04-05-11
A Canada study permit is increasingly in high demand by international students for several reasons, including the quality of Canadian schools, the growing Canadian economy and the increased chance for Canadian immigration.
Study Permit Canada
A Canada study permit enables international students to study in Canada for a defined period of six months or more, in a variety of educational programs. A Canada study permit will also enable international students’ eligibility for several types of work permits and Canadian immigration programs, both during and after the completion of one’s studies.
The processing time of a Canada study permit depends on many factors, including nationality and the manner in which an application is submitted. For a list of processing times by country click here. In order to apply for a Canada study permit, an individual must have already been accepted to an educational program in a Canadian school, university, or college. One must also demonstrate that they do not intend to stay in Canada after their study permit expires.
Canada study permits do not prevent anyone from applying for Canadian immigration at a later date. In fact, once an international student is already in Canada with a Canada study permit, they are encouraged to seek out opportunities for Canadian immigration. For more information about attaining a Canada study permit, click here.
Canada Study Permits for Indian Students
Generally, international students are valued because they enrich Canadian culture and the Canadian economy. Statistically, they have also increased job opportunities available for Canadians themselves. Canada study permits are being made more accessible to Indian students applying to Canadian colleges in particular through the Student Partners Program (SPP) – a joint project between the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC) and Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). Thanks to the SPP program, the application and acceptance rates for Canada study permits for Indian students doubled in one year, and processing time for SPP applications has been reduced to two and a half weeks for Indian applicants. While the criteria for a Canada study permit through the SPP is the same as a regular application, the SPP benefits both the Canadian government and the Canada study permit applicants in additional ways. For example, the SPP arranges for universities to provide feedback to the Canadian government by reporting on whether or not the student is in fact attending their college classes. This makes opening the doors to Indian students more beneficial and secure for the Canadian government. The SPP has made the process of acquiring a Canada study permit more efficient and accessible to more Indian students than ever before.
Canadian schools are attractive to Indian students, since they are of the highest quality and they are cheaper than many educational programs in the U.S. or the U.K. However, Canada has not been attracting as many Indian students as some other countries. For instance, in Australia there are approximately 40,000 Indian university students, while in Canada there are only about 3,500. This discrepancy has cause the Canadian government to increase their efforts in attracting Indian students, with more acquirable Canada study permits. These efforts are, in part, reflected in initiatives like the Student Partners Program. The government hopes that students will apply for Canadian immigration in the long-term, thus benefitting the Canadian economy and society in general.
For more information about immigrating to Canada, contact FWCanada – Canadian Immigration Law Firm
