Canada Study Visa With 6 Year Gap
Canada Study Visa with 6 Year Gap is one of the fastest growing visa programme for students, which permit students and their dependents to live and study in Canada for as long as you want. This article will guide you through the application process of this visa programme.
Canada is a multi-cultural country, where people are treated equally and discrimination is not tolerated. This can make it a wonderful place to relocate, especially for those who want to leave the UK. Canada has world class healthcare facilities, excellent academic institutions and ample opportunities for culture, recreation and entertainment. Many scholarships are provided by the government as well. We will base our discussion today on – Canada Study Visa With 6 Year Gap. But, other resources which you can find on our website include some frequently asked questions such as: canada student visa after 7 years gap and study gap acceptable in canada 2021
Canada Study Visa With 6 Year Gap
If you have applied for study abroad from Canada and now realized that you need gap to extend your stay, you are not alone. Many students every year do the same. In fact there is a growing trend in this field with more applicants looking for study visa Canada. However, if you want to know more about the legal loophole on extending work permit after study permit and bridging your gap after visa denial, don’t waste your time searching Google. Yes, I am here to share with you few proven tips that have been tested by me personally in recent years.
Canada is an attractive student destination. It is home to some world-class colleges, welcoming immigrants, and offers many exciting career opportunities. However, if you have a gap period in your education- is there a chance for you to study in Canada? How much gap is accepted for study in Canada?
Let us find out.
Can you study in Canada with a study gap on the record?
Canada is a haven for many students who want higher education in a progressive and liberal country. It welcomes immigrants with open arms and makes sure they get a high standard of living in it.
In 2019, Canada lured in over half a million international students, placing the country in the top three nations as foreign student attraction. We can expect Canada may dethrone the United States of America very soon and become number one.
However, when students have to leave their studies for some reason, they should know their chances of getting admission to an institute in Canada. Here are some questions that you need to consider in case you have a study gap:
- How many years of the gap is accepted for study in Canada?
- justify the gap in education
- How to start study after a long gap?
Let us take a deep dive and address some questions.
What is the study gap?
The study gap is the time between your last qualification to the present. For example, let’s say you finished your graduation way back in 2016, and you wish to pursue post-graduation in 2021, then you have a study gap of 5 years.
The study gap is not uncommon in countries like India, where we may have to quit our studies for multiple reasons. However, it becomes problematic when we have to apply for student visas to study abroad.
Especially in India, some students take a year off once they complete their 12th grade HSC examination. Some take a year off after JEE, medical entrance or some may even fail in their first year of educational course.
Before we dive into how much gap is accepted for study in Canada, let us look at the reasons for the study gap.
Some reasons for the study year gap
One of many factors when an applicant fails to get a student visa is not explaining the study gap. The reasons can be many, but they should be legitimate.
Reasons for the study gap can be various, let us shed some light on some of the most common reasons. Read the blog if are looking for study in Canada after 12th.
Personal responsibility
In a country like India, family comes first. For example, a student may have to quit studies in order to support the family in times of financial crisis. While applying for a visa to study in Canada, one has to be honest with the authorities and provide the concerned person with all the required information.
Medical emergency
Life is unpredictable, we never know how things will turn out. For example, if a person met with an accident, it may take years to recover fully, depending on the severity. Then, we have serious illnesses which can happen to anyone regardless of age. In such situations, students have to take a break from their studies. While applying for your visa, you have to show every medical document.
Canada Student Visa After 5 to 25 Years Long Gap
By Kawal Sharma
“Can I apply for Canada’s Study Visa after 10 years gap?”
Yes, you can. It doesn’t matter if you are applying for the Canada study visa after 7 years, 10 years, or even 25 years. Although most universities allow a study gap of two years for undergraduate courses and five years for postgraduate courses. This does not mean that applicants with long educational gaps are unqualified.
Many people pursue higher education at later stages of their life due to special circumstances. Such individuals may be interested in studying at Colleges and Universities in Canada under a student visa. The Canadian student visa allows students to enter the country and study at one of the country’s prestigious educational institutions.
Let’s examine the challenges of applying for a Canadian student visa after a 5-25 years gap and possible solutions.
In Canada, there is no age limit for getting a student visa. Nevertheless, you must be accepted and enrolled in a recognized educational institution.
Table of Contents
- Does a gap mean my study visa will be rejected?
- Legitimate reasons for study gap
- Justifying a long gap while applying for a student visa
- Will my student visa be approved with a long gap?
Does IRCC Reject Applicants With a Study Gap?
IRCC aims to attract the brightest international candidates to study at Canada’s educational institutions. For this reason, they tend to be incredibly strict about approving study permits and student visas that don’t meet their criteria. It is estimated that Canadian immigration officers reject 30% of the study permit applications they receive yearly.
Some of these rejections may be due to reasons such as the applicant possessing insufficient funds or failing to convince a visa officer they will leave Canada after completing their studies. Canadian visa officers may also reject applicants for having a study gap.
For example, someone applying for a Canada study visa after 10 years gap will be at a significantly higher risk of rejection than an applicant that has completed their high school education the same year.
Learn more: Canada Student Visa Rejection Reasons
We specialize in Study Visa after a Long Gap.
Reasons to Justify your Long Study Gap
An individual may have a study gap in their history for a legitimate reason. Such reasons are important to note as they may be used to convince a Canadian visa officer to approve a study visa or study permit application.
Some of these legitimate reasons include:
Medical Reasons
Many people pause their studies to address significant medical issues they face. For example, someone who has been diagnosed with cancer may need to put off their studies for many years until they have completed treatment. Such individuals may not be able to travel abroad due to their condition and because treatment is more affordable in their home country.
Medical issues tend to be unavoidable, so it is considered a legitimate reason for a study gap. Such individuals can apply for a study permit or study visa once their health has returned to normal and they are fit to live abroad.
Family Reasons
Someone may also halt their studies for family reasons. It’s not uncommon for people to be forced to put their academic pursuits on hold to take care of aging family members. This can be a common reason in cultures where retirement homes are uncommon.
Some of the other family reasons include marriage breakups and the legal issues they entail. Some family reasons may not be considered significant enough to count as legitimate reasons to halt your studies.
You will therefore need to specify how exactly the event disrupted your studies in your application.
Education and External Tests
Certain people may dream of pursuing higher education in Canada but may be unable to do so due to external tests. For example, you might have been interested in applying for a study permit in the past but scored poorly on your English language proficiency exam.
IRCC generally requires applicants to possess a minimum score of 6.0 on their IELTS to apply for a study permit for a Canadian undergraduate or diploma program. Applicants who scored below this requirement may have chosen to submit their application at a later time once they have managed to improve their language proficiency score.
In other cases, applicants may have delayed the process of applying for a student visa to take other educational tests. For example, they may have chosen to write their SAT, LSAT, or MDCAT after completing their high school education.
Such tests require many months or even years to prepare for. For these reasons, external tests may be considered a legitimate reason for a study gap.
Poor Financial Situation
A poor financial situation is one of the most common reasons for a study gap. Many people dream of pursuing their higher education in Canada but might not possess the funds required to start and complete an education program.
It’s not uncommon for the tuition fees for educational programs at Canadian Universities to exceed $30,000 CAD per year. Prospective international students must demonstrate that they can cover this amount plus their living expenses on their study permit application. Those who fail to demonstrate they possess enough funds are likely to be rejected.
For this reason, many prospective international students choose to work in their home country after completing high school. They then pursue higher education in Canada after they have saved up enough funds many years down the road.
Gaining Work Experience
Some students may put off their education abroad until they gain some work experience. This reason is considered valid because many graduate programs in Canada require students to possess a certain amount of work experience to be eligible for the program.
For example, prospective MBA students typically require two years of work experience to be eligible for a graduate-level program in Canada. Other types of degrees may have even longer work experience requirements for applicants.
Get a Study Visa After a 5-25 Years Long Gap
Is a Long Study Gap Acceptable under Certain Circumstances?
You might be wondering if a study gap acceptable in Canada after 12th year after completing high school. This gap is considered quite long. However, it may be regarded as acceptable if it is explained using a legitimate reason.
Justify a Study Gap on a Canada Student Visa Application
There are many ways to address a study gap on a Canadian student visa or study permit application. This includes:
Choosing the Right Field of Study
Prospective study permit applications should ensure they choose the right field of study for their education in Canada. For example, if you have studied science in high school primarily, it is best to pursue a science-oriented degree or diploma in Canada.
It is vital to ensure your upcoming field of study aligns with your previous one as it demonstrates that you intend to continue building on your current educational history. Applicants who are pursuing a new field of study with no prior education or work history that aligns with it are likely to be rejected.
Providing a Good Explanation in Your Cover Letter
The most important method for addressing a study gap is to state the reason for the gap in the cover letter accompanying your application.
This cover letter is essentially a letter of explanation that describes your educational and professional history. It should also include your reason for coming to Canada and a declaration that you intend to leave after completing your studies. You can also use this cover letter to explain your study gap.
For example, you can state what you studied in high school and that you could not pursue higher education in Canada because you did not have enough funds. You can then discuss where you worked and how you managed to build up enough savings to attend a Canadian College or University finally.
Will my student visa be approved if I have a long gap?
There is no guarantee that your student visa application will be approved if you have a long study gap. As mentioned earlier, IRCC can be incredibly strict when it comes to approving applications from prospective international students.
Visa officers will keep an eye out for any potential red flags that indicate you aren’t being truthful about your intention to study in Canada and that you might use the study permit to enter the country and stay there. You can attempt to present a good case for yourself by including a detailed account of your history and reasons for coming to Canada.
For this reason, the cover letter is considered one of the most vital parts of your application. You can learn how to create the perfect cover letter in our special guide.
A Perfect Cover Letter for Student Visa Application Canada
Need help with Study Visa after a Gap?
A number of senior students with long study gaps have sought our help with complex Canadian study visa cases. The oldest person who has successfully applied for a study permit with our guidance is more than 60 years old.
Our team is led by Keshav Sharma (Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant). The entire process, including writing a cover letter, choosing the right field of study in Canada, applying for a study permit, and getting you to Canada, will be handled by us. You can contact our experts here to get started with your study visa.
Work with a team of Regulated Canadian immigration Consultants who understand the detailed ins and outs of the application process and can help you make a stronger application with a higher chance of being approved.
