Canada Immigration Students

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International Students

General Requirements

Every person, other than a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident, who seeks to come into Canada for the purpose of:

(a) attending any university or college authorized by statute or charter to confer degrees;
(b) taking any academic, professional or vocational training course at any university, college or other institution not described in paragraph (a),

shall make an application to a visa officer for and obtain authorization to come into Canada for that purpose before the person appears at a Port of Entry.

Student authorizations exemptions apply to dependants of diplomats, visitors attending short term language courses and persons who intend to enroll in courses of studies that are not academic, professional or vocational in nature.

Every application for a student authorization shall be accompanied by:

a latter of acceptance from a university, college or other institution accepting the applicant to attend or to take any specified course at the university, college or other institution;
sufficient documentation to satisfy an immigration officer that the applicant has sufficient financial resources available to him, without engaging in employment in Canada
- to pay tuition fees,
- to maintain himself and any dependants who will come into Canada during the period for which he seeks a student authorization,
- to pay the transportation costs to and from Canada for himself and any dependents;
the consent in writing of the government of the province in which the applicant wishes to study where such consent is required by that government.

A student authorization may not be obtained by any person for the purpose of taking any academic, professional or vocational training course unless that course:

is at least six month in duration and at the rate of at least twenty four hours of instruction per week;
is given at any institution described in the Immigration Act or any other publicly founded institution;
is recommended by minister of the Government of Canada, other than the Minister of Employment and immigration, or by a minister of the government of any province or by any agency of the Government of Canada or the government of any province;
is incidental and secondary to the main purpose of that person's presence in Canada; or
involves upgrading of skills or language training and is given at an institution that operates under a provincial or federal license.

Quebec's selection mechanism utilizes a Certificate d'Acceptation du Quebec. With few exemptions, all applicants for student authorization destined to a Quebec educational institution must be in possession of a "Certificate d'Acceptation du Quebec" before being eligible for a student authorization.

Processing fees applicable to student authorizations are presently set at $125. Fees are payable at the time application is made, and should be included with the written application.

Medical Requirements

Foreign students must meet the same medical requirements as those which apply to all visitors to Canada. Generally speaking, students who intend to be in Canada for more than 6 month are required to undergo and pass a medical examination.

Student Employment

Full time students registered in a degree or diploma granting course are allowed to work on the campus of the institution at which they are registered without the need for an employment authorization. Several other categories of students are exempt from employment validation but must be issued an employment authorization. It should be noted that recent trends in policy have resulted in increased opportunities for foreign students and their spouses to engage in employment in Canada.