Canada Student Visa Application Process

6 Easy Steps to Get a Canadian Student Visa (2020)

Get your Canada student visa with step-by-step guidance on application process, documents, processing time, study and work permit. Apply today with experts.

The student visa application process for Canada begins with receiving an admission offer from a Canadian university, you will need a study permit to study at a designated learning institution (DLI) in Canada and a student visa to live in Canada.

If you are an Indian student applying for your study permit or temporary resident visa, you do not need to submit your biometrics along with your visa application and you are eligible for the Student Direct Stream

The Student Direct Stream or SDS is a streamlined application process for the study permit, which guarantees faster processing times of around 20 days. SDS is aimed at students with strong English or French language skills, who wish to study a program at a DLI.

According to the Government of Canada website, you will have to meet the following requirements for you to qualify for the SDS:

• You will need a letter of admission from a DLI
• You will have to demonstrate the necessary knowledge level in French or English
• You will need to demonstrate that you have adequate finances to cover your entire education and living expenses while in Canada
• You will have to provide the results of your medical examination

To apply for your study permit, you will need to provide:

• a copy of your acceptance letter from a DLI
• a copy of the confirmation of your medical examination
• proof of your Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) of $10,000
• proof of tuition fee payment for at least the first year
• proof that you have taken a language test with a minimum score of 6 for English (International English Language Testing System), or a minimum score of 7 for French in the Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (Test d’évaluation de français).

Once your documents are ready, you can either apply online or on paper. The visa application fee is CAD 150.

To apply for a study permit, you should:

• Be enrolled at a DLI
• Have sufficient finances to cover your tuition, living expenses and a return trip to your country after completing your program at the DLI
• Not have a criminal record or be a threat to the security of Canada
• Complete a medical exam to prove you are in good health
• Convince the immigration officer that you will return to your home country after completing your education program in Canada

In addition to these documents, you can also provide a letter of explanation to support your visa application. This letter should inform the committee of your career goals, the reason why you have selected a particular program, how you are prepared to cope with this program, and why you have decided to pursue the program in Canada.

Two Options to Apply

To apply online, you will need to create an account on the Government of Canada website. You will also need electronic copies of all your documents and a credit card to pay the application fee.

Here are the steps you will have to follow if you decide to apply for your visa online:

1. The first step is to create an account. This account will help you prepare your application and submit it online, and later you can check the status of your visa application.
2. After providing details about your background and program that you have been admitted into, you will receive an email with details about your login and password.
3. Once you login to your account with the details provided in the email, you can upload all the necessary documents that have been listed.
4. After uploading your documents, you can pay your visa fee of CAD150 (~Rs 7,800).
5. You can then submit and track your visa application.

If you decide to apply on paper, you should read the instruction guide provided on the Government of Canada’s website. Once your visa application is ready, you can send it to a visa application center that covers your area. If your application is incomplete, it will not be processed and will be returned to you.

To apply on paper, you will have to follow these steps:

1. Get your documents ready. You will need certified copies of each document. Additionally, you will have to translate any, if required. Your documents must either be in English or French. Once you get the documents translated, you will need an affidavit from the person who completed the translation. You will also be required to provide a certified copy of the original as well.
2. You will have to fill out all the forms in the application.
3. After you have gathered your documents and filled out your application, you will have to pay the application fee and the biometrics fee.
4. After paying your biometrics fee, you will have to get your biometrics ready.
5. You can now submit your application.

According to the Canadian government’s website, the time taken to process a visa application can vary depending on a range of factors. At present, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, processing times may be slower than usual. You can check for updates on the processing time for your student visa on their website.

The GIC or the Guaranteed Investment Certificate is one of the documents you will be required to submit to get your study permit. You can obtain your GIC of $10,000 from a participating financial institution.

As Scotiabank and ICICI Bank Canada are the only participating Canadian financial institutions in India at present, you can open a GIC account with either of these banks. You will receive a guaranteed rate of interest for 12 months. These funds can help ease your expenses during your study program. After 12 months, you will get back your original investment along with the accrued interest.

In addition to the GIC, you will also need sufficient funds to cover your expenses while studying in Canada.

The Government of Canada expects you to have your health checked before you apply for a student visa. Your medical test will have to be conducted by one of the physicians listed on their website. This generally happens around a month after you have submitted your application. However, you also have the option to get the medical examination done before you submit your student visa application.

While going for your medical examination, carry the following:

• Proper ID in the form of your passport, driver’s license or national identity card
• Spectacles or contact lenses, if you wear either
• Test results or medical records of previous or existing medical conditions
• The Medical Report Form (IMM 1017E), sent by the Visa office

Once the physician has completed your test, your results will be sent directly to the embassy.