Study in Canada: 5 Important Factors to Consider Before Your Arrival

Please assemble here for these five important things I want to inform you if you are an international student who plans to study in Canada.

Many students arrive in “trouble” in Canada before they are informed. I want to ask that you avoid from doing anything that would endanger your standing here.

1) Go to a  (Designated Learning Institution) and do a program that is eligible for Post Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)

We repeat it every time, yet a lot of individuals continue to fall for agents who only want to steer them toward the wrong courses and enroll them in institutions that exclude them from receiving a work permit after graduation. Frequently, the students arrive in Canada before realizing they were duped.

Your institution must be eligible for a PGWP, as well as the program you are enrolled in.

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Click here to see if the school qualifies for a PGWP. And ask the school for confirmation if you’re not sure if your program qualifies for PGWP. This is quite important.

Moreover, the length of your PGWP will depend on the program you choose, so plan ahead and be aware of your possibilities. These are some articles on PGWP. here

Do not listen to agents who advise you to attend a school without PGWP and who promise to search for a company to sponsor you for an open work permit after school. It’s not as simple and easy as they make it out to be.

You will have to compete for positions with those who already have work permits and do not require an employer to sponsor them if you do not have a PGWP. Several employers will prioritize them above you (because that saves them the cost of your LMIA sponsorship). Therefore stay away from stress!

Why would you want to invest your money in an unsuccessful business when you are not receiving free education? Consider this.

2) When can you start working in Canada as a student?

Please have real money on hand before beginning your studies as an overseas student! Don’t arrive empty-handed; you’ll need as much comfort as you can to begin your journey. You can accomplish that more easily if you have money, too.

Have money set aside for the initial weeks or months of your program. Once your training has begun, only then are you able to legally work. You CANNOT legally work if you arrive (before restart) with the intention of hustling to spend before classes begin.

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I know this is hard to hear, but if you disobey that law, there could be SEVERE repercussions!

Further information regarding the requirements for working as a student in Canada can be found here.

Also, it is less stressful to work on projects that will help you save money and pay off debt. This is why I generally advise students to at least have enough cash on hand to cover their first term’s (equivalent to your first four months in Canada) tuition, rent, and other expenditures.

Why is this important? The burden will be lessened if you have first-term expenses because tuition and rent are payable as soon as you arrive in Canada.

Get ready to prevent getting lost.

3) How many hours is given to a student Working in Canada?

A student is only permitted to work 20 hours a week outside of school. While you are enrolled in classes and school is in session, this is the case. Also, during regular breaks, you can work full-time.

But do you know what else is fascinating? This was made so generously by Canada that you can still work INSIDE school despite being allowed to work 20 hours per week outside of school. When school is in session, the employment you have DURING school does not count against your 20 hours of labor.

read more about this here.

4) Changing School/program after arriving in Canada

After arriving in Canada, you can modify your school or program or postpone the beginning of your program.

Please be aware that if you want to work first and start school later, you cannot postpone your studies. Reason number two above was given. You can only start working once your program has begun.

Make sure to change schools completely AFTER arriving in Canada if you want to. This would imply that you have already obtained a second admission or are actively seeking one before traveling to Canada (so you can change schools immediately after you enter Canada and get your study permit).

Also, through the IRCC application portal, you must notify IRCC that you have changed schools. This section explains the procedure to be used. here.

You will have to reapply for a new study visa if you decide to change schools AFTER your visa has been issued and BEFORE to your arrival in Canada! The reason for this is that when you switched schools, you were still outside of Canada. This site has comprehensive information is here. Make every effort to avoid this.

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If you are delaying the beginning of your program after arriving in Canada, your institution must authorize it and provide valid justifications. This is significant since you must always be enrolled and actively taking classes if you are a foreign student. Yet you can request a study leave from your school (that is NOT more than 150 days).

A student may ask for a study leave for a variety of reasons. And this is explained in Section D here.

5) Know when to renew, extend, or change your status when you Study in Canada

This is quite important. Some students might need to extend their study permits, renew their passports and visas, or modify their immigration status to Canada. Hence, always be aware of the date that your visa or permit expires.

The law mandates that you maintain a valid status at all times and advises that you apply for a visa or permit extension at least 30 days before the existing one expires.

This is to give you enough time to renew your visa before the one you currently have expires or to ensure that you are eligible for maintained status..

It’s also never too early to start thinking about how to become a permanent resident in Canada if that’s something you want to do. There are several options for obtaining permanent residency in Canada, so review the resources available here.

Finally, keep in mind that you are a temporary resident with a study permit. You’ve got a long way to go. In Canada, don’t let a short-term gain deprive you of long-term benefits. IRCC may not respond right away, but they know where to look for you.

I wish you the best of luck with your studies in Canada!

Check out our resources if you’re new to studying in Canada and don’t know where to begin.

There is already all of the information you need to apply for admission, scholarships, and a visa in Canada. It’s a Do It Yourself (DIY) neighborhood.

The posts and information on this website are not legal advice.