Canada visa delays: Indian embassy issues guidelines for students. 5 points
1 min read . Updated: 25 Aug 2022, 06:44 PM IST
Premium- Canada Universities informed that they are communicating with incoming international students about all issues related to the study permit application process.
With many Indian students unable to join the academic courses in Canada owing to processing delays of visa and student permits, the Indian High Commission in Ottawa has urged the authorities to urgently look into the matter.
The high commission informed that officials in Ottawa and Consulates in Toronto and Vancouver are in touch with Canadian interlocutors including academic institutions and universities regarding the issue.
"Highlighting these issues and the fact that Indian students have already deposited tuition fees with the Canadian institutions we requested the Canadian authorities to expedite processing of visa applications for students from India," the advisory said.
It noted that Canada has emerged as a preferred destination for Indian students for post-secondary education. But the high commission added, "The processing of visas is a sovereign power of the government of Canada."
How students can find help under such circumstances?
- Universities informed that they are communicating with incoming international students, including students from India, providing them with timely, actionable information about all issues related to the study permit application process.
- They already have in place contingency plans, in order to support those incoming students who do not receive their study permit in time to be present on campus when term begins in September.
- Some institutions will provide a remote option for students unable to reach Canada at the start of the term because they have not yet received visa. Students can contact the university/ institutions to find out which courses have a remote option, and to discuss their options in case some do not.
- For students wishing to defer their admission, the university/institution is communicating to students their options including deferring the offer of admission to a later term or consider exceptional circumstances on a case-by-case basis.
- Affected students are encouraged to send a request for information and urgent processing through an IRCC web form meant for study permit applications that have been submitted and complete but have exceeded the current processing time for Student Direct Stream (SDS) scheme.
More than 230,000 students from India are currently enrolled in post-secondary institutions in Canada.
