What are the requirements for a Canada student visa?

Canada is a country where students from all around the world come to complete their graduation, post-graduation, or doctoral degrees. As per IRCC, around 642,480 international students were in Canada in 2019, and the figure is 13% more than the previous year. To study in Canada, most of the international students have to apply for a study permit.

Canada Study Permit

A Canadian study permit is an important piece of document that allows international students to study at designated learning institutions. DLIs are those Canadian universities, colleges or educational institutions that have permission to host international students. The study permit is not a visa! That means you cannot enter Canada merely with a study permit. As it is earlier said, it allows you to study at an accredited educational institution while you are in Canada.

The validity of the Canadian study permit is typically the duration of the applicant’s course and 90 days more. Extra 90 days are given to the students so that they can extend their stay or go back to their home country.

The study permit is usually handed over to students at the airport by an immigration officer. The officer generally asks for a visa or other documents before handing it over to the student.

Student Direct Stream

Canada has a FastTrack process to apply for a study permit for India, China, Pakistan, Morocco, Senegal, the Philippines, or Vietnam under which students of the respective nations can get their study permit within 20 days. Students from other countries can apply under the general visa category, which is also known as a non-SDS category.

Eligibility criteria to apply under SDS

To apply under SDS, the student must have

• A receipt of payment paid to the university or college, or an official letter showing that the student has paid the fees to the institution to which he/she has applied.
• Guaranteed Investment Certificate, it is an investment that is later paid back to the student during his/her 10-12 months of stay in Canada.
• Overall 6 bands in IELTS
• A police certificate
• A medical certificate

Documents required for Canada student Visa

The students applying to study in Canada will need the following documents. However, as no two cases are similar, they may need to demonstrate additional documents, certificates to get their Canada study visa. The documents are

• A valid passport
• An offer letter/acceptance letter for a Canadian university or college
• Evidence of payment of fees
• GIC worth CAD 10,000, which is returned to the student during the first 10-12 months of stay
• A fitness certificate showing the applicant is in good shape. The doctors approved by IRCC must perform the medical examination.
• A proof that the applicant has no criminal record against himself or herself
• A Certificate of English proficiency, which can be obtained by taking IELTS, PTE, Duolingo or other English language exams
• Passport size photographs
• Copy of academic documents
• Certificate of job experience (optional)
• Students applying to to study in Quebec will need a Certificat d’acceptation du Québec (CAQ) from the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration

Students are recommended to start their visa application process 2 to 3 months earlier to get their Canada study visa without any hassle. Students are highly encouraged to consult with our Canada visa experts before applying to study in Canada.