Overseas Canadian Study Permit & COVID-19

Do you have a valid study permit issued to you by Citizenship and Immigration Canada? Are you currently outside of Canada? If you are outside of Canada and have an approved valid study permit it is important to know that the federal government of Canada has imposed travel restriction for those foreign nationals. If you are planning to travel to Canada during this time on a valid study permit, due to the COVID-19 pandemic there are a few things you need to know before attempting to travel.

The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic has made the federal Government Issue a closure of the borders for the time being, to stop the spread of COVID-19. But there are travellers that are exempt from this closure. To discuss if you are exempt from the travel restrictions and what you can expect if you are traveling to Canada then continue reading this blog to understand if you are still able to come to Canada and what are the limitations you have traveling to Canada as an international student.;

International Students outside of Canada

For those applicants that have been approved by Citizenship and Immigration Canada or have a valid study permit before March 18 2020 then you are exempt from travel restrictions.

Travel Restrictions on International Students

The government has issued a list in where it states who is permitted to enter Canada. You can read the list on travel restrictions on CIC website.

If you are foreign nationals travelling from the US for an essential reason and have been in the US for the past 14 days then you may be permitted to enter into Canada but you must comply with the terms and conditions of isolation for 14 days.

Foreign nationals are also exempt from these restrictions if they have a valid permit before the deadline of March 18 2020.

If you have been approved for a study permit before March 18 2020, then you are exempt from these travel restrictions are able to travel to Canada.

All temporary international students are exempt from the travel restriction if they are coming for essential purpose.

What do I need to bring with me?

If you have a valid study permit before this date than there a few things you need to know before attempting to travel to Canada.

If you are an approved applicant, then you must bring the valid study permit or the port of entry letter of introduction that shows you were approved for a study permit before or on the date of March 18 2020.

Health Check

When you arrive at the port of entry than an airline official will conduct a health check to monitor if you are showing any symptoms for the COVID-19. If the airline official determines that you are showing symptoms than most likely they will not allow you to board to plane and your immigration matter will get a bit more complicated than expected.

If you are not showing any symptoms of the COVID-19, it is still mandatory for you to comply with the terms and condition of self- isolation for fourteen days. While you are at the port of entry they will most likely ask if you have a plan of self-isolation once you arrive in Canada. The officer will ask you questions such as: “where are you planning to stay, where you plan to get your essential items, how many people will you be staying with?”  These are the types of questions they will ask so it is important to have answers to these questions before attempting to travel to Canada.

If you are not prepared or do not have a plan of isolation this may delay your travel until you have a set plan that conforms to the law the government imposed on society.

What happens if they do not let me in?

If you are not able to enter Canada even though you had an approved application before March 18 2020 and your program will start soon. Than most likely you will need to call the college or university who gave you the acceptance letter to see how they will be proceeding with the program.

Mostly all in class courses are carried out online only format which means you can begin your classes while outside of Canada through their online system. Immigration Canada comprehends that the COVID-19 pandemic was an unforeseen circumstances and are trying to accommodate applications as best as they can. For international students outside of Canada, you are permitted to complete up to 50% of your program while outside of Canada.

We do recommend calling the learning institution you have been accepted to, so you may discuss how the program will be running, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and ask for all the information you to be able to access your classes online.

Future Applications

According to the CIC website, your eligibility for the post graduate work permit program will not be affected by this online format. In other words, the applicant that has been approved for a study permit for a program starting in May or in June who is unable to travel due to the travel restrictions imposed by the federal government of Canada may be able to do their studies outside of Canada.

Contact Akrami and Associates

Immigration has been affected by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. As of right now, Citizenship and Immigration Canada are still accepting, handling and processing applications.

At Akrami and Associates we have a team of experts who are always communicating with CIC to keep up with the latest information they post on their website and to make sure all our clients application are dealt with professionally.

If you have applied for a study permit outside of Canada and received an approval letter before March 18 2020 than it is important to know what is the process of coming to Canada with these travel restrictions and develop a plan of isolation for yourself as a student. Feel free to give us a call at 416-477-2545 or email us at info@thevisa.ca to book an appointment to speak with one of our legal representatives.