Travel guide for international students based on COVID-9 guidelines in Canada

June 9, 2022June 9, 2022aplicario

Travel guide for international students based on COVID-9 guidelines in Canada

In these uncertain times of the COVID-19 pandemic, students worldwide have been facing unprecedented times and the challenges that come with them. Ever since the pandemic reared its head, global travel policies have changed frequently. Therefore, it is of utmost importance for International students flying in and out of countries to stay up to date about these travel guidelines to navigate them in a hassle-free manner.

To assist you in achieving the same, Aplicar brings to you the latest travel guide for international students based on the Covid-19 Guidelines.

Since January 15, 2022, all travelers must be fully vaccinated to enter Canada. Therefore, international students will be allowed to enter Canada only if they are fully vaccinated with a vaccine accepted by the Government of Canada for travel to and within Canada. However, international students under the age of 18 will be exempted from this rule and can enter Canada regardless of their vaccination status, provided they attend a designated learning institute with a COVID-19 readiness plan.

Such students will need to follow the COVID-19 testing requirements (pre-entry, day 1, and day 8 tests) and are required to quarantine upon arrival to Canada for 14 days while monitoring for symptoms. While As of April 25, 2022, fully vaccinated travelers are no longer required to provide quarantine plans.

Students, who are vaccinated, should upload their proof of vaccination in English or French into ArriveCAN and students who are not vaccinated should submit a quarantine plan in the ArriveCAN portal, as well as meet the entry requirements under the current travel restriction policies such as;

a valid study permit, or a port of entry letter of introduction that shows you were approved for a study permit
a valid letter of acceptance from the Designated Learning Institution enrolled in
proof that you have enough money to support yourself and any family members who come with you to Canada

Upon your arrival and following the checking of all these documents, the border services officer will make a final decision on your eligibility to enter Canada when you arrive. Government officials will assess your ArriveCAN receipt, and if applicable, they will also assess your proof of vaccine, test results, and quarantine plan before you can leave the port of entry. It is up to the discretion of the border agent to approve entry into Canada.

If required to quarantine, you have to confirm with the Government of Canada that you have arrived at your place of quarantine using ArriveCAN (iOS, Android, or web version) or by calling toll-free 1-833-641-0343. This must be done within 48 hours of arriving in Canada.

Following this quarantine period, you can then move into the residence or your off-campus place of accommodation and begin your Canadian journey of learning!

Fulfil your dreams of studying in Canada and the US with Aplicar!

Aplicar connects students and recruitment partners to the best educational opportunities across Canada. It’s a one-stop solution to ease students’ journey towards studying in Canada.

The Aplicar Advantage

Save hours of research and apply to the most suitable programs and schools in Canada
Apply to the school of your dreams in just 5 minutes
Apply to multiple schools/colleges with a single profile
Excellent acceptance rate
Streamline and simplify search, application, admission, study visa, and post landing services through our flexible service model

How will Canada’s Recent Federal Elections Affect Study Abroad Students?

October 26, 2021October 26, 2021aplicario

How will Canada’s Recent Federal Elections Affect Study Abroad Students?

Canadians hit the polls after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called for a dissolution of parliament for a snap election. The request was made in the hope of gaining a majority government after winning only a minority in the last 2019 vote.

Although the next scheduled election was not until 2023, Trudeau was hoping to capitalize on positive attitudes toward his government’s handling of the pandemic following the country’s high vaccination rates and secure a majority government. However Trudeau and his Liberal Party failed again to secure a majority government.

The Liberals will remain in power, and their immigration policies will continue to be implemented by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and other federal departments. The process of the new government establishing itself will take us into the winter holidays which means it likely won’t be until January that the new cabinet finds its footing and begins to put its stamp on immigration policy. As the Liberals have won again, we can expect similar immigration policies as those they have pursued since 2015. The Conservatives also expressed strong support for immigration and oversaw higher immigration levels and the launch of Express Entry when they were last in power.

The Constitution outlines immigration as an area of shared federal-provincial jurisdiction, with the federal government having the final say. While provinces and territories across Canada are very active in recruiting and settling newcomers, it’s the federal government that has control over the nation’s immigration policies. IRCC determines national immigration levels as well as allocations for each province, processing times, and is the largest funder by far of the settlement and integration services offered across the country.

It’s important to note that the Liberals are the current governing party and Marco Mendicino is the federal Immigration Minister. As the Liberals have won a minority, it’s very likely that Mendicino will remain the immigration minister, and priorities contained in his existing mandate letters will be rolled over into the new mandate.

Following the appointment of the Immigration Minister and mandate letter for IRCC, the next big immigration policy event will be the tabling of the 2022-2024 Immigration Levels Plan. It outlines the number of immigrants that IRCC will seek to welcome each year and which categories it will seek to welcome newcomers under, and the allocation of newcomers it’s providing to each province and territory. Following this past September’s election, we should expect the new levels plan by March 2022, however, the announcement itself should simply be a continuation of ongoing efforts to welcome over 400,000 new immigrants to Canada each year.

Gradually over 2022, we should then see the new cabinet hit its stride and introduce new immigration policies and programs. Regardless of the outcome of September 20, we should expect IRCC and the provinces and territories to continue to invite new immigrants. This new Liberal cabinet will shape Canada’s immigration system for potentially the next four years. If past years are an indicator, then Canada will be home to many new immigrants and study abroad students for years to come.

Fulfil your dreams of studying in Canada and the US with Aplicar!

Aplicar connects students and recruitment partners to the best educational opportunities across Canada. It’s a one-stop solution to ease students’ journey towards studying in Canada.

The Aplicar Advantage

Save hours of research and apply to the most suitable programs and schools in Canada
Apply to the school of your dreams in just 5 minutes
Apply to multiple schools/colleges with a single profile
Excellent acceptance rate
Streamline and simplify search, application, admission, study visa, and post landing services through our flexible service model

Canada: Processing Times For Study Permit’s Post-Pandemic

October 18, 2021October 18, 2021aplicario

Canada: Processing Times For Study Permit’s Post-Pandemic

Canada is quickly recovering the study permit processing times that got largely delay due to Covid. For the last year and a half, international students have had a more difficult time processing their study applications due to closed biometric and passport offices. Presently, the processing times for student permits seem to be dropping with lesser processing delays. Though different provinces have different timelines for opening up, the rate of study permit processing has definitely sped up.

A study permit is a document issued to foreign students who want to study at any Designated Learning Institutions (DLI) in Canada and it is imperative for a student to be allowed to enter the country.

According to estimates, Canada was expecting to welcome around 300,000 international students by September 2021. The government of Canada has processed 128,000 study permit applications during the current year and another 140,000 study permits are being processed. The government has clearly shown an interest in having an increasing number of international students come to Canada. They are working to prepare airport and other staff to deal with the hundreds of thousands of students due to arrive in Canada to study.

The majority of Visa Application Centres have opened up and the rest are also in the process of opening up. This would help smooth the processing of applications even further. Though the processing time for study permits varies, at present it’s estimated to be shorter than during pre-pandemic times. The IRCC has said that their current average time for processing a complete study permit application is 55 days.

Students who were pursuing short term programs of less than six months duration can also now choose to take the study permit application route for Canada. Even students who have not been vaccinated have been allowed to travel to Canada provided they comply with existing quarantine protocols. After they complete their mandatory isolation period, they will also receive the COVID-19 vaccine free of cost.

It’s worth noting that the processing times have jumped for 2019 and 2020, as they were greatly disrupted due to COVID-19. However, current times are reverting back to pre-pandemic levels. In general, processing times for applications are dependent on a variety of factors. It could depend on the type of application submitted, whether the application is complete in all respects, the expected time for processing the application, the ease of verification of information and the time taken by the applicant to respond to requests or concerns.

To further ensure the smooth processing of applications, make sure the applications are complete in all respects before you submit them. Even complete applications need to go through the process of follow-up with students, securing the documentation and reviewing it before delivering the decision. An incomplete application only adds more time to the process. First and foremost, you need to have your acceptance letter from a designated learning institution (DLI) ready before you apply for a study permit. The time required for each application is also dependent on the nationality of students.

On an average students from 80 different countries had average processing times of under 50 days. On the other hand, even though Indian, South Korean and Mexican students make up roughly 50% of all study permit applications, their decision waiting times were roughly 20 days in 2019. During the pandemic in 2020, this time saw an average increase to about a hundred days. That was in part due to inability to secure necessary documentation and biometrics. By 2021, these times have gradually been returning to the pre-pandemic averages.

Depending on your nationality, you might need to get biometrics done for your study Visa. Not all countries are on the list of nations whose citizens are required to get these biometrics. It is important to start the application process sooner if biometrics are required. Some candidates may also be required to show up for an in-person interview, varying from case to case.

The Government‘s dedicated efforts to get students back on campus have been instrumental in lowering study permit processing times. At Aplicar, we help students lower their study permit processing times by updating them regarding the necessary documents, informing them about current processing times and informing them of any missing or additional documents required. Stay on top of your application and get the latest from us!

Fulfil your dreams of studying in Canada and the US with Aplicar!

Aplicar connects students and recruitment partners to the best educational opportunities across Canada. It’s a one-stop solution to ease students’ journey towards studying in Canada.

The Aplicar Advantage

Save hours of research and apply to the most suitable programs and schools in Canada
Apply to the school of your dreams in just 5 minutes
Apply to multiple schools/colleges with a single profile
Excellent acceptance rate
Streamline and simplify search, application, admission, study visa, and post landing services through our flexible service model