Canadians place a high value on education and learning. Canada has a first rate education system with high standards. Foreign Students enrich Canada's culture and play an important role in the future of Canada's economy and future work force. 

Apply to study in Canada, extend your Study Permit and obtain information about Working in Canada while you study.

Student Visa

To apply for a Canadian Student Visa (Study Permit), students must first enrol and be accepted to study at a Canadian Educational Institution. Foreign students who have applied for and have been accepted into a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) may apply for a Canadian Student Visa in order to come to Canada and complete the particular program of study that they have been accepted into. You must receive an acceptance letter from the DLI in which you plan to attend before you submit your application. 

You Must Meet The Following Requirements for a Canadian Student Visa;

• You must be able to prove that you have enough money to pay for your tuition, fees, living expenses for yourself and your family members who will accompany you if applicable.
• You must be a law abiding citizen with no criminal record
• You must be in good health and willing to complete a medical examination if requested 
• You must satisfy an immigration officer that you will leave Canada when you have completed your studies

Work While You Study

Students enrolled in a full time program may work on campus or off campus without a Work Permit. Certain conditions apply, depending on the location of work and type of program the student is enrolled in.

For more information visit the Working While You Study page.

Post Graduation Work Permit

Once studies have been accomplished in an eligible program at an eligible Canadian Post Secondary Institution, international graduates can apply for a Post Graduation Work Permit allowing them to work in Canada. 

To be Eligible for a Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) international students must meet with the below Eligibility Requirements: 

• Must have studied full time for the 8 months preceding the completion of their program and must have graduated from one of the following; 
  • A public post secondary educational institution such as a University or College
  • A private post secondary educational institution that operates under the same rules and regulations as public institutions, and receives at least half of its funding for operations from government grants
  • A Canadian private institution authorized by provincial or territorial statute to confer degrees
• Must apply for a Post Graduate Work Permit within 180 days of receiving written confirmation from their academic institution that hey have met the requirements of their program.
• Must have completed and passed the program of study and received written notification that they are eligible to obtain their degree, diploma or certificate. 
• Must have a valid Study Permit or have held a a valid Study Permit within the last 180 days before applying. 

For more information visit the Post Graduation Work Permit Page

Bringing Family To Canada

You may bring your Spouse or Common Law Partner and dependent children to Canada to be with you while you study. Your Spouse or Common Law Partner will receive an Open Work Permit for the duration of your studies, this will allow your Spouse or Partner to work for any employer they choose within Canada. 

​Spouse / Common Law Partner of Foreign Student Open Work Permit

In order to be eligible for an Open Work Permit (OWP), the Spouse or Common Law Partner of a foreign student cannot themselves be a full time student and must provide proof that;

• The foreign student is studying full time at a diploma or degree granting, publicly funded post secondary educational facility; or
• The foreign student has graduated and is the holder of a valid Work Permit for a job related to his or her studies

FOR SPOUSES AND COMMON LAW PARTNERS, OWP ARE GENERALLY ISSUED WITH A VALIDITY DATE THAT COINCIDES WITH THE PERIOD OF TIME THAT THEIR SPOUSE IS PERMITTED TO WORK OR STUDY IN CANADA. ​

For more information visit the Open Work Permit Page

Studying in Canada is another way to obtain Permanent Residency:

If you do not have enough CRS points to be selected for Permanent Residence, you still have the option to come to Canada and study. If you or your Spouse enrol in a 2 year College or University Program, the student can work 20 hours per week while in school and full time during school breaks so that is 4 months a year during summer holidays. The Spouse of a student can get a Work Permit and work in any job they choose in Canada. If you have children, they can accompany you and go to school in Canada at no cost to you. If you come to Canada  and start a family while you are studying your children if born in Canada will be Canadian Citizens. After graduating from a 2 year program, the student and the Spouse can both get a 3 year work permit to work in Canada. Candidates that choose to study in Canada have many options to apply for Permanent Residence. Their Spouse can apply for Permanent Residence through a PNP program after working in a skilled job for 6 months in Manitoba or one year in Alberta, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, or Nova Scotia, while their spouse is still in school. A student can apply for Permanent Residence after they graduate if they have enough points or they can work one year and apply for Permanent Residence under a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) or Canadian Experience Class (CEC). 

Financial Requirements To Study in Canada

You must prove that you can support yourself, and the family members who come with you, while you are in Canada.

You can prove your funds with the following;

• proof of a Canadian bank account in your name, if you've transferred money to Canada
• Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) from a participating Canadian financial institution
• proof of a student or education loan from a bank
• your bank statements for the past 4 months
• a bank draft that can be converted to Canadian dollars
• proof you paid tuition and housing fees
• a letter from the person or school giving you money or
• proof of funding paid from within Canada, if you have a scholarship or are in a Canadian-funded educational program

Minimum funds needed to support yourself as a student (and family members who come with you):
You must have a minimum of $10,000 per year to support you as the student. For the first family member (Spouse or dependent child) that is coming with you, you must have an additional minimum of $4000.00 per year to support them and for every additional accompanying family member you must have an additional $3000.00 per year to support them. For Example; If you and 2 family members want to come to a province outside Quebec for a year, you will need

• living expenses: $10,000 (for the student)
• living expenses: $4,000 (for the first family member)
• living expenses: $3,000 (for the second family member)
  Total: $17,000

If you do not have the funds yourself, you can get a letter from a family member stating their intention to support you financially, along with their financial documents in support of proof of this statement. 

Candidates that are eager to come to Canada with their family should consider studying as an option. School programs typically start in September and January of each year, however there are some programs that start every 2 months. 
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There are many schools and programs to choose from; some have IELTS 5, 6 or 7 as a requirement for admission, while others provide an English study program first, followed by the diploma program. 

We can help you find a school, apply to a program and gain admission. We will assist you with applying for a Study Permit for you, your spouse and a Student Visa or TRV for your children, where required.