Canada Visa focuses on study applications for the province of Alberta. International students can bring their spouses and dependent children. The accompanying spouse will be granted a visitor visa or a work permit to find a job depending on their needs, and the accompanying dependent children will be granted a study permit and will be able to study for free in public schools.
Legal residents living in one of the following countries can apply under the Student Direct Stream, or SDS, is a program designed to make the process of applying for a Canadian study permit faster and more efficient for some international students.
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Brazil
- China
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- India
- Morocco
- Pakistan
- Peru
- Philippines
- Senegal
- Saint Vincent and Grenadines
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Vietnam
To submit an application for a Canadian study permit through the SDS program, prospective student applicants must:
- Provide a copy of a letter of acceptance from a Canadian Designated Learning Institution
- Provide a copy of a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL), unless they meet the exception
- Present a confirmation document for the applicant’s upfront medical exam
- Prove that they have obtained a Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) of $20,635 CAD minimum
- Prove that tuition fees for the first year of study are paid
- Provide proof of language test results completed within two years of the SDS application being received
- Provide documents required by Visa office: Police Certificate, Study Plan, Income, Bank Statements, Funds, Current Diploma / Most Recent Transcripts / High School Graduation Exam Results
Financial institutions that offer eligible SDS GICs
- Bank of China (Canada)
- Bank of Montreal (BMO)
- Bank of Nova Scotia
- Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC)
- Habib Canadian Bank
- ICICI Bank Canada
- Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (Canada) (ICBC)
- National Bank of Canada
- Royal Bank of Canada (RBC)
- SBI Canada Bank
- Shinhan Bank Canada
- The Toronto-Dominion Bank
IRCC accepts the following English language tests:
- IELTS Academic (minimum overall score of 6.0)
- IELTS General Training score of at least 6.0 in each language skill level (reading; writing; listening; and speaking)
- CELPIP General (minimum score of CLB 7)
- CAEL (minimum score of 60)
- Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic (minimum score of 60)
- Educational Testing Service (ETS) TOEFL iBT Test (minimum score of 83)
An application that is approved will be issued a letter of introduction, or what is officially known as a Point of Entry letter of introduction, and a temporary resident visa to enter Canada.
The letter of introduction, or Port of Entry (POE) letter, is issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) as proof of approval for a study permit and is presented to a visa officer upon arrival in Canada.
Citizens of one of the countries listed above cannot be residing in another country at the time of applying for a study permit through the SDS program.
