Reasons for Rejection of Student Visa for Canada

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Sristy Sharma
Updated on May 05, 2022 02:40 PM IST

Before you gear up to apply for your Student Visa with Canada, take a look at the guide we have prepared for you. The guide lists all the reasons which could possibly end up to be the driving force behind your study visa application's rejection for Canada. Check for yourself, whether before starting or as a final check to your application.

Reasons for Rejection of Student Visa for Canada

In the year 2020, the impact of Covid-19 pandemic had made Canada close its borders for international students and even after these restrictions were pulled off, the selection criteria were extremely strict. As a result, the rejection rate of Canadian Student Visas in 2020 was over 50%. In the year 2021, the rate of rejection has fallen in comparison to 2020 year. In just the first few months of the year, the acceptance rate was much higher than the whole previous year.

Even as the rate of rejection is expected to fall drastically, there are several other candidates who shall be applying for Study Permit, and while there is no limit to the number of applications for acceptance, the rejections are still going to be high. While it is important to know about the visa filing requirements, it is also important to know about the reasons behind a student visa rejection and what to do next. There are certain reasons which are more objective, which means they have less connection to technicalities and faults of documents and more to the representation made by the candidate. Knowing the types and stages of rejection and the steps that need to be taken after the rejection is essential.

The knowledge of reasons for rejection of a Canadian Student Visa shall help you in ensuring that you avoid the same fate when you apply for your Study Permit.

Canada Study Permit Approval Rate

The following table shows the comparison between the Canada Study Permit Approval rate and figures for 2020 and 2021:

Parameters

Statistics for 2020

Statistics for 2021

Student Visa Applications

18,300

670,000

Study Permit Approved

36,778

450,000

Canada Study Permit Approval Rate

49.6%

68%

Increase in Student Visa Permits

-

112.3%

Canada Study Permit Rejection Rate

Here are the figures showing a comparison between the Canada Study Permit Rejection Rate for 2020 and 2021:

Parameters

Statistics for 2020

Statistics for 2021

Student Visa Applications

18,300

670,000

Canada Study Permit Rejection Rate

51.4%

32%

Decrease in Rejection Rate

-

19.4%

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Rejection Stages of Canadian Study Permit Application

Canadian Student Visa application can be made at varying points of time and on this basis there have been identified two stages of rejection, viz.

  1. Rejection of First Time Application is as the name suggests the rejection at the very first application.

  2. Rejection of Re-application is when the Study Permit application was rejected the first and on subsequent occasions have been rejected again. There is no limit to the number of times that the application can be made and simultaneously there is also no limit on the rejection.

Note: Continuous rejections is not a positive fact in the assessment process of the Study Permit, therefore before re-applying proper preparations and corrective measures must be adopted.

Reasons for Rejection of Canadian Study Permit

As the Canadian authorities review applications and documents there are certain reasons which can act as the basis of their rejection of a certain Study Permit application. The most common reasons which could attract rejection are discussed below.

Primary Visa Eligibility Not Satisfied

The primary eligibility reasons mean the very basic reasons that contribute to acceptance of any candidate. These reasons or conditions must be met by an applicant to be considered for further process. These include:

  • Applicant must not be disqualified by law.

  • Applicant must not have a criminal record.

  • Applicant must be applying for a Study Permit for educational purposes.

  • Applicant must have been enrolled in a recognised authority for educational purposes.

  • Applicant must not be applying under an alias (false or unregistered identity).

  • Applicant must not be looking forward to escaping the laws of their home country.

  • Applicant satisfies medical requirements and examination.

Note: The discovery of primary eligibility reasons at any point during the assessment process shall lead to rejection of the Student Visa application.

Insufficient Finances of Applicant

The authorities ask for proof of financial capacity of both the applicant, and the guardians who have agreed to fund their education and living expenses in Canada. On the basis of the information submitted by the applicant and its comparison, with the university and the city which the student shall be residing in during their education, the authorities decide whether the student shall be able to carry on and complete their studies properly. If it is found by them that after all the available financial aid and sources, with support of additional part-time income, the candidate would not be able to handle the financial demands of the education period, they reject the study permitapplication.

Some cities of the country are comparatively pricier to live in, for instance Calgary can cost up to CAD 26,000 and above while living in Toronto cannot be managed under CAD 37,000.

Similarly, universities which have been applied for by the candidate also have different fees structures. While on an overall basis the schools are bound to have similar tuition for courses, however, combination of program and delivery duration can cause a huge difference in tuition and overall costs.

Average Annual Expenses Incurred While Staying in Canada

The different types of expectedexpenses and their average annual incurrence for international students in Canada are given below:

Expected Expenses

Cost (in CAD)

Undergraduate Tuition

12,000 - 30,000

Graduate Tuition

15,000 - 32,000

Doctorate

45,000+

MBA

28,000+

Law

10,000 - 55,000

Engineering

20,000+

Accommodation Expenses

5,000+

Travel Expenses

360 - 1,320

Food Expenses

3,600 - 4,800

Miscellaneous Expenses (Insurance, Internet, Flight, Work Permit, etc.)

12,000 - 15,000

Incidental Expenses (Language Tests, Application Fees, etc.)

300 - 700

The authorities consider the fact that part-time work along with studies can only support a portion of living expenses of a student. Therefore, in order to avoid the unpredictable consequences of the candidates inability to handle the financial constraints during the education period, the authorities simply reject the application.

Incomplete or False Documentation

The immigration authorities of Canada expect the documentation filed along with the application by the candidate to be complete and true. This implies that the candidate applying for the Student Visa not only needs to provide all the documents that are required by the authorities but also to ensure that the information which is being represented by the documents is true (to the best of their knowledge).

The authorities cross-check the information provided by the candidate and if they find any of the information to be incorrect or false, or any required document missing, they reject the application.

Canadian Study Permit Documents and Examined Information

The table below discussed the set of documents need to be submitted for Canada Study Permit application and the tests to which they are put to by the immigration authorities:

Type of Documents

Examination Test

Proof of Identification

The identity proofs authenticity and the issuing authoritys reliability. The details furnished are cross-checked with Indian authorities.

Proof of Acceptance

The documents which were submitted as part of University Application and the Letter of Acceptance from the institute.

The authenticity is cross-checked with the university and the truthfulness of the Letter of Acceptance is confirmed.

Proof of Financial Support

The financial background of the candidate, any guardians ready to invest in education, how this investment is being made, education loan if any, scholarship if any.

The authenticity of all the documents and information furnished.

The future prospects of the financial status and finally whether the proposed applicability of finances as furnished by the candidate is practically possible or not.

All the documents are examined thoroughly and since the matter is of cross-border immigration, even minor faults are not entertained by the authorities.

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University Admission Not Possible

If the Letter of Acceptance is yet to be received and the candidate has in advance placed their application, then in that case they have to furnish the following details:

On the basis of the furnished documents, the authorities assess whether there is any real possibility of the candidate receiving a Letter of Acceptance from the applied university or universities.

Average Scores for Admission in Canadian Universities

Exams to be considered by Canadian Universities for admission and the minimum scores required for admission are:

Standardized Exams

Minimum Scores

GPA

2.5

SAT

1100

ACT

22

GRE

307

GMAT

550

English Proficiency Tests (either of)

IELTS: 6.0,TOEFL:75,PTE: 65,Duolingo: 105

The authorities take into account the course for which application is made and judge whether the admission of the candidate is possible or not. The cross examination is not limited to eligibility criteria of scores, but also the eligibility of documents, whether they shall be considered by the university or not.

Additionally, if the candidate has also applied for any Canadian scholarship, then their eligibility for such scholarship is also checked.

Dissatisfactory Letter of Recommendation

Letters of Recommendation are required from the authorized persons (as mentioned by the university applied for) along with applications made to Canadian educational institutions.

The immigration authorities aim to check the authenticity of both the LOR and the capacity and background of the person issuing the LOR. If in the process of cross-check, LORs contents or the capacity represented by the person issuing LOR is found faulty, the Study Permit application is rejected.

The most common conditions attached with LORs are as follows;

  • From the previous school or authority which has provided the immediate previous educational qualification.

  • From the related courses professor or teacher, who has taught the student.

  • Sometimes SOPs are made to be referred specially to the Professor of the university applied for and their LOR is demanded on a provisional or admission basis.

The number of LORs could range from single to more than one. The undersigned of each LOR could be different. Every university has different requirements on the basis of levels and course program.

Absence of Intent or Cause to Return Home

It is often questioned that once a Letter of Acceptance is received by the candidate, then why are they made to submit all the documents, including SOP and LORs, to the immigration authorities. The reason is to check and examine the intention of the Study Permit applicant after the completion of their course.

Study Permit is only for candidates who intend to enter Canada only for educational purposes and nothing more, the length of its validity is also fixed on same terms. Hence, through the documents submitted by the applicant, the authorities try to gauge the intention of the candidate, and if they find information or statements which indicate that the candidate might not vacate the country, or that they intend to extend their stay, on Student Visa basis even after completing their education, then the application is rejected.

Travel History of Applicant

In cases where the candidate has previously travelled to another country or countries, the travel history is examined by the authorities. This is done so to ensure both the purpose of the candidates travel to Canada and the compliance of the country's policies in relation to the immigration of foreign nationals.

The immigration policies of the countries keep changing on the basis of their international relations and the general or special global circumstances. The policies in place from the time of application for Student Visa to arrival and acceptance in the country are to be complied by the candidates.

Sometimes the policies might change during the process and these changes have also to be followed by the candidates irrespective of change.

Note: Candidates set to travel to Canada any time after December 2021 shall not be allowed entry or approval if they have been to Botswana, Egypt, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, or Zimbabwe within 14 days of arriving to Canada.

Performance at Visa Interview

While documents are reviewed, candidates are also required to present themselves with the representative of Canadian authorities in India for personal interview. The candidate has to carry the similar precaution in the interview as in document submission. Any problem on behalf of the candidate during performance at visa interview can result in rejection of application.

The general examination made during visa interview includes;

  • Language proficiency in terms of conversation and speaking ability of the candidate.

  • Cross-questions regarding information furnished by the candidate.

  • Gauging of intention of candidate in relation to both period during education and post education in Canada.

  • The background information and cross-examination of faults discovered during the document examination process.

What To Do Post Canadian Study Permit Application Rejection

Once the Study Permit application has been rejected, it is recommended to follow the following steps;

  • Identify the reasons which led to the applications rejection.

  • Identify the severeness of the reasons and check whether they can be resolved or not.

  • Figure out the ways in which rejection reasons can be corrected.

  • Apply the corrective measures.

  • Reapply for Canadian Study Permit.

It is important to note that even after meeting all the requirements of a visa filing process, some students may face rejections.

Either first or re-application, the process can be extremely taxing. Therefore, it is recommended that you refer for the guidance of a professional. Our resident Experts at Collegedekho are always ready to help and guide you through the process of Canadian Study Permit application and much more.

You can either Register with us for a free counselling session or you can also write to us at abroad@collegedekho.com. Stay updated with us!

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