Visa Application Process For Canada

Canada is one of the top destinations for international students from all around the world.

Students from all around the world who are seeking education in Canada will need to acquire a Canadian student visa, also called  Student Permit. The Candidates can apply for the Canadian Student Visa either online or by hand on paper. For those students who want to apply for the visa on paper, they will need to submit the written application and all the required documents in person at the visa application center in India.

Visa Application Process For Canada

Applying to study in Canada as a foreign student, extending your study permit, and finding out about working while studying or after graduation.

Who can apply for the visa, how you can submit your application, the processing duration and what you should expect when you get to Canada

Getting a work permit to live in Canada after your graduation and how can you apply for permanent residence in Canada

Once you get a Canadian study permit, you can also apply to renew your permit from within Canada if you wish to continue your studies. For full-time students who are registered at an accredited higher education institution, the study permit also allows them to work part-time there on campus. You may also work off-campus, work as an intern as a part of your study program, live in Canada as a permanent resident, or find any work after your graduation. 

Foreign Students:

A foreign national student does not need a study permit if they are having a program of study which has a time duration of six months or less than six months. If the foreign national takes longer than six months to complete the study program, they must get a study permit before the initial six months of the program have passed.

Minor children, those who are under the age of 18 or 19 (the age for minor children varies by province), do not require a study permit to attend kindergarten, primary or secondary school if they meet any of the following conditions:

They are refugees or refugee claimants

They are living in Canada accompanying a parent,  authorized to work or study

For online visa procedures,  candidates should visit the  VFS Global official website and follow the mentioned step-by-step process to fill up the given visa application form.

To apply for a study permit you can Apply online, for which 

You must have:

Access to any scanner or camera to create electronic copies of your required documents to upload, and

A valid credit card for payment:

VFS Global is a great service provider which is authorized by the Canadian Government to provide all the administrative support services to Indian applicants. This Student Visa offered by the government of Canada is valid not only for the whole duration of the course but also for an additional  90 days. This allows  Indian students to live in Canada for the entire duration of their course.

Students may require to renew their visas if they in case want to stay in Canada even after the duration of their course. For this purpose,  students will need to apply again for a different visa from the immigration office. After the completion of the course, in case they are not planning to further stay in the country., they can leave for their country.  

Note: Due to the global pandemic COVID-19, the Canada Visa Application Centres in India are providing quite limited services until any further notice. Those students who have already applied for a  visa will soon be receiving emails from VFS Global website for biometric verification, interviews, and any further procedure. Candidates must carefully read the instructions that have been mentioned in the email and should act accordingly.

Step-By-Step Guidelines To Apply For Student Visa In Canada:

To apply for a student visa, applicants have to follow certain steps and guidelines just as defined by Immigration, Refugee, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Mentioned below are the steps to get a student study permit in Canada:

Step 1: Select the Visa Type:

First of all, Visit the official website of VFS Global and Identify your visa type. For this, choose the option Study Permit and then check if you are eligible enough to apply for it or not. You must check the list of documents necessary to submit the application form, the fees that are needed to be submitted, and the processing time of the application.

If you are eligible, you will get a personal checklist code, that is valid for 60 days, you will need this code to submit your application online. Don’t forget to print out the page that contains your code to help you for future reference. The page also includes an application guide, an estimated amount of tuition fees, a list of all the documents that you will need to attach with your application, and guidelines for your further steps.

Step 2: Fill out the Application Form:

Then Fill up the given online application form, and complete all the supporting documents just as mentioned in the documents checklist. In case, you are not able to provide all the supporting documents as mentioned in the document checklist, you’ll have to fill out the waiver form, sign it, and attach it to your application form.

For offline submission of student visa applications, you can easily download the visa application form anytime,  fill it out accurately and carry it yourself at Visa Application Centre.

When you apply for your study permit, the visa officer will confirm to make sure you meet all the requirements. If the officer is not satisfied with your documents they will refuse your application.

3. Book an Appointment:

International students are also required to provide their biometric details which will include their fingerprints and pictures as identification for security purposes. It is known as ‘biometric information. For this purpose, you will have to book an appointment after you have applied for your visa.

4. Pay the Visa Application Fees:

As soon as the application procedure is completed, you will need to pay the required visa application fee. This fee includes the Canadian government Fee and the biometric fee (if required) according to the instructions given on the Immigration, Refugee, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) site. The total fee of the study permit (including all the extensions) is C$150

5. Visit the Visa Application Centre:

Once your application has been submitted successfully, you’ll receive a confirmation email and SMS regarding the scheduled appointment. Candidates must visit the Visa Application Centre at their scheduled appointment. Make sure to carry the application and all the required items with you at the center.

6. Track your Application

Any update related to your application and the decision will be given to you via either email or SMS. You must make sure to stay well informed regarding the progress of your application for further processing of the student visa.

You can now also track your application online if you want, the link to the application is available on the website of VFS Global. To track your application, you will need to enter the Tracking ID number as mentioned on the receipt you received from the Visa Application Centre and your Date of Birth.

7. Collect your Passport:

Once the visa application decision has been made, the applicant will have to collect his/her documents for Visa Application Centre (VAC). It includes the following documents:

• Stamped Passport
• Original Receipt of visa Application Centre Services 
• A Form of Government Identification
• All the Documents that are Required For Canada Student Visa

Appearing in the eligibility tests and gathering all the required documents to apply for a student visa takes much time. Thus, the one seeking the Canadian student visa should start the whole procedure about 3 to 4 months before the commencement of the program. Given here is the list of the documents that will be required to apply for a Canadian student permit:

Transcript: These include students’ mark sheets and the certificates of Class X, Class XII, and any recent qualification. The document that is uploaded along with the application form for the candidate must be very clear and in colored form.

English Proficiency: Indian students also have to provide proof of proficiency in the English language either through the tests IELTS, TOEFL, or the other exams designated by the authorities. This is to ensure that the students can excel academically in their respective fields.

Letter of Acceptance: One of the essential documents for the student visa is the letter of acceptance from your target university stating that they have accepted you for the program.

Fees: Proof must also be submitted to them that the students have deposited the study permit fee of 150 CAD.

You must obtain a standardized letter of acceptance from a recognized higher education provider. You must get this before you are allowed to apply for your study permit. You can do this online, by printing the form, or by requesting the paper form from the university, which will also provide you with good advice on this subject.

Financial Documents:

Certain financial documents are needed to prove that you or your guardian can support your study and living expenses while you stay in Canada. The list of such financial documents is as follows:

• Proof of a Canadian bank account in your name, if you have already opened a bank account in Canada.
• Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC), which is issued by a participating Canadian financial institution.
• Educational Loan documents, if any.
• Bank statements of the past 4 months.
• Bank draft that can be converted to Canadian dollars
• Receipt of the fees paid in the College
• Scholarship funds, if any

If you are applying for universities in the Quebec province of Canada you will have to prove that you can easily afford 917 CAD per month.

For applying in any other province of Canada, you will have to show your financial backing of 833 CAD per month which can be either in your bank account or coming from an external source.

Medical Certificate:

Applicants may also need to have a medical exam and/or police check before submitting their application. You will not be eligible to get your study permit if you have any previous criminal record – you can be asked to give a Police Clearance Certificate as proof. Students also need a medical certificate ensuring that they are medically fit to seek an education in Canada.

Passport: All candidates wanting a Canada student visa must have a valid passport.

Photographs: Two passport-size photographs of the candidates are also required in the procedure with the applicant’s name and date of birth being mentioned on the back.

Working while you study in Canada:

If you would like to get any part-time job to support yourself financially while studying in Canada, now you can qualify to work on or off-campus for up to 20 hours during your university semesters and also full-time jobs during breaks like the winter or summer vacations, without the need for any work permit.

To qualify for this,  you must:

• Have a valid study permit
• Be a full-time student
• Be enrolled at a designated institution at the post-secondary level or, in Quebec, any vocational program at the secondary level
• Be studying in such academic, vocational or professional training course that leads to a degree,  certificate, diploma that is at least six months in duration.

You also require Social Insurance Number (SIN) from Service Canada if you want to work in Canada or receive benefits and services from the government programs.

The study permit will not be valid 90 days after you complete your study program, so you’ll have to acquire a Post-graduation work permit if you want to reside in Canada after completing your studies and find work. This will be valid for three years. For further advice on finding a job after your university, please download our guide.