Studying in Canada

Attending a university, training program, or language school in Canada doesn’t just get you a great education, it also puts you on the pathway to Canadian citizenship. Acceptance into a designated learning institution in Canada makes you eligible for a study permit. You don’t have to go back to school for a university degree in order to qualify, many vocational schools and language schools can also get you a student visa. Not all schools in Canada are approved by the government to qualify you for a student visa, so make sure your school is on the list before you apply.

If your school loses its designated learning institution status, you can complete your current study permit term, but you can’t renew it unless you change schools. Any programs that are six months or less will simply have you enter on a tourist visa, so be sure that both your school and your program qualify for a visa.

You need an acceptance letter from the school first before you can apply for a study permit. Your school will walk you through the permit application process. Once approved for a study permit, you’ll be able to live in Canada for the length of your educational program, plus an additional six months after your program is completed.

Your student visa will allow you to bring your spouse (or common law partner) and your kids with you. Your spouse or partner can even apply for an open work permit for the length of your student visa. As a student, you can apply for a work permit, too. Because you need to be enrolled in classes full-time in order to qualify for a study permit, you can work up to 20 hours a week while school is in session and full-time during breaks.

Your learning institution will report your academic status to the IRCC, so make sure you stay in good academic standing in order to keep your study permit (and any associated work permits) from being cancelled. After you complete your studies Once you complete your studies, you can apply for a post-graduation work permit. There are specific criteria you need to meet in order to be eligible for a post graduation work permit, so keep this in mind.

You have to apply before your student visa expires and have maintained full-time student status for the duration of your program, among other requirements. Your post graduation work permit can be valid for as long as three years, so be sure to plan ahead and not miss the opportunity to take advantage of this. The most common route from student visa to Canadian citizenship is to use the post graduation work permit to get the experience required for Express Entry through the Canadian Experience Class.

Most Canadian graduates will qualify for Express Entry after a year of working full-time. If you already have two or more years of professional experience from outside of Canada, you may be eligible for Express Entry as soon as you graduate. There are lots of Provincial Nomination Programs that encourage you to stay in Canada after you graduate from a Canadian university. These changes depending on the needs of each province and the whims of politics. If you’ve earned your Masters or PhD at a Canadian university, but don’t qualify for Express Entry or are short on points, check with your province to see if they’ll nominate you to become a permanent resident. Your university will have information on the current programs.

For Student Visa you can contact us “CPRP” team.