Due to the pandemic Corona Virus, Canada had put restrictions on travel since March 18. Now there is great news that some of the Visa Application Centres (VACs) around the world are starting to open with limited services for its clients thus making things easier to study in Canada for international students.
Visa application centers (VACs) are the companies which are privately-owned and have legal contracts with the Canadian Government:
- They send visa applications and passports to the visa office securely
- To give your biometrics such as fingerprints and a photo they have the official locations
- They are located all around the world
- They speak local languages
Now a few foreigners will again be able to complete their biometrics, which is very important to their applications for visitor visas, work visas, Canada student visa, and permanent residency.
Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) released its latest announcement on prioritizing study permit applications to facilitate online learning for international students for Fall 2020.
The new measures include:
- Providing priority study-permit processing for students who have submitted a complete visa application online, to ensure that study permits are processed as quickly as possible for applications submitted before 15th Sept. 2020.
- To permit students to keep a tab on the time they spent pursuing their studies online abroad against their eligibility for a post-graduation work permit. All this if the following parameters are fulfilled:
- If they have submitted a study permit application
- Received Approval In Principle
- If at least 50% of their program is completed in Canada
- Providing reassurances to international students who cannot submit all of the documentation needed to complete processing of their visa applications, and who choose to pursue programs through distance learning, by implementing a temporary 2-stage approval process.
"Approval-In-Principle" and "Eligibility/Admissibility" are the temporary stages for approval are:
- If the applicant has been accepted at a Canadian learning institution, has available funds and are otherwise eligible for the study permit is called as the Approval-In-Principle" stage notified as a first-step approval
- Applicants can begin studying online abroad and have that time count towards their post-graduation work permit once the Approval-In-Principle is issued provided they meet other criteria and that they eventually receive full approval of their study permit
- The final approval of the applicant is given only if the following parameters are fulfilled:
Eligibility and admissibility requirements including submitting biometrics and necessary documents
Immigration medical exam
police certificate
An applicant is able to travel to Canada only once final approval is received.
Measures taken at VACs regarding health and safety
Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)said that they are following certain measures regarding the health and safety of staff and the people who use the services at VACs.
- Maintaining social distancing and hand hygiene at the core of their efforts.
- Frequently the VAC will be cleaned
- Staff will also use gloves, face masks, and face shields
- The VAC has a limit on number of people allowed inside
- Both staff and visitors may be subject to temperature checks, and there will be regular use of sanitizers
Hope this article was useful. You can check out for free online counselling for study abroad as well to get more precise information.
See you soon.