Canada is one of the best destinations for international students including Nigerians who want to study abroad.
Canada has lots of universities and colleges with different majors, degrees, diploma and certificate programs. Canadian universities, colleges and programs are recognized and there are ranked pretty well globally.
Before studying in Canada, you need to apply to a Canadian university or college which has a designated learning institution status.
What this means is that universities or colleges that are designated learning institutions are permitted to admit and host international students from all over the world. When you apply to universities and colleges in Canada, you need to make sure that it is a “Designated Learning Institution.”
You can find the list of approved designated learning institutions on Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website.
Furthermore, if you intend to immigrate to Canada through the study route, you definitely need a study permit, and a temporary resident visa which we are going to talk about later on in this article.
A study or temporary resident visa gives you the permission to enter Canada temporarily as a student.
However, after your studies in Canada, you have the opportunity to apply for a Post Graduation Work Permit (PGWP).
A Post Graduation Work Permit allows you to work in Canada for up to 3 years depending on the length or duration of your program.
Subsequently, after working for 1 – 3 years of your PGWP, you can also apply for your permanent residency, which allows you to live and work in Canada permanently, if that’s your goal.
There are two ways you can apply for a study permit and a temporary resident visa, you can either apply online through the IRCC website or at a Visa Application Centre.
For Nigerians, if you wish to apply physically in Nigeria, there are currently two Visa Application Centres that you can apply at, one is in Lagos and the other in Abuja.
However, we always advise you to apply for your visas online, as the online application system is way more faster and seamless.
The online application takes about 30 minutes to complete if you have all your documents ready prior to applying, and you can always save your application and come back to it later.
The online application is even more preferable for people living outside Lagos or Abuja.
Let’s move over to the documents that are required for a successful study visa application.
Canada study visa fee
For Canadian student visa application, a total fee of CAD$235 is charged by IRCC for a Canadian study visa application, which includes a CAD$150 fee for the Study Permit and a CAD$85 fee for Biometrics.
You can pay with credit or debit cards; Visa, MasterCard, American Express, JCB, China Union Pay, Visa Debit or Debit MasterCard.
However, if you’ve previously applied for a study visa to Canada, you’re not required to pay for the biometrics. The biometrics is valid for up to 10 years.
Canada study visa requirements
There are specific required documents that you need to upload (online) or submit (physically) for your Study Permit and Temporary Resident Visa applications.
Documents checklist
- Application for Study Permit Made
- Outside of Canada (IMM 1294)
- Passport
- Digital photo
- Police clearance certificate
- Letter of Acceptance or Admission Letter
- Medical Exam
- Proof of Means of Financial Support
- Family Information (IMM 5645)
- Schedule 1 – Application for a Temporary Resident Visa Made Outside of Canada (IMM 5257).
How to apply for Canada study visa
After you have your documents ready, here’s how to apply:
Create an Account or Sign In
To apply for a Canadian study visa online, you need an IRCC Account, you can either create an account or sign in with your GC Key user ID and password if you already have one.
Click Here to Register or Sign-in
Fill out the Questionnaire
The questionnaire is necessary to determine what visa class or type you are eligible for depending on the answers you provide to the questions. Please answer the questions correctly.
Upload required documents
This includes the documents listed in the “Documents Checklist” section above.
Submit your application
After you have successfully uploaded all the required documents, you can go ahead and submit your application.
Pay your fees.
After submitting your application, you will be redirected to a payment page where you will fill in your card details and pay your application fees.
Canada work and study visa
It is possible to work while studying in Canada as a student. Legally, you’re permitted to work 20 hours a week off-campus and an unlimited number of hours on-campus with your study permit.
On-campus jobs may be available for students within their university or college. These may include working for your department or faculty.
You may also take off-campus jobs and work outside of your university or college.
It is also very important to make sure that you’re able to balance your work and study life.
Canada study visa processing time
On average, the processing time for a Canadian Study Permit and Temporary Resident Visa is 12 weeks. However, for some applications, it can take longer.
You can help make your application processing more faster by doing an upfront medical exam and including it in your application package.
Can I take my spouse on study visa to Canada?
For a study visa application, you have the option to take your spouse or common law partner (wife or husband) including your children along with you on a study permit.
All you have to do is to include their visa applications when you apply. But you have to make sure that you can show full financial support and take financial responsibility for anyone you’re bringing alongside you.
Can i study on visitor visa in Canada?
The straight answer is No. However, if you’re already in Canada as a visitor, you can apply for a study permit and a temporary resident visa while you’re in Canada in order to change your immigration status to student.
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