Students studying in Canada can work up to 20-hours per week during regular school sessions and work full-time during the holiday when school breaks. Please note that while you are planning on working whilst studying in Canada, you still need to demonstrate to the visa officer that you are capable of paying for your educational expenses without relying on the job you will be doing while working in Canada.

Study in Canada with your family

Canada has made it possible for you to bring your spouse and children along with you while you are studying. How wonderful this is to have your family accompany you to Canada on this beautiful journey?  If your spouse is going to Canada with you, he/she can apply for an open work permit that allows your spouse to work full-time while you are studying. The open-work permit will last for the duration of your studies. If your spouse gets approved for an open work permit, the money they will be earning can alleviate some of your educational expenses.

Getting a job in Canada after you graduate

All international students who have completed their studies in Canada are eligible to obtain a Post-Graduate Work Permit. However, to qualify, they must have completed their studies at an eligible Canadian tertiary institution. The Post-Graduate Work Permit allows you to work in Canada and gain work experience, which makes you eligible to apply for permanent residency under the Canadian Experience Class.

A Post-Graduate Work Permit allows you to work in Canada for the same duration as the program you studied in Canada. For example, if you graduate from a four (4) years degree program, you will be eligible for a three (3) years Post-Graduate Work Permit. If you graduate from an eight-month (8) certificate program, you will be eligible for an open work permit valid for one (1) year.

Studying in Canada is the easiest way to apply for permanent residency

Studying in Canada is the easiest way to become a permanent. After graduating, the next step will be to apply for your post-graduate work permit so that you can gain one (1) year of work experience to be eligible to apply for permanent residency under the Canada Experience Class. For example, a student that has completed their studies in Canada and is currently working on their post-graduate work permit for one (1) year would be qualified to apply for permanent residency under the Canadian Experience Class. The Canadian Experience Class allows graduates to make a successful transition from temporary to permanent residence.

Lower Tuition Costs

Many students choose to study in Canada because Canada has one of the lowest tuition fees in the world. Though some students might have the opportunity to study in other countries, such as the United States or the United Kingdom, they prefer to study in Canada as Canada remains competitive when it comes to accommodation, tuition fees and other expenses. Canada places a lot of emphasis on education and maintains one of the highest standards in education. A degree acquired from a Canadian university is recognized globally and highly valued in the international job market.

Safe and Friendly Environment

Studying in Canada is one of the best decisions you could ever make in your life. Canadians are some of the friendliest people globally, and you will probably find this to be quite true if you decide to study in Canada. The Canadian society is welcoming to all people. The country is considered safe, and there is a relatively high standard of living. Canada is among the ten (10) safest countries in the world to live and do business. While studying, you won’t be alone; approximately half of a million international students in Canada are currently pursuing their educational goals and dreams.

Advantage of travelling with your family during your studying in Canada

The advantage of travelling with your family is that if your spouse is coming along with you, he or she can apply for an open work permit to find a job in Canada to help alleviate some of your educational expenses while you are studying.

The disadvantage of travelling with your family while you are studying in Canada

You will need to show more money on your bank statement if you are taking your family with you while you are studying. The visa officer will want to know that funds are readily available to pay for your tuition and living expenses for yourself and any additional family member accompanying you. Therefore, if you do not have the money to take your entire family, it is best to leave your family and travel alone.

Realistically, if the money in your sponsor’s bank account is the exact amount that you need for your educational expenses, the visa officer may wonder why this person would save up all their money and give it to you. When your sponsor gives you all the money in their bank account to study in Canada, what will they do if an emergency situation arises and they need some cash? Therefore, it will be more believable if your sponsor’s bank account reflects more than the required amount for your tuition and living expenses.

Likewise, it is best when your sponsor is your parent/s, spouse or a close relative. The reason for this is the visa officer may wonder why someone who is not a close relative would give you their life savings to study in Canada. Additionally, you must provide documentation to show your relation to your sponsor. For instance, if your mom is sponsoring you, you will need to submit your birth certificate so that the visa officer can see that your sponsor is your mom. In the event the relationship with your sponsor is not clearly established, the visa officer may ask himself, is it believable that this person who is a family member, friend or employer would give all this money to you to study in Canada?

When you are ready to submit your study permit application, your sponsor must give you a bank statement showing the amount of money they are sponsoring towards your educational expenses. Your sponsor will also need to provide a signed sponsorship letter that is notarized or stamped by a Justice of the Peace (JP). The purpose of the sponsorship letter is to show a commitment that your sponsor is willing to cover your tuition or living expenses while you are studying. If your sponsor cannot provide you with a bank statement with the required amount of money that they are paying towards your tuition or living expenses, it is unwise and often futile to apply for a study permit as it will be overlooked. Why would the visa officer grant you a study permit when it is not clear as to how you will be paying for the tuition and living expenses? Many applicants state that someone is sponsoring them, but fail to produce a bank statement.

When someone is sponsoring you, the visa officer will thoroughly review your application. The visa officer wants to make sure that funds will be available for the duration of your studies. Advisably, though someone will be sponsoring you, it is best to have savings available in your bank account, especially if you are traveling with your entire family. Please don’t rely on your sponsor for the entirety of your educational expenses. At least try to have some finances of your own, especially if your sponsor is not an immediate relative or extended family member.

The sponsor will need to provide a photocopy of the following documents:
• Bank statement/ 4-month transactional history.
• Passport (front page)
• Sponsorship letter
• A job letter, if employed
• Payslips for the past four (4) months (optional)
• Business registration, if the sponsor has a registered business.

When applying for a Canadian study permit, the best option is when you can pay for your tuition and living expenses without having to rely on a sponsor. The amount of money available in your bank account should cover at least one (1) year of tuition and living expenses as stipulated by The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). However, it is good to show the tuition and living expenses for the entire duration of your studies or show more than the amount stipulated by the IRCC for your first-year tuition and living expenses. When you have more money than what IRCC stipulates, this will better convince the visa officer that you can finance your educational expenses without relying on a sponsor. If you cannot show the funds for the entire duration of your studies, there should be a clear indication as to how you will finance the remaining tuition and living expenses if you’re pursuing a two (2) or three (3) years program-whether it will be from a sponsor or personal savings.

Based on experience, most persons do not have the full amount to show at once, especially those pursuing a two (2) or three (3) years program. However, showing the exact amount of your first-year tuition and living expenses without any clear indications about how you will be able to finance the remaining two (2) or three (3) years of your studies may leave the visa officer with questions and uncertainties about how you will finance the remaining two (2) or three (3) years of your studies, resulting in application denial.

Though you will be working while studying in Canada, this should not be heavily relied on to offset your educational expenses as you are only entitled to work twenty (20) hours per week. Some programs may take up a lot of your time depending on the workload and you might not get to work the full twenty (20) hours per week, thus earning less money. Finally, before considering applying for a study permit, it is paramount that you have sufficient funds available to pay for your studies and living expenses