International students studying in Canada surged to 572,415 last year, which marks a 16.25 percent increase from the 492,545 in 2017. Interestingly, 14.57 percent or 83,410 of these students are of Indian descent.
Primary reasons that contribute to the popularity of education in Canada for Indian students include their tolerable policies, high-quality education, multicultural living environment, and lenient student visa requirements.
As a rule of thumb, people looking into education in Canada for Indian students should check whether they should acquire student visas. In several circumstances, Indian students won’t need a Canadian study permit if one of these conditions apply to them:
- Enrolled in a degree program that lasts six months or less
- Citizen of another nation, but have a registered Indian status in Canada
- Part of the foreign armed forces as per the Visiting Forces Law
- Staff or family member of an international representative in the country who is certified by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Development
If the conditions don’t apply, subsequently obtain an acceptance letter from a Canadian university for the visa application process.
In most of these situations, international students are required to submit all their academic records via mail to the right department in the institution. Besides that, students may also be asked to include their DLI number and home contact details as well as an online profile in the student portal of the institution.
Ideally, consult with organizations like A-Canada to make sure that you can produce all the documents required by the university. More often than not, Canadian universities will also require you to submit proof of your English proficiency.
Accepted language tests that you can take include the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Test Of English As A Foreign Language (TOEFL), and Cambridge English: Advanced. However, proof of your language abilities is not required in the visa application process.
Generally, Canadian universities will send acceptance letters to international students within six to eight weeks. Afterward, check the website of the Citizenship and Immigration Canada and sign up the form online to begin the application process.
Provide documents such as proof of financial resources, clinical and criminal records, acceptance letter, statement of purpose, and passport-sized photographs. You might also be asked to show up at a Visa Application Center for interview and biometrics.
The biometrics fee is pegged at CAD 85. Processing time for the Canadian study permit usually takes 15 to 30 days, but it can go as long as three months, depending on the situation in your home country.
How long is a Canadian Student Visa Valid?
Generally, Canadian student visas are valid for the length of your program, plus an extra three months of stay.
During those 90 days, students can prepare to leave the country or apply to renew their visas and extend their stays. Renewals of a Canadian study visa may only be granted under the following condition:
Your school institution has to take you prerequisite programs before getting accepted to the main program. It is most likely during this time that the government will extend the validity of your student visa to the duration of those subjects, plus one year.
Bear in mind though that the Canadian government requires you to obtain a proof from the school to be eligible for this extension.
