Canada is one of the most popular destinations for students looking to study abroad. The country offers a wide range of opportunities for international students, from studying in traditional universities to developing entrepreneurial skills with leading Canadian companies.
Canada's high-quality education and competitive cost make it an attractive destination for anyone interested in experiencing Canada's culture or making a life there. Moving to Canada amidst a pandemic might sound extreme, but it could be the best decision you ever make. This blog post will cover some of the things you should know about moving to Canada amidst the raging pandemic.
Is Canada still processing study permit applications from International Students?
Canada has not suspended the processing of Study Permits for international students and is currently processing applications.
If you plan on applying for a Study permit before leaving your home country, expect it to take anywhere between 3-5 weeks before you receive a response. You can experience a delay by another few weeks in the present scenario. After receiving a positive decision on your application, you will then receive instructions on how to process an Application for Permanent Residence.
In the light of recent events, Canada has introduced a new two-step process for study permits. Under this process, after a study permit is approved the student can start remote learning from the institution without having to move to Canada.
At present, applicants who are studying at DLI approved institutions with approved COvid-19 readiness plan will be eligible to move to Canada.
Under this new system, an applicant can submit an incomplete application on the occasion he is unable to collect his biometrics, medical certificates, and travel documents. You will be required to submit them as soon as you manage to get your hands on them.
Who can enter Canada?
Here is a list of individuals who can enter Canada -
Individuals with Canadian citizen and permanent residence
Immediate family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residence7
Any temporary citizens, or distant family members with authorization from IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada)
Individuals with special permission under compassionate grounds
Individuals with a valid Temporary Work Permit
IEC participants who were temporarily out of the country, even without a current work opportunity
IEC participants with a valid job offer, but without a valid work permit
International Students who have been accepted into DLI-approved learning institutions and whose COvid-19 is deemed compliant by IRCC. (This means the institution has an Emergency Plan)
Fully Vaccinated Individuals Traveling to Canada
To ensure that no one from the infected region enters Canada, the Government has increased border screening procedures. Any individual who is fully vaccinated should be vaccinated by the Canadian government-approved vaccines. Currently, there are four approved vaccines - Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD, and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson).
Pre-arrival Covid-19 test - For travellers arriving to Canada by air, should present a negative report of the Covid-19 test. It is recommended to take the test within 72 hours of flight departure.
On arrival test - Every passenger needs to go for a Covid-19 test as soon as they arrive in Canada. Even if you're fully vaccinated, you need to undergo the test. If the report comes positive, you need to immediately isolate yourself and await further communication from health officials.
Proof of Vaccination - You need to submit your proof of vaccination as soon as you arrive in Canada.
Quarantine plan - A fully vaccinated traveller does not need to go for the 14-day quarantine. However, if you test positive upon arrival, you need to go for quarantine. So, you should have a quarantine plan beforehand.
It is also important for all prospective immigrants in Canada to know that visa-exempt nationals can only stay in the country for a period of six months. So, if your visa has expired, you run the risk of having your status changed from Student Visa Holder (temporary) to Visitor (permanent). This makes it even harder to apply for permanent residence on an immigrant category as these categories require longer periods of legal stay beforehand.
It is important to note that there are still uncertainties about how much time should elapse before everyone is allowed into Canada as well as when they can travel out of their home countries without needing a permit. That's why it is best for all interested immigrants to be patient and wait for further updates before making any decisions on immigrating to Canada amidst pandemics.
VCan is one of the leading Canadian immigration agencies which has helped thousands of clients from all over the world, including India to successfully immigrate to Canada.
If you're looking to migrate from India to Canada, we'll guide you through the entire process step-by-step. We can help with sponsorship applications for parents/grandparents, study permits, PNPs, Business Entry among other services. Our experienced Canadian immigration lawyers and consultants will give you all the information about your options and what steps should be taken at every stage.
To know more about our services and for a consultation with one of our experienced migration agents, simply visit vcanimmigrate.com
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