Students from around the world can still apply for a study permit in Canada. It is still possible to do this even though the Canadian government has set a cap on the number of students who can come to Canada in 2024. Following some simple steps and new requirements, studying in Canada is even now possible.
According to IRCC, students will need to possess an attestation letter from the province or territory they are going to study in at the time of applying for a study permit. A study permit application will be returned if an attestation letter is not included in the application excluding of following situations:
- a student applying to extend his/her study permit;
- a student in a master’s, PhD, or other post-graduate program;
- a minor child in a primary or secondary school (kindergarten to grade 12).
What is a Canadian Attestation Letter?
As of 22 January 2024, announced by IRCC, an attestation letter must be included in the study permit application of the students. This attestation letter will be issued by the responsible territory or provinces where a student is going to study. According to the announcement of the IRCC, each province or territory is developing a process to get an attestation letter. These processes are expected to be in place by March 31, 2024. Further information will be released accordingly.
What is required to apply for a study permit?
International students can apply for a study permit from outside, inside, or at a port of entry in Canada depending on their circumstances. In each case, the following requirements should be met to do so:
The student must have in his study permit application the following:
- educational institution admission letter or a letter of acceptance from the designated learning institution (DLI);
- an attestation letter from the province or territory where you plan to study;
- as many of the documents needed for a complete application as possible;
- a letter of explanation for any documents that are missing due to COVID-19;
- proof of identity;
- proof of financial support
- a letter of explanation (in some cases);
- an attestation of issuance of Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) (in some cases);
- a medical exam (in some cases);
- a custodian declaration (minors only).