Canada has Introduced New Visa Process for Conditional Admissions

The Canadian Immigration department has changed the ways of processing student visa for candidates who want to study under a conditional admission or a pathway program.

These programs include study courses that require a candidate to have an additional or preparatory course like English or French proficiency. On successful completion of these preparatory courses, a prospective student can start their academic year in their desired study program.

On successful completion of these preparatory courses, a prospective student can start their academic year in their desired study program.

The ongoing Canadian immigration visa processing practice for such cases was to issue a single study permit i.e. a study visa. But recently, the Canadian Immigration department has changed their policy.

July 13, 2016, the immigration department announced that from the mentioned date, the conventional procedure will not be practiced anymore.

The study permit will be issued for the first study program only – unlike the single study permit for the whole study duration (additional 90 days inclusive).

From the date effective, students will be issued a study visa for the duration of their preparatory program only. After the completion of this program, the prospective students can get their new study permit issued.

Keeping that the student has met their preparatory program’s requirements and they have demonstrated the same to the immigration officers.

The purpose of such a change is to ensure that the students actually meet the requirements of their designated institutions. Previously, the designated institution was responsible for reporting the students who have been assigned a preparatory course or program. Now, the immigration department will update the institution on the same.

The students who will come to Canada for completing their preparatory program might not be able to complete it successfully. But these students will be allowed to work as per the terms of their study permit for the time their visa is valid.

The educational providers in Canada seem to be taken aback by this decision. They are moving to work out the impact of this new visa policy on students and their institutes.

They believe that decisions regarding the immigration of students must be sought with the concerned authorities and not be made behind closed doors.