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ESL Student Visa Questions

idefix

Champion Member
Oct 1, 2014
1,242
272
Hey everybody,

I'm new to this part of the forum. I just got my PR last month with FSW2014 and we are moving to Canada in June.

My mother in law doesn't speak English, and we want her to learn and to get to know Canada, so we enrolled her in a ESL School and we already got the Letter of Acceptance.

She is 61, retired, she has an apartment and a beach-house in Brazil and has more than enough money to support her studies with her investments alone.

We have a few questions:
- We created an online profile, but if I understand correctly the majority of you use VFS. Is there and advantage? Or do you just submit your Passport after you create an online account?
- We saw that a lot of you submit a Study Plan / Purpose of Study. But it is not showing as mandatory for us. Plus, it doesn't make much sense to send one in her case... What would you submit / say in this letter?
- Any particular reason on why she shouldn't get a visa easily?

We know about the SuperVisa, we just don't qualify for it yet so we want to try a Student Visa to get things faster.

Thanks a lot everybody!
 

scylla

VIP Member
Jun 8, 2010
92,904
20,523
Toronto
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
28-05-2010
AOR Received.
19-08-2010
File Transfer...
28-06-2010
Passport Req..
01-10-2010
VISA ISSUED...
05-10-2010
LANDED..........
05-10-2010
It's extremely difficult to get an approved study permit for an ESL course these days since CIC commonly sees this as courses people take who aren't genuine students and are just using the permit as a means of getting to Canada. To be approved, your mother would have to prove she is a genuine student (i.e. needs the course to build or advance her career).

Given your mother's age and the fact she is retired - there's really zero chance the study permit is going to be approved. She's not genuine student by CIC's definition. And by your own admission, you're really using the study permit to get her to Canada faster. CIC will see this immediately as well and refuse the application.

Go with a regular visitor visa. Forget the study permit.
 
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Reactions: Leeroy

idefix

Champion Member
Oct 1, 2014
1,242
272
Thank you for your feedback Scylla.

I disagree with a part of your analysis. She is a real student, who wants to learn English and at the same would also like to get know Canada.

Since my wife and I are moving to Canada, she would like to be able to visit us on the future and it would be better for her to speak English in order to be able to move around easier. She enrolled in a 48 week ESL Class, because by the estimate of several ESL schools that's how long it takes for somebody from a basic level to become fluent.

My comment regarding the SuperVisa is that I know she could use a SuperVisa to do that class. But September would be a better fit to her Schedule and I know that I probably won't qualify as a Sponsor by then.

But your point regarding Student Permits for ESL is interesting - they only grant it to somebody that needs to build or advance in their career.

Do you think it would make it harder for her to get a Visitor / Tourist Visa if her Student Visa is rejected?
 

scylla

VIP Member
Jun 8, 2010
92,904
20,523
Toronto
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
28-05-2010
AOR Received.
19-08-2010
File Transfer...
28-06-2010
Passport Req..
01-10-2010
VISA ISSUED...
05-10-2010
LANDED..........
05-10-2010
My comment regarding study permits being granted wasn't just for ESL - but study permits in general. If you browse this forum you'll see many examples of people being refused for "purpose of visit". It's just much much more difficult if you are taking an ESL course (i.e. much higher rate of refusal). Part of this is due to that fact that every country has English language courses. You don't have to travel all the way to Canada to study English. So if you're traveling all the way to Canada just to take an ESL course, chances are you have motives that aren't just study-based.

And yes - it's very possible it will become more difficult to get a visitor visa approved once there's a study permit refusal.
 

dental15

Hero Member
Oct 28, 2014
432
7
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
idefix said:
Hey everybody,

I'm new to this part of the forum. I just got my PR last month with FSW2014 and we are moving to Canada in June.

My mother in law doesn't speak English, and we want her to learn and to get to know Canada, so we enrolled her in a ESL School and we already got the Letter of Acceptance.

She is 61, retired, she has an apartment and a beach-house in Brazil and has more than enough money to support her studies with her investments alone.

We have a few questions:
- We created an online profile, but if I understand correctly the majority of you use VFS. Is there and advantage? Or do you just submit your Passport after you create an online account?
- We saw that a lot of you submit a Study Plan / Purpose of Study. But it is not showing as mandatory for us. Plus, it doesn't make much sense to send one in her case... What would you submit / say in this letter?
- Any particular reason on why she shouldn't get a visa easily?

We know about the SuperVisa, we just don't qualify for it yet so we want to try a Student Visa to get things faster.

Thanks a lot everybody!
no less than 6 months, she can study in Canada without study permit... especially, ESL

I suggest that get a conditional letter which will study ESL + her specific course(ex; business course, creative writing course, etc)
 

camani

Hero Member
Oct 23, 2013
215
5
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
idefix said:
Hey everybody,

I'm new to this part of the forum. I just got my PR last month with FSW2014 and we are moving to Canada in June.

My mother in law doesn't speak English, and we want her to learn and to get to know Canada, so we enrolled her in a ESL School and we already got the Letter of Acceptance.

She is 61, retired, she has an apartment and a beach-house in Brazil and has more than enough money to support her studies with her investments alone.

We have a few questions:
- We created an online profile, but if I understand correctly the majority of you use VFS. Is there and advantage? Or do you just submit your Passport after you create an online account?
- We saw that a lot of you submit a Study Plan / Purpose of Study. But it is not showing as mandatory for us. Plus, it doesn't make much sense to send one in her case... What would you submit / say in this letter?
- Any particular reason on why she shouldn't get a visa easily?

We know about the SuperVisa, we just don't qualify for it yet so we want to try a Student Visa to get things faster.

Thanks a lot everybody!
Hi , Theres no advantages to submit application via online or Vfs. i think submiting via online is ok expecially if you a bit far to one of the vfs offices.
if you apply online, cic will request original passport once application is been approved. you can either send passport via nearest vfs or DHL.

Your mother stand a chance to get study permit approved via ESL based on all you have mention i.e financially and ties to Home, her age and fact that you the kids/family are moving to canada . financial fit on her

Reasons for refusal of ESL study permit are if english is commonly used in applicant home country, cic mostly refused applicant that hold a qualifications, post secondary and other certificate that are been lecture or taught in english, it will not make sense applying study permit via ESL, such applicants are not genuine.

she stand a chance , try it.
 

idefix

Champion Member
Oct 1, 2014
1,242
272
camani said:
Hi , Theres no advantages to submit application via online or Vfs. i think submiting via online is ok expecially if you a bit far to one of the vfs offices.
if you apply online, cic will request original passport once application is been approved. you can either send passport via nearest vfs or DHL.

Your mother stand a chance to get study permit approved via ESL based on all you have mention i.e financially and ties to Home, her age and fact that you the kids/family are moving to canada . financial fit on her

Reasons for refusal of ESL study permit are if english is commonly used in applicant home country, cic mostly refused applicant that hold a qualifications, post secondary and other certificate that are been lecture or taught in english, it will not make sense applying study permit via ESL, such applicants are not genuine.

she stand a chance , try it.
Thanks a lot for your support Camami! +1, even if it's a bit late!

Despite Scylla's very negative attitude, we went ahead and lodged and online Application with upfront Medicals because other nice folks like you said it was ok.

Today, we got the Review of Medical Results passed, and we got the Passport Request from SPVO :). I'm very happy!

It was very fast too: 5 business days! We lodged it Friday morning and it came out today, Thursday afternoon!

The ESL duration is of 52 weeks - so it should be a 1 year visa.
 

camani

Hero Member
Oct 23, 2013
215
5
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
idefix said:
Thanks a lot for your support Camami! +1, even if it's a bit late!

Despite Scylla's very negative attitude, we went ahead and lodged and online Application with upfront Medicals because other nice folks like you said it was ok.

Today, we got the Review of Medical Results passed, and we got the Passport Request from SPVO :). I'm very happy!

It was very fast too: 5 business days! We lodged it Friday morning and it came out today, Thursday afternoon!

The ESL duration is of 52 weeks - so it should be a 1 year visa.
Congrat ,

They got no reason atall denying her. glad that you went ahead and submiting.

please check online sometimes giving other advise based on your experience.


sometimes we get advise here from others , can be wrong or right.
 

lufemontoya

Newbie
Mar 20, 2018
6
0
Thanks a lot for your support Camami! +1, even if it's a bit late!

Despite Scylla's very negative attitude, we went ahead and lodged and online Application with upfront Medicals because other nice folks like you said it was ok.

Today, we got the Review of Medical Results passed, and we got the Passport Request from SPVO :). I'm very happy!

It was very fast too: 5 business days! We lodged it Friday morning and it came out today, Thursday afternoon!

The ESL duration is of 52 weeks - so it should be a 1 year visa.
Hi, what institute did you enrol your mom for this course? and prices?
 

Leeroy

Newbie
Mar 21, 2018
4
0
Please I have been issued a visa and I changed my school to a new school with an acceptance to study till December 30 2018 school fees paid but my passport expires by October 20 2018.will I be granted a stay to study when I meet the immigration officer when i arrive canada to stay and study in canada with my passport that expires October 20 2018 till December 30 2018