student visa for visitor in canada - Lomelono Travel Solutions

Whether you’re a high school student or a young adult embarking on your first post-college adventure, travelling to Canada for a visit or for studying is a great way to kickstart the next chapter of your life. But what’s the best way to go about it? From finding the right travel insurance to avoiding scams, learn about student visitors as well as a few other visas that will allow you to visit Canada in no time!

A visitor visa is a temporary status you get if you plan to stay in Canada fewer than six months. It allows you to travel to Canada without a work or study permit. But the truth is that a visitor visa only grants you the legal right to visit Canada for a specific period of time, and doesn’t guarantee that you’ll be granted entry at the POE (port of entry), or be able to enter Canada at all. Here are some useful tips for getting your student visa for Canada.

A study permit allows foreign students to come to Canada to study at approved secondary or post-secondary educational institutions. A visitor visa allows individuals from certain countries to come to Canada as a tourist. If you intend to visit Canada for leisure or business, you may have the option of obtaining a visa. Visitor visas are not designed for permanent immigration and are not valid for more than six months. Visitor visas can be issued for single or multiple entry into Canada.

Canada is a great place to study abroad, and there are many different visa types that can help you do it. If you plan to study in Canada for less than six months, then you will need to apply for a visitor visa. This type of visa allows you to stay in Canada for up to six months, but it does not allow you to work or study while there. If your time in Canada exceeds six months, then you need to apply for a student visa instead.

If you have questions about applying for a student visa or visitor visa, [website name] can help! We offer full service application assistance through our website and our office locations around the world.

If you are a student wishing to visit Canada, you will need to apply for a visitor visa. The Canadian embassy has information on how to apply for a visitor visa, including what documents you will need and what steps to take.

You can apply for a visitor visa at the Canadian embassy or consulate in your home country. You can also apply for a visitor visa at the port of entry when you arrive in Canada.

Visit our website for more information about student visas in Canada

The student visa is a document that allows you to enter Canada as a visitor, study or work temporarily. You must have this document to enter Canada if your stay is longer than 6 months and you are not a Canadian citizen.

This visa also guarantees your legal status as a visitor in Canada. If you have been admitted to an educational institution, you can only apply for a student visa if:

-You are registered at the institution;

-You have enough money to finance your stay in Canada;

-You have health insurance;

-You have enough financial resources to pay for your return trip home.

Table of Contents

Applying from within Canada

The foreign nationals who may apply for a study permit after entering Canada [R215], including to change or vary their existing conditions, are the following:

as of June 1, 2014, foreign nationals in Canada without a study permit who
- are studying at the preschool, primary or secondary level [R215(1)(f)(i)]
- are a visiting or exchange student studying at a DLI [R215(1)(f)(ii)]
- have completed a course or program of study that is a prerequisite for their enrolment at a DLI [R215(1)(f)(iii)]
foreign nationals and their family members who hold a valid study or work permit [R215(1)(a) and (c)]
foreign nationals who have obtained authorization to engage in studies in Canada without a study permit, pursuant to subsection 30(2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) or paragraph R188(1)(a), and whose application is made within the period starting 90 days before and ending 90 days after the expiry of the authorization [R215(1)(b)]
foreign nationals and their family members who are subject to an unenforceable removal order, including refugee claimants [R215(1)(d)]
foreign nationals and their family members who hold a TRP, pursuant to subsection A24(1), that is valid for at least 6 months
foreign nationals who are in a situation described in section R207
in-Canada permanent residence applicants and their family members who are determined eligible for permanent resident status as one of the following:
- spouses or common-law partners
- protected persons within the meaning of subsection A95(2)
- people who have been granted an exemption pursuant to subsection A25(1)
- people who are subject to humanitarian and compassionate considerations
- live-in caregivers
family members of participants in sports activities or events in Canada, either as individual participants or as members of a foreign-based team or Canadian amateur team [R215(2)(g)]
family members of
- designated members of the armed forces [R215(2)(e)]
- officers of a foreign government [R215(2)(f)]
- employees of a foreign news company [R215(2)(h)]
- people responsible for assisting a congregation [R215(2)(i)]

All in-Canada visitor extension, study permit and work permit applications must be submitted electronically, with some exceptions. See the list of programs that are exempt from the in-Canada mandatory electronic application requirement.

In-Canada situations

Applications for a study permit approved abroad

Foreign nationals whose application for a study permit has been approved abroad, but who did not obtain their study permit at a POE on their initial arrival (for example, they failed to present a letter of introduction), may contact the IRCC Call Centre. The Call Centre informs the Operational Support Centre (OSC) of the situation. The OSC assesses the foreign national’s eligibility against the case management system to verify their status. If there is insufficient information in GCMS, case processing agents at the OSC may email the IRCC office abroad that originally processed the application to obtain the information required to assess the foreign national’s eligibility. Once the foreign national’s eligibility is confirmed, the Case Processing Centre in Edmonton (CPC-E) mails a study permit to the foreign national’s address in Canada.

Note: The foreign national may not engage in studies until a study permit is issued.

Study permit renewals

An application for a study permit renewal does not constitute an application for a TRV. Therefore, visa-required foreign nationals must apply separately for a TRV and pay the corresponding fee.

Per subsection R12.04(5), an application for a renewal of a study permit for a visa-exempt foreign national is considered to constitute an application for an eTA. Therefore, an eTA should be issued upon approval of the study permit (that is, SP-EXT in GCMS). Clients eligible for an eTA through eTA expansion are also issued an eTA upon the issuance of a study permit renewal.

Note: If an eTA is issued with a renewed study permit for an eTA expansion client, and if the client holds a valid TRV, the officer should not cancel the existing TRV. The client can continue to use the TRV to travel to Canada by air, land or sea until it expires.

Visitors in Canada

Foreign nationals who are in-Canada visitors are not eligible to apply for a study permit from within Canada unless they are exempt under section R215. They must submit their application package online or to a VAC. If their application is approved, they must obtain their study permit at a POE.

As of June 1, 2014, foreign nationals who are studying at the preschool, primary or secondary level [R215(1)(f)(i)], or who are a visiting or exchange student at a DLI [R215(1)(f)(ii)], may apply for a study permit from within Canada. The applicant must provide a letter of acceptance from the DLI at which they are enrolled or will be enrolled.

Visiting students are students who have been admitted to a post-secondary institution for a period of study but who are not admitted into a degree or diploma program. They are students at a foreign institution (often referred to as the student’s home institution) who attend a Canadian institution (referred to as the student’s host institution) for a period of time with the intent of transferring the credits earned at the host institution back to their home institution. Visiting students pay fees to the host institution.

Exchange students are students who have been admitted to an institution as visiting students. However, they are not subject to any tuition fees from their host institution, as these fees are covered by an exchange agreement between the host and home institutions. In most cases, exchange students do not require a study permit, since their length of stay is usually less than 6 months. However, they may still apply for a study permit. For programs of 6 months or longer in duration, exchange students must apply for a study permit. Students participating in exchange programs are eligible to work off campus only if they hold a study permit. The processing officer must include the appropriate work authorization conditions when issuing a study permit to exchange students.

Note: While a study permit is not required for short-term courses, an officer must accept and process an application for a study permit, even when the duration of the course or program of study is 6 months or less [R188(2)].

Foreign nationals who are in Canada as visitors and are authorized to apply for a study permit from within Canada under section R215(1)(f) may begin their studies once they have submitted their study permit application, provided the application has been submitted before the expiry of their visitor status. They are required to cease studying if their study permit application is refused.

Prerequisite course or program of study in Canada before the main program of study

As of June 1, 2014, visitors in Canada who have completed a course or program of study that was previously identified as a prerequisite for their admission into a program of study at a DLI may also apply for a study permit from within Canada [R215(1)(f)(iii)] if they provide both

a letter of acceptance received from a DLI before or after the completion of the prerequisite course that confirms the course is a prerequisite for admission to the main program
proof of successful completion of the prerequisite course, such as a letter from the destination DLI explicitly confirming that the student has completed the prerequisite course or program of study or a notification of completion from the institution at which the prerequisite course was taken

Foreign nationals are not eligible to apply for a study permit from within Canada [R215(1)(f)(iii)] if they are either of the following:

unable to provide a letter of acceptance issued by a DLI either before or after the prerequisite course that proves the course is a prerequisite for entry to the main program
admitted to a program with a language requirement, but a specific language training course or program is not specified in the letter of acceptance as a prerequisite for entry to the main program (for example, wording such as “must provide proof of English proficiency” does not indicate the need for a prerequisite)

Students taking a prerequisite course or program of study may work on campus provided they meet all other eligibility requirements. They are not eligible to work off campus while completing their prerequisite. However, they are able to work off campus once they have completed their prerequisite and started their main program.

Transition between levels of study (primary, secondary and post-secondary)

As of April 11, 2019, students transitioning between levels of study (primary, secondary and post-secondary) are no longer required to apply for a new study permit, provided their current study permit is still valid.

Dual-credit programs

Students do not need to change their study permit when participating in a dual-credit program if they have both of the following:

a valid study permit authorizing them to attend any secondary school
registered and enrolled at only a secondary school

Changing post-secondary institutions

Students engaging in post-secondary studies in Canada may transfer between institutions (both public and private) or change their course or program of study without applying for a change to the condition of their study permit, as long as the receiving institution is a DLI. Students attending a DLI may not transfer to a non-DLI.

Students who apply for and obtain a study permit, including renewals, on or after June 1, 2014, must notify IRCC through their MyAccount when they transfer to another DLI.

Determining applicants’ status

The instructions below are to help determine whether or not the applicant has temporary resident status at the time of application. This can be a factor when applying for a study permit extension.

Status as of the date of the application

In general, the date the application is physically received at the Case Processing Centre is considered to be the effective date of the application. If the date physically received is after the expiry date of the applicant’s status, the officer will backdate the received date by 7 days to account for any mail delivery delays.

For electronic applications, the department uses Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) around the world to ensure that time is equal for all. Therefore, receipt dates and times do not depend on time zones; all applications must be submitted before midnight UTC on the date the applicant’s status expires.

For further information, see Date and time of receipt of application for program instruction regarding receipt of an application.

Conclusion

If the applicant’s status has expired upon receipt of the application, the applicant is to be considered out of status. Officers should refer to section A47 to identify cases where a foreign national loses temporary resident status.