student permit today by visiting our online assessment area and completing our straightforward assessment form. Just answer a few simple questions and one of our immigration consultants will contact you.