H - Applying to Work, Study, And Stay in Canada - Canada Course for Education Agents - Online...

H - Applying to Work, Study, and Stay in Canada

H1 Overview

Under Canadian law, education agents are not permitted to apply for a study permit on a student’s behalf or to

advise the student on their application unless specifically authorized under the provisions of the applicable

Canadian legislation (Bill C-35). They are meant to focus their services on helping students to find the most

suitable programs to suit their study goals. Just below, you’ll see a list of the types of advice agents are

permitted to provide to students, as well as the types of advice they are not permitted to give under the

Canadian government’s Bill C-35.

At the same time, agents will likely be asked by students about study visas (i.e., temporary resident visas

required to enter Canada), study permits, work permits, and immigration options in Canada. This section of

the Canada Course will help agents to be able to respond within the rules set out under Bill C-35.

What can education agents do under Bill C-35?

Direct someone to the CIC website to find information on immigration programs

Direct someone to the CIC website to find immigration application forms

Direct someone to an authorized immigration representative

Provide translation services

Provide courier services

Provide medical services (e.g., medical exams)

Make travel arrangements

Advise an international student on how to select their courses or register with a Canadian institution.

What are education agents not permitted to do under Bill C-35?

Explain and/or provide advice on someone’s immigration options

Provide guidance to a client on how to select the best immigration stream

Complete/submit immigration forms on a client’s behalf

Communicate with CIC and the Canada Border Services Agency on a client’s behalf (except for direct

translation)

Represent a client in an immigration application or proceeding

Advertise that they can provide immigration advice

For all students’ specific inquiries about study and work permits, and immigration options, you can send

them to the new and improved Citizenship and Immigration (CIC) website: http://www.cic.gc.ca/

english/study/index.asp. What follows in the rest of this section is a general orientation to help students

navigate the CIC website.

H1.1- Focus Questions

H2 How Canadian Policy Welcomes International Students

H - Applying to Work, Study, and Stay in Canada - Canada Course for E... http://ccea.onlinetrainingnow.com/subjects/27/units/150/print

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Canada is one of the world’s leading study destinations for many reasons, not the least of which is its open

and welcoming attitude toward international students. The Canadian Minister of International Trade and

Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway noted in 2012:

“The presence of international students and researchers taking advantage of Canada’s world-class

facilities creates jobs and economic growth, and contributes to our people-to-people ties with other

countries and, in particular, emerging markets.”

Moreover, there is a special immigration class in Canada specifically designed to make it easier for talented

international students who have been studying in the country to stay in Canada post-graduation to work: the

Canadian Experience Class. This immigration stream can be very important to international students thinking

about their options to study at the graduate level. The link to the CIC section of the website pertaining to the

Canadian Experience Class is here for students: http:// www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/cec/index.asp

As an agent, you can tell students that the Canadian government has worked in collaboration with the

provincial and territorial governments who hold jurisdiction in education across Canada to institute many

policies to ensure study programs in Canada are well regulated and quality-controlled. This is to ensure

genuine international students’ interests are protected and that they study in institutions committed to high

standards.

H2.1- Focus Question

H3 Applying for a Study Permit

Prospective students must apply for a study permit if their main reason for coming to Canada is to study for

more than six months. Students must apply for a study permit before coming to Canada, and must have been

accepted at a school, university, or college in Canada before applying.

Students will need to understand which documents are required to apply for a study permit:

Proof of acceptance: the original letter of acceptance from the Canadian institution.1.

Proof of identity: a valid passport or travel document and two recent passport-sized photos for the

student and each accompanying family member.

2.

Proof of financial support: see the CIC website for financial support requirements for students and

accompanying family members.

3.

Letter of explanation: see the CIC website for more on this.4.

In addition to these documents, students may be asked to provide other information when applying for a

study permit. Students should check the website for the Canadian immigration office responsible for their

country or region for information on any local requirements.

If the student is not a citizen of the country where they submit their application, they may also have to

provide proof of their present immigration status in the country where they apply.

If the government that issued the student’s passport or travel document requires a re-entry permit, the student

must obtain one before applying for a Canadian visa. Other documents may also be required so it is very

important that students review all of the resources available to them.


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Student Resources

The Citizenship and Immigration Canada website provides the information and application forms a student

will need to get a study permit.

In particular, the “Get a study permit” section provides detailed information on the following:

Preparing to study

What is needed before applying for a study permit in Canada

Determining eligibility

Who can apply and what exceptions exist

Applying for a study permit

How to apply and what documents to provide with an application

Downloading the application package

Paying applications fees and submitting an application

Checking processing times

Information updates weekly indicating the time (in calendar days) it takes to process an

application after a complete application package is received

After applying

What an individual should do after they apply for a study permit

Preparing for arrival

Information on what to expect when arriving in Canada

Visa Application Centres: In some countries, students may have the option to visit a visa application centre

(VAC). These centres provide administrative support services to applicants related to the submission of their

applications. This service is particularly useful in countries or regions where there are few or no visa offices.

Specific information is available at http://www.cic.gc.ca/englisH/information/ offices/vac.asp

What VACs do:

Answer questions in local languages

Ensure that applications are complete

Securely transmit application documents and passports to the visa office

Securely return passport and decision documents to the applicant

Offer a tracking service for applications

Schedule interviews as well as provide additional services, such as application photographs and

photocopies for additional fees

What VACs do not do:

VACs play no role in the decision-making process and are expressly forbidden to provide any

visa-related advice to applicants. All decisions on applications are made by visa officers at the visa

office.

VACs do not represent the Government of Canada (GoC). VACs are managed by private companies or

international organizations and are authorized to provide specific services to applicants under the terms

of a formal agreement with Citizenship and Immigration Canada.


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The use of VAC services is completely optional. Applicants can continue to apply directly to the appropriate

visa office, if they prefer.


H4 Work Permits

Many students will want to know if they can work while they study in Canada (or after they finish their

studies). The answer is, “It depends.” International students are granted admission to study in Canada with

the expectation they will not have to work while in Canada to financially support their studies. However,

there are work opportunities available, many of which will require students to obtain a work permit.

There are four streams of work for which international students may be eligible while/after they study:

On-campus

Off-campus

Co-op work placement (or internship)

Post-graduation work permit

Students wanting information on working on campus at the institution to which they have been accepted

should go to this link: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/study/work-oncampus.asp

For information on working off-campus, they should visit this link: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/study/

work-offcampus.asp

For information on co-op work placements and internships, this is the link: http://www.cic.gc.ca/

english/study/work-coop.asp

And for information on staying in Canada to work after graduation, students should visit this link: http://

www.cic.gc.ca/english/study/work-postgrad.asp

Work for Spouses: There may be work for the spouses of international students while they study in Canada.

A student’s spouse or common-law partner may apply for a work permit if the student is a full- time student

with a valid study permit at:

A public post-secondary institution, such as a college or university or collège d’enseignement général

et professionnel (Cégep) in Quebec

A private post-secondary institution that operates under the same rules and regulations as a public

institution, and receives at least 50% of its financing for its overall operations from government grants

(currently, only private college-level educational institutions in Quebec qualify)

A Canadian private institution authorized by provincial statute to confer degrees

For more information, students can visit http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/study/work-spouse.asp


H5 Travel and Work in Canada


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Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Canada, has a program called International Experience Canada (IEC)

designed for youth aged 18–35 who want to do any of the following for up to one year:

Get to experience Canadian culture by living and working in some of the most beautiful places in the

world

Gain professional experience in Canada

Work and travel across Canada

To be eligible, the individual must come from a country in which there is a bilateral arrangement in place

with Canada (and please note, in some countries with which Canada has a bilateral arrangement, the

qualifying age range will be slightly different than 18–35).

The link for more information is here: www.international.gc.ca/experience

H6 Staying in Canada

Some international students who have graduated in Canada will be eligible for the Canadian Experience

Class, which allows them to move in a streamlined fashion from temporary to permanent residence. They will

have to meet certain language requirements; have completed at least 12 months of skilled work in Canada

that falls under certain classifications (managerial, professional, or technical/skilled – the CIC website and

brochure has the full description of these classifications); and be planning to live in provinces other than

Quebec.

For the Canadian Experience Class brochure, please go to this link: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/

resources/publications/cec.asp

The CIC Help Centre can be found at cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre

The CIC Call Centre’s number 1-888-242-2100 (toll free from within Canada only)

Those students who are interested in living in Quebec can check out the following link for immigration

information: http://immigration-quebec.gouv.qc.ca/en/immigrate-settle/students/stay-quebec/ index.html

Paid Authorized Immigration Representatives

Students may want to pay an authorized immigration representative to act on their behalf with Citizenship

and Immigration Canada (CIC).

Paid immigration representatives would be able to perform such functions for the student as:

Representing them during an immigration proceeding by speaking on their behalf;

Providing guidance to them on how to select the best immigration stream and complete the appropriate

forms.

If the student would like more information on the option of using a paid immigration representative, they can

visit this link: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/representative/rep-who.asp


H7 Conclusion


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When students go to the CIC website to find out about what permits/visas/programs they require in order to

study, work, or stay in Canada, they should be sure to read everything carefully and ascertain that they have

submitted all information and fees required for applications. If they require translation, agents are permitted

to provide this service—but not to advise on how to interpret/act on the translated material.

If the student wants more help in this area, please remind them that they do one of three things:

Visit the CIC Help Centre at cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre;

Call the CIC Call Centre at 1-888-242-2100 (toll free from within Canada only);

Hire a paid, authorized immigration consultant (for more information: http://www.cic.gc.ca/

english/information/representative/rep-who.asp).


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H - Applying to Work, Study, And Stay in Canada - Canada Course for Education Agents - Online...

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