Canada Student Visa Process: A Step by Step Guide to Help You Get Your Visa

Do you know that number of Indian students in Canada is increasing drastically? India remains the top source for foreign students moving to Canada to fulfil their dream to pursue their studies from abroad. From 39,705 in 2016 the number of Indian students In Canada rose to 80,685 in 2019.

There are a plethora of reasons behind this surge of Indian students willing to move to Canada for their studies. One of the main reasons is the familiar culture in Canada as India. Students don’t face many challenges there and they are much comfortable in the country in comparison to considering any other country like the USA.

Furthermore, many Indians have one or the other related person in Canada who can help them in adjusting there easily. If you are adamant to study in Canada then you need to know about the Canada Student visa process and for that you need to read this article till the end.

 How to Apply for a Study Visa in Canada?

To move ahead to fulfil your dream of completing your studies from Canada, you need to se to get a Canada student visa. To begin with, you need to know the eligibility criteria to check if you fulfil them or not. So, let’s check the eligibility critters first.

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1. Eligibility Criteria

You are eligible to study in Canada if you fulfil the following criteria:-

#If you are applying for the Post-secondary level then you have to enrol yourself at Designated Learning Institution (DLI). Primary and secondary schools in Canada are already designated, so you don’t need to apply for DLI.

#Prove that you have enough financial resources to pay for tuition fees, living expenses, and return transportation for you and your family if they are coming along.

#You need to submit a police certificate and make sure that you have no criminal record

#Provide a medical certificate proving that you are in sound health

#Submit an IELTS score, make sure that you get IELTS score equal to or above the minimum desired score.

#Prove that you will leave the country once your studies are over.

2. Who doesn’t Need a Permit?

There are exceptions everywhere, so in this case also. There are people who don’t need a visa.

#Students who are coming for a short-term course of 6 months and less. They just need a study permit and DLI.

#Family or staff of Foreign Representatives to Canada that is accredited by Global Affairs Canada (GAC).

#Members of the Foreign armed force who are on official duty. But if their children want to study then they will be need one.

#Indians who are registered in Canada. Even if they are still a citizen of another country.

#Minor children who are in kindergarten. Refugees, their parents are refugees or they are in pre-school, primary, or secondary school already in Canada.

 Canada Student Visa Process Step by Step

When a candidate is planning to study abroad, a common question that will trouble their mind is what is the process of a Canada student visa? But don’t worry if this question is troubling you because you have come to the right place where you will get to know the step by step guide to get the Canada student visa.

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1. Apply for the College/ University

Your first job is to research the university or college that you want to get enrolled in. This is the first step because after deciding the college or the university you will apply for their Approval of Admission, that is, an offer letter that you need to submit in the visa application form. While you are choosing the university or college look for what is the minimum IELTS score required by the university. Check on their website about the program structure, their ranking, program fee, career opportunities, and all the facilities they have for the students. Once you have finalized the college or the university you will need to complete the application process while submitting the required document and then on the basis of your application you will get the offer letter.

2. Pay the Tuition Fees

Once you get the offer letter from the college or the university you need to pay the tuition fee that will be mentioned in the offer letter. The payment has to be made by International Wire transfer. You will get the receipt once the college receives your payment, this receipt will be required in the application, hence keep it safe. Now you can move to the next step.

 3.Purchase the GIC 

GIC is a Guaranteed Investment Certificate that is compulsory for the students. They can buy GIC from any bank like- ICICI Bank, SBI, Canada Bank, Nova Scotia bank. GIC amounts to $10,200 CAD which adjusts the living expense of the first year. $200 is deducted as the administrative charges but it differs from bank to bank. Students will immediately receive $2000 when they arrive. The remaining amount is paid each month to the student. This is a nonredeemable investment.

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4. Medication Examination

You need to undergo a medical examination. But for the medical examination, you need to go to the doctors mentioned in the panel list. You will receive a receipt for the medical that you need to submit in the application form.

5. IELTS Examination 

The language used in Canada is English, thus they will only permit the candidates who can understand, read, listen, write and speak English. University and the Canada study Visa requires the IELTS score.

IELTS is the examination that is conducted by IDP and the British council and it is conducted to evaluate the English proficiency of the Candidate. University or college have different minimum IELTS score requirements. Different countries have different minimum IELTS score requirements.

So, when you are applying for the University application and a student visa you need to submit your IELTS score. Make sure that you start the preparation and give the IELTS examination to score equal to or above the minimum score required.

 6. Canada Study Visa Application Form

Now you have to start with the application form and make sure you have collected all the required documents which are-

1.Valid passport along with the photocopy of your Biodata.

2.Family Information form.

3.Offer letter from the college or university.

4.Representative form (IMM 5476).

5.IELTS examination score is proof of your English proficiency.

6.Academic documents.

7.Evidence of GIC.

8.Receipt received by the college after the payment.

9.Medical receipt.

7. Wait for the Result

After submitting the application you need to wait for it to get approved and get the visa. Keep in mind that you provide authentic documents in the application form because they are checked thoroughly and if there’s any fishing, the Canadian Government will come to know and your dream of studying in Canada may not get fulfilled.

Also Read:- How to Get a Study Permit for Canada? Click to Know Everything about Canada Study Visa

 How Long does a Student Visa take to Process in Canada?

Usually, Canada student visa processing time is around 90 days but it can also come sooner. It depends on the situation in your home country and the situation in Canada as well. Hence, it is advisable that when you are deciding to move there for study purposes, you should apply 4 to 5 months earlier for the visa application process before your course commencement time.

Make sure that you have all the required documents to make the application process easier. You can also apply for the visa from Student Direct Stream as it is faster than the classic way. You may get the visa in 20 days but the process is different for the Student Direct stream.

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Conclusion

Pursuing your studies in Canada is a very crucial decision of yours which you need to take with utmost responsibility. For every step, you need to do thorough research. Also, make sure that you are ready to get a good score in the IELTS as it is really important for you to fulfil your dream, so you prepare it seriously.