Introduction
Canada has been struggling with a growing student visa backlog of immigrants for some time. This is despite the country set a record pace of welcoming new immigrants in the year’s first five months. As of June 6, 2022, there are approximately 2400000 (2.4 million) Canadian immigration student visa backlogs, according to data shared by the IRCC.
To address this, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a new task force to tackle the growing immigration backlog.
“We know the delays in our services, especially over the past few months, are unacceptable. The new task force will help direct our work to meet the changing needs of Canadians better while continuing to provide the high-quality services they require and deserve, said Trudeau. “We will continue to do everything we can to improve the delivery of these services in an effective and timely manner.
A Cabinet ministerial committee, the Task Force, reviews service delivery, identifies gaps and areas for improvement, and makes recommendations to ensure Canadians receive the highest quality services. The Task Force aims to expedite the processing of immigration applications by identifying areas needing urgent action.
Study in Canada
One of the top locations for higher education in Canada, which annually draws thousands of students from around the globe. Canadian universities offer a world-class education that is globally recognized, and research is considered one of the key components of graduate programs. The university supports students who generate the best research ideas, and grants are provided for research activities. And other reasons to study in Canada are:
- Internship and employment opportunities for international students
- Innovative and Abundant Research Opportunities
- Immigration Possibilities
- Exciting Campus Lifestyle
- Affordable Education
- Healthy and Safe Communities
Student Visa
Canada continues to attract a steady number of students from India. Good academic performance is still required for admission to Canada’s top universities, but a study permit proves admission to study. If you intend to pursue academic, professional, or professional training at a Canadian university, college, or other educational institution, you must get a study visa before visiting the country. This study permit is issued when the student arrives in Canada. However, to get there, students must first apply for a temporary resident visa offered by the Canadian High Commission and facilitated by the Visa Application Centre. VFS Global Services is the designated VAC for Canadian Visas. In addition, candidates should also know why their Canadian visa was denied. This article will explain everything from Canadian student visa requirements to the documents needed to obtain a student permit.
What Documents are required for a Canadian student visa?
You must submit a student visa application once you have received your letter of acceptance from the university. You must start the visa application procedure around June if you want to enroll in classes in September. The paperwork needed to apply for a student visa to Canada is listed below.
Passport
A valid passport is required to apply for a study permit. As of the Canadian High Commission, you must have a valid passport to stay in Canada. For example, if she plans to travel to Canada for her two-year degree in September 2022, her passport must be valid until at least September 2024.
Letter of Acceptance from DLI
A letter of acceptance from the university/institution you are studying in is required. Designated institutions of study are universities approved by the Immigration Bureau. If you apply to Quebec, you also need his CAQ duly notified.
Proof of Fund
Proof of funding must be submitted when applying for a study permit. Current standards require you to prove that you have sufficient financial resources to pay tuition and living expenses. Immigration Canada estimates that students will need at least 10,000 Canadian dollars per period of stay. Apart from the above two, students must prove they have sufficient funds to return to Mass.
Passport Size Photographs
If you apply offline, you will need two passport photos that meet the prescribed criteria. For online applications, you must obtain a digital copy of your photo. This should not exceed 4 MB. Further requirements are a neutral expression, a solid background, and no headgear.
- The size of the image should be at least 35 mm x 45 mm
- The image should be recent (not older than 6 months)
Immigration Medical Examination (IME)
Immigration Canada requires international students from India to undergo a mandatory medical examination by a licensed physician at the Immigration Office. Students should make an appointment with a listed doctor for a physical examination, preferably one week before the start of the visa application. This gives the doctor enough time to verify and upload the required documents. It is always recommended to make an appointment in advance with the nearest facility/practitioner according to the list of assigned doctors.
English Language Proficiency
Obtaining a score on English proficiency is strongly advised before beginning the visa application process, even though it is not necessary at the time of application. This is how I had to submit my English proficiency to confirm admission to a Canadian university. TOEFL, IELTS, etc., are all acceptable.
Statement of Purpose (SOP)
When applying for a Canadian Study Permit, you must submit an essay explaining the purpose of your trip to Canada and why you chose a particular institution. Although this is requested as an optional document in the checklist, we strongly encourage you to submit the same.
Visa Backlogs
Different countries count backlogs differently, so it’s important to check the individual rules of your chosen study abroad program. But if you’re wondering how arrears are counted in Canada, it’s not that complicated. That’s because Canada sticks to the most common method of counting the number of failed exams in an academic year.
For example, failing four exams equals four delinquencies, regardless of how many attempts were made before passing the exam. Other countries, including Germany and Australia, have different backlog counting systems, as they consider the backlog to be the number of attempts to complete the exam.
Your institution will provide a delinquency certificate showing the number of delinquencies you have accumulated during your studies. If you plan to study abroad, you must submit it along with other documents at the application stage.
How does the Student Visa Backlog affect students?
Indian students have recently seen a surge in student visa denials from the Canadian government. Reportedly, student visa denials have recently climbed to nearly 60%.
Canada has seen an increase in student visa denials since Covid-19 restrictions and the air travel ban were lifted in 2021. But especially in the last few days, students have seen a sharp increase in rejections. Students with an IELTS score of 6.5 to 7, good academic performance, and financial background were also reportedly rejected.
Of the more than two million temporary and permanent residency (PR) applications pending in Canada, almost one million came from India, according to a CBC News report. The report also notes that Canada now has a backlog of more than 2.4 million immigration applications as of June 29, up from 1.8 million in March.
Experts suggest a significant increase in student visa applications to Canada as interest in Australia and New Zealand wanes. The high volume of denials and delays in visa approvals can be attributed to this spike in visa applications. In particular, the Canadian visa application process has become very lengthy, requiring a lengthy process of 9 to 12 months.
Experts also cite high rates of pending applications in various categories, fraudulent documents in some cases by students, and licensing issues due to increased denials of student visa approvals at certain private universities.
A report by the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration was released in the Canadian House of Commons in May, titled “Discriminatory treatment of foreign student recruitment and acceptance rates in Quebec and the rest of Canada.”.
According to the report,
the total number of rejected and processed study permit applications from India in 2021 was 91,439 and 225,402, respectively. There were nearly 41% rejections. There have been 430,286 requests for temporary stays in India and 96,378 for permanent residence. The largest number of applications pending worldwide was 9,56,950.
FAQs
How many backlogs are allowed for the Canada student visa?
Some Canadian universities allow up to five delinquencies and require candidates to achieve at least 70% of their undergraduate studies. That being said, for graduate courses, some universities will accept up to 7 or 8 delinquencies if the applicant scores 6.5% or more of her undergraduate coursework.
How many bands do I need to study in Canada?
The Canadian High Commission requires a 6.0 band on the IELTS exam for undergraduate degrees, with no bands below 5.5. Graduate candidates must also have an overall range of 6.5 with no bands below 6.0.