If you are an Indian student preparing to study in Canada, then you might be having a lot of queries related to the new guidelines issued by IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) for students planning to travel to Canada for pursuing primary or secondary school or a program of post-secondary study. It is important to understand the implication of the guidelines issued so that students can accordingly prepare the documents and ensure that their application process abides by all the protocols set by IRCC. Let us begin by decoding each of the following areas:
Minimum requirements that an Indian student should fulfill if you want to go to Canada for studies
International students must hold a study permit or study permit approval to study in Canada – In layman terms, this study permit is another name for student visa for Canada. If your university is a listed DLI (with approved covid-19 readiness plans), then travel authorization is not required. However, if it is not then one needs to get a travel authorization from IRCC. An important point to note here is that this authorization is subject to change (or cancellation) depending upon how the pandemic situation pans out in that specific territory or DLI (i.e., an unexpected outbreak)
List of documents that need to be shown to the border security officer upon arrival- This list includes proof of admission (or Letter of Acceptance) at a listed DLI (with approved covid-19 readiness plans), reason for travelling to Canada, proof that the travel to Canada is for non-discretionary purpose, valid and updated study permit, negative Covid-19 molecular test, Quarantine plan documentation, ArriveCan receipt, passport and proof of health insurance.
Mandatory installation and usage of ArriveCAN while travelling to Canada – ArriveCAN is an app that needs to be installed on your phone and updated regularly while travelling to Canada. This is part of Canada’s efforts to reduce the spread of Coronavirus. This App was introduced in April 2020 to help travellers comply with border security measures. Students also need to show its updated status upon arrival to Canadian airport as part of getting an approval to gain entry to Canada. This app captures some of the basic health and other details of the user and helps the authorities make an informed decision about the health of the student.
Being prepared to follow the mandatory quarantine stay of 14 days upon arrival in Canada – This quarantine is mandatory for almost anyone (with some exceptions) travelling to Canada and sufficient planning and resources need to be put in place to sustain oneself on your own during this period. As part of the updated rules under Quarantine Act, every international student needs to quarantine (if asymptomatic) himself (herself) or isolate (if symptomatic) for 14 days before beginning the course. This means that the student needs to arrive 14 days prior to the first day of the course and be in quarantine for 14 days. A detailed plan that includes how they would support themselves during this period, their address and contact details needs to be penned down and shown at the arrival. Not only this, they would also need to follow the social distancing guidelines set out by the Canadian government. For more details, feel free to reach out to our counselors.
Sufficient health insurance coverage – Indian students also need to ensure that they have their health insured and documents need to be submitted at every concerned checkpoint. If not, then they should be willing to look for options to get themselves a health insurance. This is again a mandatory document and required at multiple checkpoints. They need to insure their health before they embark on their journey to reach Canada.
Failure to comply with any of the above rules – If a student is found not obeying any of the above rules or producing insufficient documents to support any of the above mentioned cases, it may lead to fines or imprisonment, as the case may be. All of the above listed guidelines are in tandem with the Government of Canada’s efforts to contain the spread of Covid-19 and to ensure the safety of the residents as well as international students coming to study in Canada.
Dos and Don’ts for International students who are going to travel to Canada
| Sr.No. | Some of the important Dos to be followed by Indian students before they depart for Canada: |
| 1. | Ensure that they have several copies of Letter of Acceptance from their listed DLI (with approved covid-19 readiness plans) |
| 2. | Ensure that they have valid student permit based on the Letter of Acceptance |
| 3. | In case, their university is not a listed DLI, then they have a travel authorization letter from IRCC. Also student should ensure that one has several copies of this letter. |
| 4. | Get your Covid-19 test done. Keep several copies of the test results ready with you. |
| 5. | Please make sure that you have a detailed plan for the 14 day quarantine period. It should include where you are planning to stay, how will you sponsor your cost, your address and contact details included in that plan. Get a final confirmation from the people who will organize your quarantine stay in an email to show it to concerned authorities |
| 6. | Ensure that your passport is updated |
| 7. | Ensure that you carry several copies of all relevant documents other than the ones listed above |
| 8. | Before leaving, you should have a word with the university about the current situation of the pandemic |
| 9. | Get the ArriveCAN app installed and updated on your phone |
| 10. | Make sure that in case any of documents is missing, the alternative is attached ieffectively communicated to the concerned authorities. |
| 11. | Details of your health insurance is also attached and several copies of the document is kept handy |
| Sr. No. | Some of the important don’ts |
| 1. | The guidelines are meant to help Indian students travel safely to Canada. There is no need to panic or worry in case there is some misunderstanding. If enough planning is done before, then such situations can be avoided. |
| 2. | Always be prepared in advance of the various scenarios that may come up. Such mental preparation would help students in dealing with stressful situations abroad. A good way is to speak to your overseas education counselor and understand the kind of questions that are asked on arrival and how students deal with it all |
| 3. | Never lie about any document or status. It is okay to forget or misplace something but lying about it may raise suspicion on the authenticity of the student. In such cases, it’s always advisable to own up the truth. |
What declarations a student needs to provide related to health and Covid
Following are some of the common declarations that a student needs to present and abide by while travelling to Canada:
| You should have a negative Covid-19 test report |
| You are fit and have no illness at the time of travel. You also do not have any cough, breathing issue or fever at the time of travelling to Canada. |
| You are ready to undergo the 14 day mandatory quarantine period after you have been allowed entry to Canada on your own. You have a detailed plan which lists the place where you would stay and how would you manage your expenses. The quarantine should end before your session begins. You would also need to provide your contact and address to the concerned authorities before you begin your quarantine. |
| You will maintain all the social distancing norms during your stay in quarantine |
| While travelling to Canada, you will wear a non-surgical face mask at all times |
| You will co-operate with the airport authorities and abide by their jurisdiction in any case. |
| In case, a repeat Covid-19 test is done upon arrival, you will fully co-operate with the authorities. It is always better to trust the authorities and let them know of the situation as it is. |
Situations where a student might not gain an approval to travel to Canada
It is important to know about the situations wherein a student might be prevented from travelling to Canada. Here are some of the cases below:
| If the Covid-19 report is positive |
| If student shows symptoms of Covid-19 despite a negative report |
| A student provides insufficient explanation for the reason to travel to Canada |
| A student does not have a clear plan to spend the 14 days of mandatory quarantine |
| A student provides hazy proof of financial support |
| The university that has granted letter of acceptance to the student is not a listed DLI |
| Student does not possess a travel authorization letter from IRCC |
| The student permit or passport is expired |
| Student has not installed the Arrive Can app or has filled incorrect details |
| Student has provided with false or misleading information in any of the supporting documents |
| Any or some of the supporting documents is missing or alternative has not been provided. Absence of some supporting document has not been communicated clearly to the concerned authorities |
| If the student does not have a health insurance or shows no inclination to take one |
| If a student does not follow the quarantine guidelines properly |
If you want to avoid any of the above scenarios, then it is important to plan properly right from the start and ensure that effective communication remains the key at every step of the preparation. You may do it alone or seek assistance from our experts who have years of experience in helping students successfully get admission in different universities in Canada. Since, countries have imposed additional regulations in light of Covid-19 pandemic, it is important that a student needs to be thorough with the new set of guidelines and prepare accordingly.
Can my family travel to Canada with me?
Yes, immediate family members of a student may travel to Canada provided they also fulfill the required guidelines. Immediate family members may include spouse or dependent child(ren), or in case of a minor student going to study in Canada, may be accompanied by his (her) parent or legal guardian who may want to support the student during quarantine period or throughout the course duration in Canada. So, what are the regulations that the family members need to abide by:
- Health status – Family members should also furnish their Covid-19 test reports. Only negative results would ensure that they are allowed to travel to Canada.
- They should follow all the guidelines of the Quarantine Act in letter and spirit
- They should wear non-surgical face masks at all times during their travel to Canada
- They should be able to convincingly show that their travel to Canada is non-discretionary or non-optional
- They should have the required visa and updated passport
- They should be healthy and have no cough, breathlessness or fever at the time of boarding the flight to Canada
- They should be willing to take the covid-19 test upon arrival if and when required
- They should be co-operative with the authorities at all times
- They should only provide true facts in support of their documentation
- Under no circumstances should they hide or lie about any of their documents or their health status
- They should have ArriveCAN installed and updated on their phones (individually)
What are some of the alternative documents that I can provide if I don’t have the primary documents for the declaration mentioned above
This is one area that some students do not have much clarity on. Often while preparing for admission, students find themselves in situations wherein they do not possess some of the documents requested by different authorities. This leads to confusion and panic and students do not have much idea about how to handle such a situation. What if a particular document is not available? What kind of alternative documents could we provide? How do we inform the authorities if we do not have some specific documents? Does this reduce chances of selection? Does it create any negative impression of the student? What if a student would be able to obtain a document after the submission deadline? How does this get communicated to the authorities? Would they understand? Would they consider my case?
The above are some of the questions that need to be answered clearly. So, here we go:
- It is important to analyze and make a list of the documents required by the universities and visa officer. Thereafter, the next step is to locate them and get them attested (wherever required).
- The above step would help a student understand the list of documents that he (she) may not have or may need to be obtained. Obtaining a document from a different source would take time. Here, the student needs to assess if the document would be available before the submission deadline or not.
- In case, a particular document has been requested in the selection process but is not available with the student, it needs to be noted down. Thereafter, a student may reach out to the university website to find a list of alternatives given by the authorities. If such a list is available, then it should be used. In case, such a list is not available then the student should reach out to the authorities directly and make them aware of the situation. An important point to note here is that reaching out to authorities is a tough process and may often take up days. Hence, it is advisable to get in touch with a consultant who has the experience and the required knowledge of alternative documents that serve the purpose in such cases.
- Also you need to make sure that a student has a good and convincing reason available to substantiate the absence of documents. This come may in the form of an explanation letter which describes the reasons of absence of documents. The reasons should be true and genuine.
- Also, if the authorities respond to your queries, then it is a good idea to seek more time (if needed) for submission of alternative documents. This serves two purposes. One is that authorities are informed that there would be some delay in submission and second is a student would be able to buy more time for submission. Since all of this would be included in the communication, hence it would be available for anyone to check and verify wherever required.
Applying to a university in Canada is a time consuming process. Add to this, the current situation that has put additional pressure on authorities as well as students. It is a tough time not just for businesses but also for overseas education. Hence, it is important that the guidelines issued needs to be understood very well and followed completely. You may reach out to any of the admission officers at GoCan in case you have any further query about the whole admission process for admission into Canadian universities.
It is a once in a lifetime opportunity to make your dream of studying in an esteemed university in Canada, a living reality. All you need to take is the informed first step! Are you willing?
Important definitions:
- IRCC – IRCC stands for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. This office is responsible for issuing travel authorization to international students coming to study in Canada.
- DLI – DLI stands for Designated Learning Institution. It is an institution approved by the local governing bodies to host international students in the wake of covid-19 pandemic.