Answers to frequently Asked Questions About Studying in Canada

How can I immigrate to Canada?

There is no one single way to immigrate to Canada as there are multiple programs that allow people to immigrate to the country. Every candidate’s profile is unique and it is important that you attempt to apply under a program that best suits your profile.

The best way to determine the most suitable immigration pathway is to consult with a licensed professional who will advise you appropriately based on his understanding of your profile and his deep knowledge of the various immigration programs in Canada.

Is there an age limit for applying for a Canadian study permit?

The short answer to this question is no. We understand that there is a popular misconception out there that one cannot get a study permit to study in Canada once he/she is over the age of 40. This is indeed a misconception.

In Canada, lifelong learning is encouraged and it is not uncommon for people to return to school in their older years if they so wish. In fact, we have successfully assisted a number of people in their 40s and early 50s to obtain study permit which allowed them to study in Canada. It is also important to note that age discrimination is against Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

So long as you have been accepted to study at a designated learning institution and meet other eligibility requirements, you will have a good chance to obtain a study permit. To brighten your chance of success, it is always a good idea to work with a licensed professional who will ensure that you submit the strongest application.

How do I prove to a visa officer that I will return home after completing my studies?

Essentially, proving to the visa officer that you will return home after your studies depends on your ties to your home country. As part of the application process, it is important to demonstrate that your strong ties to your home country will outweigh any incentive to overstay your study permit in Canada. Examples of strong ties include family (parents, spouse, siblings, children), employment, assets (e.g. properties, pension, and investment), etc.

Similar to our earlier advice, it is important that you work with a licenced and an experienced professional to assist you in packaging the strongest possible application, which would adequately address all potential issues that could be raised by the visa officer, including ties to your home country.

I have a sister or a brother who lives in Canada. If I let IRCC know that, would it jeopardize my application?

The idea that your study permit application will always be refused because of your family tiesin Canada is another misconception. We have successfully represented applicants who have significant family ties to Canada. For example, one of our clients from Nigeria who resumed studies in Canada this January got her study permit approved even though she has two other sisters in universities across Canada. Another client from Ghana whose brother is a permanent resident of Canada also got his study permit approved. And then there is Xiangyun, a student from China whose sister and parents lived in Canada when her application was submitted.Xiangyun was worried that her strong ties to Canada could lead to a refusal of her application, but that never happened.

It has been long established in Canadian case law that it is wrong to refuse an applicant’s application because of family ties to Canada. The Federal Court has held that such ties should be viewed as a positive, and not a negative factor due to their potential benefits to the student. For example, a student’s relatives in Canada may provide moral, emotional, and financial support that could enable such a student to be more successful in school.

Therefore, it is important to note that your family ties to Canada could bean asset rather a liability.

What is the processing time for study permit applications?

There a number of factors that determine the processing time of a study permit application. They include which office is processing the applicationand the volume of applications being processed in that office, among other factors. In addition to these factors, the COVID-19 pandemic has introduced disruptions to application processing times, leading to delays in processing of applications.

According to the IRCC, it is currently working hard to clear the massive application backlog in the system, and for now, estimated application processing times are unreliable.

For more information about studying in Canada, contact David Akinmoluwa on WhatsApp at +1-587-974-8942 or via email at info@crestimmigration.ca.