The novel Corona Virus or Covid-19 has undoubtedly, halted the dreams of many Indians who wanted to land in Canada to pursue their higher education.
Some of the students were already in the process of Canadian Visa procurement while some had even received the admission confirmation letter from their respective universities or colleges.
However, now most Indian students desirous of getting a Canadian Study visa are facing a strange dilemma and are clueless about what steps to take next.
Besides, the Canadian Government has also made some changes in its Immigration rules, which has left many of the students concerned about their future.
In today’s post we’ll highlight the main changes in Canada’s Immigration and Study Visa rules after COVID-19 spread.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has made some changes in its laws to accommodate immigrants who are being affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
1. The law now imposes some restrictions under which the Canadian government is currently suspending the processing of non-essential visitor visa applications. What does it mean? It means anyone who wants to go to Canada for tourism or visiting purposes will have to wait until the restrictions lift. This allows IRCC to focus resources on critical services. This suspension also applies to some electronic travel authorization (eTA) applications.
2. The good news though is that the processing of visa and applications for those who are allowed to come to Canada will continue. So that means if you’ve already applied for study or work visa, the processing will continue (for students applying for fall study term) but it will take more time than usual!
3. Since study-permit applications also require one to undergo biometrics, and many visa application centres that normally provide this service are closed, therefore, now applicants are being given 90 days instead of the standard 30 days to give biometrics.
4. According to IRCC, it should be noted that only students who have a valid study visa approved on or before March 18, 2020, can currently travel to Canada.
Some More Points To Consider If You Want To Study In Canada During Pandemic 2020:
1. Workers, students and visitors (who qualify for an exemption to travel restrictions) must apply online.
2. IRCC will continue to provide updates on any further changes, including when the suspension of processing is lifted.
