Ultimate Canadian Student Visa Guide
Do you want to know everything about the student visa for Canada ? If you are reading this article, it is because you are thinking of studying in Canada and you need to know what you must do to obtain your visa.
Canada is a country that offers great opportunities to foreign students and professionals who seek to enrich their professional profile with high-level study programs.
However, in order for you to fulfill this objective, you need to apply for a Canadian student visa or study permit, as it is known in Canada.
In this article you will learn when to request it, what requirements you must meet and what the steps to follow will be to achieve it successfully.
Let us begin!
When should you apply for a Canadian student visa?
For your student visa application to be successful, you must be enrolled in a course of more than 6 months duration, be it a diploma, postgraduate or master’s degree, whichever best suits your objectives.
On the other hand, it is very important to verify that the institution you enroll in is accredited by the Canadian government .
There is a list where you can learn more about those institutions approved by the government, it is known as: Designated Learning Institutions List.
For the rest, we recommend applying for a Canadian visa to study at least 4 or 6 months in advance .
What are the requirements to apply for a student visa to Canada?
To study and work in Canada, you must meet certain requirements if you want your student visa to be accepted. These are the requirements to meet:
- Legal and valid passport
- 3 current passport photos
- Evidence that demonstrates economic solvency for your first year of stay in Canada. Approximately 833 CAD* per month.
- Enrollment in a government-accredited institution.
- Letter from the institution where you are going to take your course, confirmation of enrollment.
- Proof of payment of the student visa for Canada. Approximately $150 CAD value*
* Important note: The values are for reference and may vary.
It is very important that you take into account these procedures that are also necessary when studying in Canada, such as:
- Certificate of previous studies
- English level certificate (IELTS, TOEFL, FCE, CAE)
- Medical tests
How to get a student visa for Canada?
We have reached a fundamental point in the process: how to achieve it?
Well, to obtain a student visa in Canada, it is important to follow these steps so that your application is a success.
1. Enroll in a study program
Once you have chosen the study program that best meets your objectives, it is time to enrol! The process of this may vary according to the institution, as well as the length of stay in the country.
Remember to start your procedures in advance, since, depending on the chosen program, the process can last days or weeks.
2. Confirmation documents from the educational institution
When you have finished the enrollment process, you will receive two documents: the Offer Letter (confirmation document) and Proof of Acceptance (proof of acceptance)
The first will indicate the economic conditions and the form of payment. While the second will indicate that your registration was done correctly.
3. Visa application for Canada through the online portal
This part corresponds to carrying out the process of your student visa through the online portal of the Canadian government, where you must enter the corresponding data and attach the relevant documents.
4. Medical exams and biometric data
Once the payment of your Canadian student visa has been made, it is time to manage your biometric data. It is important to request the appointment in advance!
Medical examinations are only requested in special circumstances, taking into account the information provided by the student.
5. Visa approval
This is the last step and probably the most exciting, but patience plays an important part at this point, since the process can take about a month.
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Once you have received your approved student visa for Canada, you can start preparing your trip and start a new chapter studying and living in Canada.
Now that you know everything you need to apply for a Canadian visa, it will be much easier for you to know what the process will be like and what you will need to achieve it.
It is important that you remember to carry out all the paperwork and the visa application process in time through the Canadian government portal. In this way, you will be able to avoid any setback.
Canada is an incredible country that will allow you to live unique experiences while improving the quality of your life. Now it is up to you to embark on this journey to improve your professional profile through the excellent study programs that it offers you.
WHY IS STUDYING IN CANADA BETTER THAN IN THE UNITED STATES?
In the search and evaluation of your study options outside the country, you have most likely come to consider studying in Canada or the United States. And, probably, after analyzing both countries a little more, you have asked yourself: “ why is studying in Canada a better option than in the United States?”
Precisely the answer to that concern you have is what we will address today in this article that will introduce you to some important factors that make Canada the best destination to study abroad.
The country of hockey and maple has become one of the best destinations for your studies. This is thanks to the fact that studying in Canada gives you the possibility of studying two languages, English and French, a high level of quality of life, reasonable prices, a strong educational system and a much cheaper cost of living.
Don’t miss a second of this article! We will tell you in detail some important aspects that you should know to consider Canada as the best option for your next professional study destination.
5 factors why studying in Canada is a better option
Canada is a country that offers you everything you need to make your cultural exchange an unforgettable experience. Below, we give you 5 important factors to consider in your decision to study at a university in Canada. Let’s go!
Canadian visa policy is less strict and rigorous
As you may already know, the US visa application system is an extremely long and complicated process. On the other hand, the Canadian visa application process is much simpler and shorter, which will surely encourage you to study in Canada.
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Also, another important aspect to keep in mind is that Canadians allow international students to stay in Canada and seek employment opportunities. Something that is undoubtedly a great opportunity for your professional growth. Do not you believe it?
Eligibility criteria for Canadian universities are easier
Although the admission process and eligibility criteria in the United States and Canada are relatively similar, there are important differences that make it a little easier to get into universities in Canada.
To access universities in the United States, it is required to submit entrance exam scores such as GRE, GMAT, TOEFL, IELTS along with your grade point average (GPA).
While universities in Canada value a GPA and your IELTS and TOEFL scores more than your GRE and GMAT test scores. Because of this, getting admitted to Canadian universities is easier and less competitive.
The cost of studying in Canada is less than in the United States
Surely within your search for study abroad options you have entered the doubt of the cost of studying in Canada. It turns out that studying in Canada will be relatively less expensive compared to the United States.
The most important expenses for your studies will be the value of your tuition and your living expenses. The cost, of course, will depend on the institution you choose and the area where you decide to live.
Therefore, the cost of studying in Canada will be relatively comfortable for you if you know how to choose the best option according to your budget and needs.
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The cost of living in Canada is around 1,000 CAD per month. It sounds like a lot, but don’t worry! You can live in the country of the maple and pay for your stay without much problem.
The important thing is that you manage your money very well so that you do not spend more than you should. Also, when you calculate how much it costs to live in the country, take into account these 3 factors that make the cost of living in Canada vary a little:
- The city and area where you live.
- The salary you earn while working in Canada.
- The way you organize your finances.
When you calculate how much it costs to live in Canada, the city you move to carries a lot of weight. After all, the cost of living (accommodation, food, transportation) in some is not the same as in others.
The good thing about this country is that wherever you move, you study and work! Thus, you can face each cost you need to cover without dying in the attempt.
The alternatives to get jobs in Canada increase with a PGWP
The Post-Graduation Work Permit is a work permit for students graduating from Canadian institutions after graduation.
The great benefit of this permit is that it gives you work experience that will be taken into account for the application for permanent residence.
It is true that for Canadian residence you must meet certain economic, educational and linguistic requirements.
However, having worked for at least 1 year on the Post-Graduation Work Permit makes you a qualified worker and, likewise, a suitable candidate for a job in Canada. This ultimately opens up a range of job possibilities for you. Isn’t that amazing?
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Why foreign students prefer to study and live in Canada
There are many destinations to study abroad, but the long list of reasons to study in Canada keeps it at the top.
Here are 5 good reasons to study in Canada, and why it is a great investment:
- Excellent quality of life: Canada is recognized for its high quality of life and cities like Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver, year after year, are selected from the best cities to live and study.
- Multiculturalism: Canada is a country accustomed to welcoming immigrants from all over the world. Thousands of international students from all corners are welcomed every year in hundreds of schools, where they integrate and live with local students every day.
- Commitment to education: Canada is a country committed to education and its educational system today is one of the best in the world.
Similarly, its students have excellent results in international tests.
- Cities full of life: Cities like Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver offer a high quality of life accompanied by unique experiences with renowned museums, festivals, concerts and nightlife. All this in a safe environment for you.
- Natural beauty: Canada offers, for all who visit it, the possibility of discovering natural landscapes, some of which are world famous such as Niagara Falls, the Rocky Mountains, the islands of the Great Lakes or the Banff and Jasper National Parks.
Its natural beauty combined with its impressive cities are ideal for thousands of people like you to enjoy studying in Canada.
Studying in Canada opens the doors to boost your professional profile
There are many reasons to choose Canada. It has a stable economy, it is one of the safest countries in the world, in the labor field the opportunities are very wide and it is also a multicultural country.
Now we want to tell you some reasons why studying in Canada can boost your professional career.
– You improve your quality of life and are part of a multicultural society: Canada is a multicultural country that respects and promotes diversity. Here you can try Japanese, Indian, Thai, Greek, Chinese, Korean, Italian, Mexican food and much more. You will also be able to learn about traditions and participate in events and festivals from other cultures.
– You get a better command of English or French : Living with natives of these languages day and night will help you master these languages in a short time. In addition, you will be able to meet people and live unforgettable experiences in the learning process.
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– You access first-class university programs: Education in Canada has a great reputation, the studies carried out in this country are recognized throughout the world thanks to their quality and excellence in the educational sector.
College education is based on a practical system to give you the knowledge and skills that companies require to hire you.
– You get excellent job opportunities: If you want your profile to stand out and be attractive to employers, we recommend that you study in this country.
Some of the programs you can study give you the opportunity to gain work experience while you study, which opens doors to the job market.
Conclusions
If you made it to the end of this article, you probably already realized why studying in Canada is better than studying in the United States.
Differences such as its costs of living, job opportunities, study costs and ease of processing documents, highlight Canada and make it a better option for you.
Definitely, studying in Canada is an incredible opportunity that will help you stand out professionally and will allow you to make your way in the job market, climb professionally, improve your quality of life and of course the opportunity to interact with people from other cultures.
Now, there is only one question left to ask: what are you waiting for to start this incredible journey?
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About Author
Traveller
CJair is a renowned expert on Travel Guides, he specializes on helping people to achieve their tourism taste.