Canada has so far earned the reputation for welcoming the highest number of international students who are looking for higher studies abroad. But consistently, Canada is also turning away more students. As per the data by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), around 320,000 student visas were rejected in 2022. The approval rate for Canadian study permits is set at 58% in 2021–2022.
Students who plan for higher studies abroad most often contemplate what could be the reason for their student visa rejection.
- The immigration officer doubts whether student will return to their country after completing their studies.
- An immigration officer finds a lack of finances that can help an individual sustain themselves in the country.
- An individual is not able to provide relevant documents to the government.
In 94% of the cases, authorities find that an individual is not going to leave the country after the completion of their studies. There are 90+ reasons why authority can reject student visa. However, the most common are grouped into the following four categories:
Purpose of visit:
The most common reason for rejection in 2021 or 2022 was the failure of an individual to convince authorities that their motive to visit the country was study. Around 77% of refusals for study permits are due to the same reason.
Family ties in Canada:
Family ties are one of the reasons for refusal of student visa applications, though very few refusals are seen on this basis. Usually, around 0.7% of the applications were rejected purely because of this reason. Moreover, 12% of the applications were indirectly refused due to family ties in Canada.
Proof of Financial resources:
In the academic year 2021–22, nearly 24% of the visa rejections were due to a lack of assets and financial resources on the part of a student. These funds at their disposal might not be enough to support their purpose of studying.
It is necessary for an individual to supply adequate proof of funds to secure a study permit in Canada. Candidates must provide their bank statements for the past six months. An individual can use several types of documents to support their proof of funds. A most important document is a Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) bought from a financial institution that is insured by the CDIC.
Lack of Job Opportunity in country of residence:
Lack of job scope in the country of residence is one of the top reasons for study permit rejection in Canada. In 2021 and 2022, students will face around 10% of refusals due to this reason.