In Canada, Student Authorizations (student visas) are
not required for English language courses that last
less than six months. If your program will be longer
than 6 months, you should apply for a Student Authorization
at the closest Canadian Embassy or Consulate before
coming to Canada. You cannot obtain a Student Authorization
after arriving in Canada. You must obtain it before
you come to Canada.
One document you will need is a Letter of Acceptance
from the school.Keep this letter to apply for your
Student Authorization at the visa office. People who
apply for programs of 24 weeks or longer are usually
asked to complete medical examinations. It sometimes
takes two or three months for the Canadian government
to process a medical examination report before approving
a Student Authorization. If you cannot wait that long
it is best to apply for a shorter program. The Student
Authorization can be extended after you come to Canada.
You must be able to convince the authorities that
you genuinely want to come to Canada to study, and
that you will return to your home country when your
studies have been completed. You must also submit
all of the correct documents.
Planning - Before you apply for your Student Authorization
or visitor visa, you must have: a valid passport,
a Letter of Acceptance from a Canadian school, proof
that you have enough money to support yourself for
your entire stay in Canada.
Financial Support - You must be able to prove you
can support yourself before a Student Authorization
may be issued. A letter from your bank in your country
and a written pledge of financial support from a parent
will show immigration officials that you can afford
your expenses while you are in Canada. These expenses
include tuition, homestay, transportation, medical
insurance, personal needs and return trips home
Character Reference - To be accepted by Canadian
officials, you must prove you are a responsible person
with no criminal record. You may be asked to provide
evidence of this through your local authorities.
Health Standards - You must be in good health. You
may be asked for a medical certificate if you have
been living in a country with a high health risk.
Application - When you have all the letters and documents,
you may apply for your Student Authorization at the
nearest Canadian consulate, embassy or high commission.
The Student Authorization allows you to study in Canada.
Keep it in your passport.
Interviews - You might be asked to see an immigration
officer for an interview. One purpose of the interview
is to help the immigration officer evaluate you personally.
The immigration officer will want to confirm that
you have enough money to study in Canada, and that
you will return to your home country when your course
is completed. Therefore, you should be well dressed,
well groomed, and on time when you go for your interview.
You should behave in a positive and polite manner,
even if the immigration officer does not. You should
never lie to an immigration officer.
Fee - The application fee for a Student Authorization
is CAN$125. You must submit this with your application.
Passports and Visas - You will need a passport and
perhaps a visa as well. Canadian officials in your
country can explain this to you before you leave.
The Canada Visitors Visa is affixed to a page of your
passport. It tells you the date you must arrive in
Canada, the length of time you can stay and whether
it is valid for one or more entries into Canada. When
you arrive in Canada, you must show immigration officials
your passport and visa. The passport will be stamped
with the date you must depart from Canada. Check that
this date is valid for your whole stay. If you need
more time, ask someone at Language Studies International
to help you apply.
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