Top 8 Canada Student Visa Rejection Reasons
A student visa or study permit is a necessary immigration document required to study in Canada by international students. The official government immigration document validates and legalizes your entering and staying to study in Canada. Hence this article discusses Canada student visa rejection reasons and ways to avoid them.
Without a student visa, you will not be granted entry into Canada. International students applying for Canadian student visas continue to increase yearly, with more than 640,000 students as of December 2019 holding a Canadian study visa.
However, as more students continue to apply for a Canadian student visa, visa rejections are increasing for many reasons.
When to apply for a student visa?
The application for a Canadian student visa or study permit becomes necessary upon receiving admission from a Designated Learning Institute (DLI).
On a more consistent occurrence, it has been observed that the lack of inclusion of a Letter of Acceptance (LOA) from the Designated Learning Institute (DLI) is one of the most common reasons student visas or study permits are rejected.
The cases of rejection are prevalent amongst aspiring undergraduate international students; these suffer the most rejection compared to doctorate student applicants, where the cases of student visa rejection are the least.
Student visa rejection reasons
It is no longer news that Canada has become one of the most preferred academic destinations for aspiring international students globally. This it has been able to accomplish due to its world-class education, ease of visa application, friendly immigration rules, and the possibilities for a better living it offers.
However, this article intends to inform and educate you about why your Canada Student Visa might be rejected, in addition to what you should do to prevent it.
Here is a list of possible reasons:
- Travel History
- Lack of Family Ties
- No job prospect
- Insufficient Funds
- Letter of Acceptance
- IELTS and TOEFL scores
- Inadequate Documents
- Academic Performance
#1. Travel history
A good travel history at hand before applying to Canada can increase your chances of being offered a student visa; however, in the case where you do not have any travel experience, it becomes difficult for the issuing visa officer to determine if you are eligible to be admitted in Canada, or if you will leave Canada after your study.
Another critical issue is previous rejection from Canada or other FCC countries. For example, most people do not realize that Canada, the USA, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand share the same immigration database under the High-Value Protocol Data Sharing (HVDS) initiative.
Therefore, If your visa to either of these countries has been previously rejected or you have been deported, the others would be aware of it. So, it is advised to be honest about it when making an application, as not being truthful can undermine your reputation and further reduce your chances of being offered a student visa.
#2. Lack of home ties
Family/home ties, properties (inheritance), business, assets, investments, real estate, and others tying you to your home country are regarded as anchors, which indicates that there is every possibility you will return to your home country after your study. Without these anchors, the visa officer cannot envisage you will return home. In this case, your chances of student visa rejection gain a high probability.
#3. No job prospects
The inability of your choice of the study program for which you are seeking a student visa to increase your job prospects in the home country may signal an indication concerning your intent to return to your home country after your studies.
If the visa officer feels that as an applicant, you do not have a viable job offer or lack job prospects in your home country, he might refuse your visa.
Not having good job prospects with your chosen course of study in your home country will indicate an increased chance of you wanting to settle in Canada.
Therefore, as an international applicant, you must submit adequate documents and statements indicating there are enough job opportunities and employment aspects in your country after completing your studies in Canada.
#4. Insufficient funds
Having and being able to demonstrate that you have sufficient funding to cover your tuition and other living expenses while studying in Canada is a very important prerequisite in the visa application process; without sufficiently satisfying this requirement, your visa application may be rejected.
The authorities often determine that if you are not financially capable, you won’t be able to support yourself adequately while studying in Canada, and no government provisions are available to support international students. Therefore, you need to show that you can sufficiently cater to your needs by showing proof of enough funds.
The more money you are able to declare, the better. Nevertheless, if you do not have a hundred thousand to declare, apply the golden rule with regards to the cost of your program per year depending on the duration of your program and some really good extra for your expenses.
#5. Letter of Acceptance (LOA)
One of the most essential requirements for applying for a Canadian student visa/study permit is a letter of acceptance from the DLI. Therefore, should there be an issue with the applicant’s letter of acceptance, this will be a ground for the student visa to be denied. In addition, the Study permit application can also be rejected if the minimum entry requirements for the school of choice are not met.
The LOA must be received from a registered Designated Learning Institute in Canada. You should also ensure that all the required documents are attached to the visa application that shows proof of satisfying all the minimum requirements. Any additional supporting documents may also be included.
#6. Poor IELTS or TOEFL score
These tests are important requirements in the application process that can determine whether you will be granted admission to study in Canada in the first place; it is also essential in the application for visa process as it indicates if you will be able to meet the language requirement as required for proper communication in the province of Canada you intend to school in.
Thus, whether you are going under the SDS program, PNP, or SPP program, you must fulfill the minimum IELTS or TOEFL Score to prove language proficiency. In addition, the student must secure the minimum IELTS or TOEFL Score asset under these programs in order to secure a student visa.
#7. Inadequate documents
Inadequate identity or supporting documents are one of the most common Canada student visa rejection reasons. In addition, the Canadian study permit may be rejected should there be too many blanks in the travel, study, and employment history for older applicants without proper proof to cover those periods.
As an international applicant, ensure that your travel, study, or employment history is justified with adequate evidence and documents. These identity documents should be complete, clear, and easy to read to ensure that the visa application is not rejected.
#8. Poor academic grades
It is important to know that international students with good academic records and who have met the English language proficiency test satisfactorily are preferred for admission to Canadian universities.
Therefore, any inconsistent academic performance in academic history or record may lead to rejection of the Canada student visa.
Questions may arise concerning any record of uneven grades and low scores, and this can cast doubts on the student’s academic ability to cope with English-taught study in Canada.
Moreover, before applying for a Student Visa, you must ensure that you have adequate academic credits and scores as determined by your DLI and the Canadian government to obtain visa approval.
How to reduce chances of student visa rejection
After learning about some of the most common Canada student visa rejection reasons, international students should keep in mind a few valuable tips to avoid the refusal of a Canadian student visa. Listed below are some essential tips to be followed by applicants to avoid Canada student visa rejection:
- Make sure to have a checklist of mandatory and important documents required while applying for a Canadian student visa. Check the official website of the Government of Canada for reference.
- Leave no column blank when filling out the Canadian visa application form; ensure to be detailed and careful.
- One of the most important documents to be submitted along with the Canada visa application is the statement of intent. This must be written carefully and sufficiently as it introduces the applicant to the visa officer. Pen down every academic achievement with the intent to study in Canada, as this will increase the chance of visa approval.
- Make sure to provide by uploading a copy of the offer letter received from the DLI in Canada.
- Students applying through SPP are advised to demonstrate proof of finances, in addition to obtaining a Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) by transferring CAD$10,200 to Scotia Bank or ICICI Bank.
- A mature candidate with sufficient work experience can include salary slips or bank statements along with the application form to show the availability of sufficient funds.
- Every travel history, including visa rejections and their reasons, should be vividly mentioned in the visa application file.
- Ensure to answer all the questions on the CIC website while applying online.
What to do if a Canada student visa is refused?
A Canadian visa officer often rejects student visa applications if there are discrepancies in the student visa application. However, applicants can appeal the rejection. This can be done in three ways:
- Request for re-evaluation
- Appeal against the decision in federal court
- Submit a new application
If you are applying for a Canadian student visa for the first time, you are advised to consult and seek help from well-experienced visa counselors. Professional visa consultants can assist students in creating a solid profile, in addition to helping them edit their statement of intent.
Conclusion
Finally, remember that visa denial reasons differ from nation to country, so it’s always a good idea to consult an immigration lawyer or embassy before flying to Canada. Criminal convictions, excessive debt, and health difficulties are among the most prevalent causes of visa denial. To enhance your chances of approval, always be prepared to address any potential challenges with your application.
