Canada extends 2 stage study visa process for some international students

Due to the impact of Covid-19, Canada has temporarily changed how it will process the study visa application for some international students. As per Canada’s official website, the embassy will process some study visa applications under a two-stage study visa process. 

IRCC says they will process a study visa application under 2 stage study visa process if

• The applicant has applied on or before 15 December 2020
• His/her application is incomplete due to the coronavirus pandemic. For instance, the student does not provide biometrics or medical because of the difficulties posed by Covid-19. 
• He/she has applied for the winter 2021 semester

IRCC will follow the regular study visa procedure for students whose application is complete and who will study at a designated learning institution with an approved Covid-19 readiness plan.

Earlier in 2020, IRCC announced a similar 2-staged study visa process for the fall 2020 intake.

The 2-stage study visa process will be as follows:

Stage 1: Eligibility

The applicant will be considered eligible if he/she provides

• a letter of acceptance from a DLI
• a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (in case he/she will study in Quebec)
• proof of funds for tuition, living expenditure, and a return ticket.
• disclosure of any family ties in Canada
• evidence that the applicant will leave Canada when he/she no longer has legal status

On completion of the first stage, the embassy will inform the applicant via email or his/her online account. Completing stage one does not guarantee that the applicant will get his/her study visa.

Stage 2: Admissibility 

In the second stage, the applicant will be required to provide his/her

• medical exam certificate
• police Certificate
• biometrics
• any additional documentation required to meet the study visa process

Upon successfully completing all the requirements of stage 1 and 2, the embassy will issue a study permit to the applicant, which will make him/her eligible to travel to Canada. Students will also be able to continue their classes, in case they have already started studying online.

The IRCC states that apart from an acceptance letter from DLI, if the applicant does not submit biometrics, proof of enrollment, final transcript, or other documents due to Covid-19, the study visa application will not be rejected. The applicant will be given more time to fulfill the requirements. But, they will be required to upload a letter of explanation explaining why he/she cannot submit the necessary documents.

At this time, it is mandatory to use ArriveCan before anyone can travel to Canada. It is a portal for travelers to submit their travel and contact information, quarantine plan, and COVID-19 symptoms self-assessment, and it is available on iOS, Android, and online.

As per IRCC, All the new study visa applications and those that do not meet the above-mentioned two-stage study visa conditions will be processed under the regular procedure.

Several formalities have to be completed to file a Canada study visa application; if you are planning to study in Canada, then it is highly recommended to you that you consult with Pyramid’s experts. For this, you can visit any of Pyramid’s branches or call at 92563-92563.