An applicant for a student visa must be a student. Sounds dumb, I know. What I mean is that a Canadian visa officer must be satisfied that a person seeking a study visa to Canada will carry out the intended studies in Canada. An officer determines this by, among other methods, assessing the study history of an applicant and comparing it to the intended course of study in Canada. For example, is it logical for a person who studied business at an Indian university to apply for a certificate program in marketing at a Canadian college?
An officer would want to know if the funds required to live and study in Canada are sufficient. This requires some disclosure about the cost of the studies and an estimate of living expenses. Students may have parents who are supporting the proposed studies in Canada. Some evidence of the financial wherewithal of the parents, and proof of transferability of the funds to Canada would be helpful.
The visa history of an applicant may be considered. If the applicant has a history of not complying with the laws (immigration or otherwise) of a country, then this may very well be a negative factor making a successful study visa application more difficult. On the other hand, an applicant with a history of visiting certain developed countries and then returning home may be a positive factor.
The recent history of an applicant may be considered by an officer. For example, a period of work in the home country that followed completion of studies in the home country may lead an officer to question why a person is seeking to return to studies, and further return to studies in a foreign country such as Canada.
The age of an applicant may also be a factor to consider – a 35 year old study visa applicant would have to explain the reason to seek out academic studies later than many other persons, giving reference to the previous 10 or 15 years of the applicant’s activities.
Of lesser consideration may be the extracurricular activities of a study visa applicant. Similarly, it would be unfair to prejudge an applicant based on the visa history of a relative – a relative who may, for example, have not complied with the immigration laws of another country such as Canada.
One important point to consider: if you feel inclined (or brainwashed) by the Canada immigration website’s encouragement to apply for a visa on your own, you may wish to consider one fact: a refusal of a study visa could negatively affect a subsequent application for a study visa. At Chaudhary Law Office, we have successfully applied for study visas on behalf of applicants with difficult circumstances. You may want to consult with us first when considering a study visa application .
