Securing admission to a Canadian institution is surely an achievement, but getting your student visa is vital in materializing your dream of studying abroad. The country welcomes many international students every year, but the visa rejection rate in Canada is rising rapidly.
The country has now announced a national cap on study permit applications to decrease the number of international students in Canada, adding to the challenges of those aspiring to study abroad. There are a number of reasons for the rejection of a Canadian student visa.
Let us take you through some of the most common ones.
A study suggests that 41% of employers offer high salaries to students who have studied abroad. Therefore, millions of students from across the globe travel to sought-after study destinations to earn their degrees. International students in Canada need a study permit and a Canadian student visa to enter the country.
Since the number of applications is far more than the admission capacity of these universities, only good academic records are not sufficient for successful visa acceptance. And with Canada rejecting student visas on a tremendous scale, getting a visa approved in Canada is significantly difficult.
Students should figure out the various reasons behind a rejected visa application so that they can minimize the chances of refusal.
Let’s look at some popular reasons for the rejection of a Canada student visa:
Financial Instability
The officers check your financial independence and ability to pay at least one year’s tuition at the college you are enrolling in before issuing you a study visa for Canada. If they find you will be able to do so comfortably, they will grant you the visa.
Students who are successful in their applications typically have financial documentation demonstrating their ability to live in Canada for a specific amount of time without working.
In Canadian universities, tuition starts from CAD 15,000. The government requires students from other countries to have the financial means to cover their tuition and other costs. It requires credible evidence of financial stability.
You might solve this issue by making sure you don't focus only on justifying the bare minimum required funds. Instead, it is advised that you include proof of adequate finances for more than one year and additional financial documentation with your application for a study permit in Canada.
Inadequate Identity or Travel Documents (Including Lack of Travel History)
Visa officers have the right to reject your visa application if you don’t have a complete record of your travel or identity documents. The visa officer will examine your travel records to determine which periods are problematic if they believe there are gaps in your travel history.
In order to decide whether you can be accepted to Canada due to a medical condition or criminal conviction, the visa authorities will verify your identification through your documentation.
Additionally, if you stated on your study permit application form that you have prior travel experience but do not have sufficient documentation to support this claim (e.g., a previous passport with visas or stamps of entry and exit from the countries you visited), your application may be denied.
It is important to support your travel history with adequate documentation and proof. Your identification documents must be uncomplicated and simple to understand.
To make it simple for the IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) officer to understand your online application, be sure to arrange your scanned documents chronologically.
Poor Academic Performance
The visa officers check educational records and academic consistency. They screen the overall academic record of applicants. Good grades are important for approval, but that is not all. The approval or rejection of a visa application also highly depend upon the scores of English language proficiency tests like IELTS and TOEFL.
Also, if your academic records are inconsistent, it will be questionable. International students can prepare themselves with the assistance of counselors, who can guide them with the best solutions to such inconsistencies.
A student visa is a temporary visa that has an expiration date. Hence, the visa officials will want if the international students to return to their home country after completion of the course. International students may decide to settle in Canada after completing the course due to a lack of opportunities in their home country.
However, this can be a reason for the rejection of a student visa. So, when the intention of returning to the home country is low, the applications are straightaway rejected.
International students should show their eagerness to return to their home country after completion of the course through the application form and visa interview.
To get visa approval, applicants also need to produce convincing statements and documents regarding the huge scope of job opportunities in their home country.
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The Canada hosts the largest number of international students from across the world. Over the past few years, it has become one of the most popular destinations for studying abroad. Reasons such as best-ranked institutions, excellent support facilities, flexible academic environment, and cultural diversity contribute to making it the most preferred destination amongst students planning to study abroad.
Study Program that is Inconsistent with Work Experience and Past Qualifications
The visa officers pay close attention to whether your chosen study program matches your future professional aspirations or your prior educational background (and work experience, if applicable). They will raise an issue if they notice that you are suddenly changing your field of interest or stream of study.
If a program is not aligned with prior education (e.g., applying for a Nursing program with an Engineering degree; or applying for Logistics & Supply Chain Management after working in the HR, Teaching, Accounts, or Law sector), it becomes difficult to convince the visa officials that it is of some significance to you.
Some of the common academic-related reasons for the rejection of a Canada student visa are as follows:
Applying for PG Diploma with very high GPA in Bachelors
Applying for PG Diploma with very high GPA in Bachelors
Applying for PG Diploma after Masters
Career Gap
Second Masters (non-MBA)
For this, you must include a thorough personal statement explaining why you are changing your field of interest. If you find yourself in a situation like this, remember that detailing is the key.
Whatever you speak or mention in your application should be substantiated with valid proof.
Not Receiving/ Incorrect Letter of Acceptance
The Designated Learning Institute (DLI) offers a letter of acceptance to every student at the time of admission. Every international student needs to submit this letter of acceptance to the visa officials.
If, under any circumstance, the students don’t receive the letter of acceptance, the visa or study permit will be squarely rejected. The students need to produce a letter of acceptance along with minimum eligibility criteria proof as stated by the Canadian government.
Employment Opportunities in Canada
The Canadian government welcomes skilled workers to come and work in the country owing to a major demand created due to a million job vacancies. Fields like healthcare, transportation, technology, food services, and educational services have shown significant growth over time.
These sectors offer promising job prospects for those seeking employment.
For instance, according to Glassdoor (May 2024), the average annual salary for a web developer ranges from CAD 49,000 to CAD 74,000, of an accountant is between CAD 47,000 and CAD 69,000, that of a software engineer goes from CAD 67,000 - CAD 1,00,000, and so on.
Students with skills in in-demand occupations look forward to rewarding prospects in the Canadian job market. The desire to earn high may cause international students to stay longer in Canada and not return to their home country.
To overcome this reason for Canadian visa rejection, you must clearly address in your visa application that you will look for job or business opportunities in your home country.
Tips to Decrease Chances of Canadian Student Visa Rejection
Here is some valuable information that will help you reduce the chances of your Canadian Student Visa rejection:
Make a list of essential documents required to apply for a Canadian student visa.
Fill out the visa application form carefully and cross-check all the information.
Make sure that you upload a copy of the offer letter that you received from a recognized Canadian university.
If applied under the Student Partnership Program, the candidate must have the proof of finances.
If you have relevant work experience, make sure you submit your bank statements and salary slips as proof.
Mention your travel history and visa rejections (if applicable) in the visa file.
While applying online, make sure that you answer all the questions on the IRCC website.
Your statement of intent plays a crucial role in making the visa officer familiar with yourself. So, make sure that you clearly mention your academic achievements and intent to study in Canada.
If your student visa for Canada gets rejected for some reason, you can always re-apply and make sure that you don’t make the same mistakes that you made the first time. Here are some steps that will help you move forward.
Identifythe reason behind the rejection of the Student Visa
There are many reasons your student visa can get rejected. Make sure you know what was the reason in your case. Some of the Canadian student visa rejection reasons are given below
Inadequate funds and lack of proof to support education abroad.
False documents.
If a candidate lacks language proficiency.
If a candidate fails to confirm his immediate return to India after completing their education.
The candidate does any misconduct during the visa interview process.
Inability to justify the purpose of choosing a particular course, country, or university.
Not being able to provide reasonable answers during the interview.
Rectify the problem
If you succeed in knowing the mistake or inadequacies that led to the rejection of your visa application, the next step involves correcting that mistake.
Mistake/Problem that lead to visa rejection
How can you rectify it
Lack of funds
Ensure that you have enough proof of funds to support your education abroad.
Wrong information
Mention genuine and correct information before reapplying
Inability to state the purpose behind choosing a course, university or country
Make sure that you are fully aware of the course, university, and country you’re applying to.
Your answers lacked the ability to convince the visa officer.
Be clear about why you want to pursue higher education. Research about the facts of your country and practice your answers well.
If your intention of visiting the country was not clear
Ensure that you make a reliable impression on the visa officer about your aim of studying abroad.
Re-Apply for Student Visa
While reapplying for a student visa you can apply for the same country. However, if you have got multiple rejections from the same country, you can apply to another country.
Let’s discuss both the possibilities –
a) Re-Apply in the Same Country
If your visa got rejected for the first time, there’s a possibility that you’ll get it the second time. Make sure that you don’t make the same mistakes that lead to the rejection this time.
If you appeared for a visa interview, you can ask the visa officer why your visa got rejected. However, if you weren’t asked to give the interview, you must have received a document explaining the reason for your rejection. Once you know the reason, make sure that you rectify your mistake this time before re-applying.
b) Try Applying to Countries
Suppose a country constantly rejects your student visa, and you no longer wish to apply for the same; you can always explore other options by applying for a visa in other countries that provide the same quality of education.
What is Student Direct Stream (SDS) in Canada
The SDS is a way that allows aspirants to get study permits faster than the regular path. The normal processing time for most SDS applications is 20 days, but it might take longer in case of exceptions.
If you want your application to get processed quickly, you must meet all eligibility requirements and submit your biometrics quickly. It is important to understand that a study permit is not a visa, and you cannot enter Canada only with it. You might need a visitor visa or an electronic travel authorization (ETA).
However, you may face Canada SDS visa rejection if there is no proper proof of financial support, the intention to leave the country is not stated, or there are no proper travel or identity documents.
In addition, IRCC might also question your choice of study program and require you to have a genuine acceptance letter.
Conclusion
In conclusion, understanding the top reasons for the rejection of Canadian student visas in 2024 is crucial for prospective international students aiming to study in Canada.
A thorough and careful visa application preparation is required to avoid common issues, such as insufficient financial proof, unclear study plans, doubts about the applicant's intention to leave Canada after studies, inadequate language proficiency, and incomplete documentation.
By addressing these potential pitfalls proactively, students can significantly improve their chances of acceptance. It's important for applicants to present a clear, coherent application that convincingly demonstrates their academic intentions, financial stability, and temporary stay in Canada.
Awareness and rectification of these common reasons for rejection are key steps toward successfully securing a student visa, paving the way for a rewarding educational experience in one of the world's most welcoming countries for international students.
There are various reasons behind the rejection of a Canadian student visa.
Some of them are inadequate funds and lack of proof to support education abroad, false documents, poor language skills, misbehavior during the visa interview process, failure to explain the reason behind choosing a particular course, university and country and not being able to confirm an immediate return to India after completing education.
Can I get a Canadian study visa after refusal?
Yes, you can get a Canadian study visa after refusal by re-applying for the visa and making sure that you have all the necessary documents required to appear for the new visa interview.
Confirm your finances before reapplying for the visa and practice your answers for the interview.
What do Canadian visa officers check for student visas?
Canadian visa officers check your connections to Canada and your home country. This includes your family connections, employment status, immigration status, property and other things that tie you to your country and Canada.
Other factors that visa officers take into consideration include your travel history and finances.
What can you do if your visa is rejected?
If your visa is rejected, you can always re-apply, provided you don’t make the same mistakes that denied your visa in the first place. If you receive several rejections from the same country, you have the option to apply to another country.
What is the age limit for student visa in Canada?
In Canada, there is no upper age limit for obtaining a student visa. The university may admit students of any age. However, people of higher age may not be granted a study permit by IRCC (formerly CIC).
You need to justify and convince IRCC of the necessity and relevance of a study at an older age after taking a few or several years of break since your last study.
With over 12 years of experience in the education sector, Harjeet specializes in study abroad counseling and visa management. She has a proven ability to guide students through university applications and visa processes, ensuring strict adherence to immigration laws. Her leadership background includes managing and mentoring teams, conducting training, and overseeing recruitment. As a Visa Manager, Harjeet excels in leading teams to efficiently process visas for multiple countries, driving operational excellence, and fostering strong partnerships with visa processing vendors.
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