New rules for international students in Canada

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada have come up with new rules regarding international students traveling to Canada for academic purposes.

In the past, the rules were a lot more lenient, and it was easier for international students to come to Canada to study. 

However, due to the pandemic, the Canadian government has introduced new rules and regulations that international students need to follow to come to Canada to study.

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These new rules and regulations have been covered and properly explained below for the best interest of traveling international students.

New rules for international students in Canada in 2022

The new rules state that:

• Unless you are exempt, you must have an active study permit or a letter of introduction proving that your application for a study permit was accepted before you will be allowed into Canada.
• You must be accepted by a designated learning institute before you will be allowed into Canada on a student visa.
• If you aren’t a minor (under the age of 18 years), you must be a traveler who has all the required vaccinations.

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• Finally, you must have complete and valid travel documents to be allowed into Canada on a student visa.

More details on the rules:

1. You must be accepted by a designated learning institute before you will be allowed into Canada on a student visa.

A school that has been given the go-ahead from a province or territorial government to accept foreign students is known as a designated learning institution. 

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In Canada, all elementary and secondary schools are recognized as learning institutions.

If you want to study in Canada, you must apply to and be accepted by a designated learning institute.

Pending other requirements, only when a designated learning institute has accepted you will you be qualified to come to study in Canada.

You can find a list of designated learning institutes here or on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website. 

Make sure to check the list regularly, as the list of schools is subject to change.

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If you are already in Canada on a visitor visa or another type of temporary visa, you will not be able to apply for a student visa from inside the country. 

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You will need to return to your home country and apply for a student visa from there.

2. You must have an active study permit or a letter of introduction proving that your application for a study permit was accepted (unless you are exempted) before you will be allowed into Canada.

As of January 2022, all international students will need to have a valid study permit or must have applied for a study permit before they can enter Canada unless they are exempted from doing so.

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Simply put; as an international student (or one who has been accepted to study at a designated learning institute in Canada), you must have a valid study permit or a letter of introduction proving that your application for a study permit was accepted before entering Canada.

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Generally, you shouldn’t apply for a study permit at the port of entry unless you are:

• A citizen of the United States of America.
• Someone who resides in Greenland.
• A legal permanent resident of the United States of America or
• A Saint-Pierre and Miquelon resident.

If you satisfy one of these conditions, you must have all the paperwork necessary to apply for a study permit with you when you get to the port of entry.

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Your eligibility to enter Canada as a student will be determined by the port of entry services agent who welcomes you.

This is a change from the previous rules, which allowed students to apply for a study permit after they arrived in Canada. 

You can apply for a study permit by clicking here.

3. You must be a fully vaccinated traveler

As of April 19, all travelers entering Canada must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and must have a valid negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of their flight unless they are under the age of 18. 

This applies to all international students, regardless of where you are coming from.

If you are not fully vaccinated, you will not be allowed to enter the country. 

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If any members of your family must travel to Canada with you or join you in Canada.

They must be fully vaccinated travelers who are 18 years of age or older to accompany or visit you in Canada.

Travelers who are not vaccinated will be denied entry at the border and will be sent back to their point of origin.

To ensure everyone’s safety, testing, and quarantine standards must be followed by all visitors to Canada unless they are excluded under any circumstances.

You can find out if testing and quarantine regulations don’t apply to you by clicking here.

It’s also important to note that Covid-19 can affect the processing time of your permit.

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So if you’re planning on coming to Canada as an international student, make sure you get your vaccinations before you travel. 

You must also meet all the other entry requirements for international students.

These new rules for international students are designed to protect the health and safety of everyone, including you.

4. International students will now need to show that they have a valid travel document (such as a passport) and proof of financial support for their studies in Canada.

If you’re an international student, you’ll need to make sure you have all the required documents before heading to Canada.

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The documents may include:

• A valid study permit
• A valid passport
• A letter of introduction from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
• A letter of acceptance from a designated learning institution
• Proof of financial support
• Proof of English or French proficiency

The required documents differ depending on your situation.

Please kindly check the IRCC website for a complete list of documents for your situation.

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Other requirements may apply if you have a circumstance surrounding your application.

In nutshell, the new rules for international students in Canada 2022 state that

If you want to come to Canada as a student, you must:

-Have been admitted to a designated learning institution in Canada

-Have a letter of introduction from that institution.

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– Meet the requirements of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations

These may include:

• You must be fully vaccinated. 
• You must have a valid study permit or a letter of introduction proving that your application for a study permit was accepted before entering Canada.

– You must be financially fit to study in Canada; that is, have enough money to support yourself during your stay in Canada.

– Be a law-abiding citizen with no criminal record and not be a risk to the security of Canada.

– Be in good health and have a letter from a doctor if you need medical treatment while in Canada.

– Be willing to leave Canada at the end of your authorized stay.