Besides the beautiful scenery, Canada is also famous for its world-class education system which attracts hundreds of thousands of overseas students every year. Foreign students must gain permission from the Canadian government. However, what if you are already in Canada on a tourist visa and want to stay longer for education? Can you change a Canada tourist visa to a student visa? It depends on the courses you take and your status. In this passage, we are going to explore what are these two types of Canadian visas, why and how to convert the visa.
Is It Possible to Change Canada Tourist Visa to Student Visa
The answer is YES if you arrive in Canada as a tourist and decide to stay to enroll in an educational institution or you have been approved for a study permit but haven’t received it at the time of entry into Canada.
However, we do not suggest you use a visitor visa to enter Canada with the intention of study or immigration. It is a misunderstanding that you can simply change the status from “visitor” to “student” within the country, which might lead to the rejection of your study permit application.
What is Canada Tourist Visa
The Canadian tourist visa, also known as a visitor visa, is an example of a temporary resident visa, allowing foreign travelers to stay in Canada for up to 6 months. Most people from visa-required countries should apply for it, even if they are transiting at a Canadian airport. To obtain the visa, you should provide documents to prove your identity and purpose of travel, such as a valid passport, financial statement, travel itinerary or an invitation letter.
What is Canada Student Visa
The Canadian student visa is also a temporary resident visa. Any international student who is going to take academic, professional, vocational or other courses and training for more than 6 months is supposed to apply for it. To obtain the visa, you should provide supporting documents such as a valid passport, passport photo, proof of financial support, acceptance letter from a Designated Learning Institution (DLI), and letter of explanation.
Do I Need a Permit to Study in Canada?
Foreign nationals need a student visa to study in Canada except unless they:
- are taking short-term courses shorter than 6 months.
- are a family member or staff of a GAC-approved foreign representative.
- are on official duties as a member of the foreign armed forces of a VFA-designated country.
- have registered Indian status in Canada.
- are a minor child of refugees, Canadian citizens, and Canadian permanent residents.
- are a minor preschool, primary school or secondary school student with a parent who is studying or working in Canada.
- are unaccompanied minor preschool, primary school or secondary school students.
- are taking French language and culture courses in Quebec as temporary residents or asylum seekers.
- are taking settlement and integration courses as temporary residents.
- are holding a valid work permit issued on or before June 7, 2023.
- have a letter on or before June 7, 2023 to gain permission to work.
Why Should I Turn Canada Tourist Visa to Student Visa Inside Canada?
Before learning about how to change your visitor visa to a study visa within Canada, let’s talk about the benefits of the conversion.
- Save time to receive a student visa
Generally, it takes up to 10 weeks to process an application for a student visa. However, if you transfer a visitor visa to a study permit, it takes only up to one month. Moreover, you don’t need to leave Canada and re-enter.
- Fewer required documents
This transfer is considered the easiest and cheapest way to immigrate to Canada because the requirements are much simpler.
- Enjoy Canada public healthcare
Student visa holder and their family can apply for a public healthcare card which allows the whole family to enjoy most healthcare services for free.
- Attend public schools
If you are holding a study visa, your children can go to a public primary and secondary school for free. Milk subsidies are also available for visa or work visa holders who have been in Canada for over 18 months.
- Take a part-time job
It is known that tourist visa holders are not allowed to work in Canada, no matter part time or full time, but student visa holders can take part-time jobs for 20 hours or less every week so as to supplement the family income.
How to Convert Visitor Visa to Student Visa in Canada
To achieve the conversion, you are supposed to apply for a study permit first. It can be done online while applying from within Canada.
Prepare Required Documents
To gain approval, you should present the following documents to prove your eligibility.
- Proof of acceptance into a designated learning institution (DLI)
- Proof of identity, such as a valid passport or green card, and 2 recent passport photos.
- Proof of financial support, such as a bank statement, proof of student or education loan, payment receipt of tuition and housing fees, or a letter from your sponsor.
- Letter of explanation which explains to the officer why you want to study in Canada, your goal, and your understanding of a student’s responsibilities.
- No criminal records
- proof of health
Completing the Form
It is recommended to fill out the electronic form on the computer, which reduces the chances of errors. First of all, you need to create or log in to an IRCC secure account which will be used to submit applications, fulfill payment, and track the status. It is required to provide personal details, language, passport information, identity document details, contact information, details of your visit to Canada, educational and working experience, and so forth.
Pay the Application Fees and Submit Application
It takes $CAN 150 per person to apply for a study permit. Acceptable online payment methods include a valid credit card. Make a digital copy of your supporting documents with a scanner or camera to upload online.
Wait for Study Permit
It usually takes about 30 days to process your application. Just be patient and wait for the result. During this process, please follow the rules and regulations of your visitor visa. For example, don’t work without authorization. Moreover, pay attention to the validity of your visitor visa. To ensure you can legally stay in Canada, please apply for an extension for your visa record by mail or online. Once it is approved, just wait for it and get ready for school.
Summary
In order to study in Canada for more than 6 months, an international must have a study permit. If you are traveling in Canada and decide to stay to study or enter the country before receiving your study permit, you can change your tourist visa to a student visa from inside Canada, which saves time and allows you to enjoy more public benefits. To apply for the permit, you must be able to present proof of acceptance to a DLI-certified educational institution apart from proof of identity, financial support, and health conditions. Applying for a study permit could be done online. Once you are approved, you can start a new journey in school.
Erin Lo