Canadian academic institutions welcome students from around the world, who bring cultural enrichment to the educational scene in Canada.
More than 130,000 international students come to Canada every year, not including students taking short-term English and French as second language courses.
Foreign students must meet certain immigration requirements to obtain an authorization to study in Canada.
Note: Student Visa’s are only issued for programs of study of longer than 6 months. Programs of study less than 6 months do not require a Visa.
Students Must:
- present an acceptance letter from the educational institution they wish to attend;
- provide evidence of enough money to pay for tuition and living costs;
- satisfy a visa officer that they will return home at the end of their studies;
- pass a medical examination if required;
- meet other requirements for visitors, including a visa if necessary.
In Canada education is a provincial responsibility and students at the primary and secondary school level should contact provincial education authorities for information on standards and requirements. Students interested in studying in Quebec will need approval from Quebec.
Immigration officials are working with the academic community to reduce processing times and paperwork. Improvements include expedited medical procedures at some key posts and longer validity periods for student authorizations.
In 2001, more than 70% of student applications were finalised within one month, and 21% were processed the same day. Foreign students may work only under certain circumstances, for instance:
- the work is part of the program of study;
- the work, up to one year after graduation, is in a field related to the studies;
- their source of funding is cut off through no fault of their own.
Qualifying
Once you have decided on the courses you want to take, officials at the school where you apply will tell you if you qualify. If you are accepted, you will receive a confirmation letter from the registrar, the school board or the school itself.
Post Secondary Schools
Each Canadian university, technical school or community college sets its own requirements. The registrars of these schools can provide information on:
- tuition fees,
- health insurance,
- scholarships,
- lodging and living expenses, and
- language requirements.
Private institutions
Before you enrol in a private institution, please check with Canadian immigration officials in your country to ensure that the institution meets Canadian requirements or the rules of the province where the institution is located.
Language
Canada has two official languages -- English and French. You will need to know one or the other to follow course lectures and reading assignments. Some post-secondary schools might ask you to take a language test. They may charge a fee for this test which you will have to pay yourself.
Language requirements are set by each school. School registrars can give you information on language requirements.
Health insurance
Medical, hospital and dental care in Canada can be expensive. As an international student, you are not insured for these expenses by the Canadian government. The school you attend may provide health insurance for international students, but be sure to ask when you are writing for information. If the insurance provided by the school does not meet your needs, you should make your own arrangements before leaving home.
Quebec
If you wish to attend a school in the province of Quebec, you will have to obtain additional approval from the province. This will apply after you have met the requirements of the Canadian government; as well, you must have the Quebec approval renewed every year. There may be a Quebec office in your country where you can go for information.
Financial support
You must be able to prove you can support yourself and your dependants before a student authorization may be issued. A letter from your bank in your country, a bank draft of a letter from your source of funding, will show immigration officials that you can afford to pay your expenses and, if necessary, the expenses of your spouse and dependants, while you are in Canada.
These expenses include post-secondary tuition, food, clothing, shelter, books, transportation, medical insurance, entertainment, personal or family needs and return trips home. The winters in Canada can be cold, so include warm clothing when calculating your living costs.
The cost of living in Canada varies from province to province. Canadian officials in your country will tell you approximately what it will cost to live in the province where you will be attending school.
Working in Canada
International students may be allowed to work while attending school. But jobs may be difficult to find in Canada so you should not count on getting one.
You may be allowed to work if you meet one of the following requirements:
- you want to work as a graduate assistant;
- your employment is part of your course of study, such as a work term during the year;
- you want to work on campus;
- you want to work after graduation in a study-related job for up to one year.
Your spouse may also be allowed to work under certain circumstances.
The entry of international students into Canada is regulated by the federal government, but your admission may be affected by education
or other policies in the province where you want to study.
Ask a Can-Am Immigration Team member for more details.
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