All International students require a study permit to Canada to join a course of study with a duration longer than 6 months. The first step in your quest to studying in Canada is securing admission at a designated learning institution (DLI).

What Is A DLI?

The provincial and territorial governments in Canada allow a number of educational institutions to host foreign nationals as students. Such institutions are called designated learning institutions. By default, all the primary and secondary educational institutions in Canada are designated learning institutions.A list of DLIs is available on IRCC website.

Admission Process For A Study Permit

DLI will issue a letter of acceptance, once you meet with all eligibility criteria. This letter is an important document and will be required for visa application process. Visa applications can be submitted online or on paper for ease of students. Due to Covid-19 Pandemic, online application submission is the only option.

SDS Stream Vs. Regular Application

There are two ways applicants from certain countries (India, Pakistan, China, Philippines etc.) can apply for study permit. Besides the regular application process, they can go through SDS- student direct stream. SDS provides a faster application processing (20 calendar days) provided you are able to provide the required documents. Notably, only the applications submitted electronically are eligible for SDS processing. In addition, SDS requires acceptable IELTS scores; GIC of $10k CDN; payment of first year tuition in full; upfront medical etc besides the usual set of documents.

SDS allows you to submit a temporary resident visa (TRV) application for any accompanying family member(s) at the same time you submit your study permit application.

On the other hand, Regular Study Permit Applications include non-SDS electronic applications and paper-based applications submitted through visa application centres (VAC). For regular applications, the current processing times are approximately 15 weeks when applying from India. This excludes the time it takes for you to give your biometrics and your application to move from a VAC to Immigration Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

In the current scenario, you will need funds of at least CAN $14,000 p.a. for yourself and an accompanying family member. Above which, you will need an additional CAN $3,000 for every additional family member accompanying you to Canada.

Apart from the above-mentioned mandatory documents, you may have to submit additional documents such as a letter of explanation, custodian declaration for minor children and any other documents according to your country/region-specific visa requirements.

Processing Time And Fee

The processing time may vary depending on whether you apply for study permit from within or outside Canada. Variations in processing times are also possible as per   the country you apply from.

In the current COVID-19 situation, it may take longer than the usual processing time of about 15 weeks for your Canada study permit application to be processed. The current processing fee Canada study permit is $150 CAD. There is a biometrics fee of $85 as well.

Impact Of COVID-19 On Canada Study Permit

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the processing of all kinds of applications has been delayed. But IRCC has allowed for flexibilities in the application process with respect to the documents you have to submit. For example, you can share a letter of explanation if you are unable to submit a complete application with all the necessary documents.

Incomplete Applications-Considered

Your application will not be rejected due to being incomplete and you will even be given an extension to put together the missing documents when your application is taken up for processing. Priority, however is being given to complete applications.

Incomplete applications are being processed through two stages.

• In the first stage, IRCC will check your eligibility. This includes checking your letter of acceptance and availability of funds among other things.
• While the second stage entails, checking your application for admissibility and changes to your eligibility since you submitted your application. Any fitness and police certificates along with biometrics will be reviewed at this stage.

If your application passes the two stages, your study permit will be approved and you will be issued a visa.

COVID-19 FAQ’s

Q. What happens if I apply for Canada study permit now?

Ans. If you apply for Canada study permit now, it may take longer than usual for your application to be processed as IRCC are unable to operate in full capacity due to restrictions imposed due to COVID-19 pandemic. However, considering that applicants in various countries may be unable to give biometrics, undergo medical examination and submit their original travel documents. IRCC have made necessary accommodations in this regard.

IRCC have also decided to keep incomplete applications open instead of refusing them while granting extension to applicants to gather and submit any missing documents. Applicants need to submit a letter of explanation stating that you are unable to provide certain documents due to COVID-19.

Q. I am already enrolled as a student in Canada on a study permit and need to return to the country to carry on my program studies. How does the COVID-19 situation impact me?

Ans. For students who have already secured study permit to Canada and want to enter Canada to start their program study along with those who had to leave Canada during the pandemic in the midst of their course, they can return only if they have an essential purpose for entering Canada. Students travelling directly from the US are also admissible.

The purpose of your travel may be deemed essential in any of the following scenarios:

• you already live in Canada
• you need to be in Canada for your program study that includes laboratory work, workshops, etc.
• your educational institution is not offering online studies
• you are unable to attend online classes due to difference in time zones
• you are unable to study online from your home country due to internet issues or restrictions

Additionally, for those who seek to start first year of their program study in Canada, only the applicants who were approved for study permit on or before March 18, 2020 will be considered. Do factor in the 14-day mandatory quarantine period that you will be required to undergo before you can start your classroom studies in Canada.