Yes, you read that right. Canadian schools that have the COVID-19 readiness plans in place can now start accepting new study permit holders ( as of October 20^th ). So, before you start backpacking to come to Canada, make it is on the Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs) list first, as only they have been approved to do so yet. Students who are not going to be attending a DLI shall not be allowed to board the flight to Canada.

The DLIs, in order to welcome the incoming international students, need to have a coronavirus readiness plan approved by their province or territory. They should have outlined plans which should describe how they intend to manage the mandatory quarantine period for students, including arrangements for transportation to the student’s quarantine location. Also, they must provide real-time information to the students regarding where they can get the items for the quarantine such as food, medicine, and health insurance. Prospective students should get in touch with their respective schools directly should they have questions regarding the readiness plans.

Previously, only those international students who had received a valid study permit as of March 18, 2020, could travel to Canada; however, as of now, the DLIs can accept students regardless of when they obtained the study permit.

Here’s the lowdown on the current update:

If you plan to enter Canada as a student, you would need to meet these two requirements:

• You must possess a valid study permit or a letter of introduction that shows you were approved for a study permit.
• You must be potentially attending a designated learning institution (DLI) with a COVID-19 readiness plan approved by its province or territory.

Your travel to Canada will be considered essential only if you have all of the required documents and your DLI is on the approved list.

As a student, your travel to Canada won’t be considered essential if:

• your study program has been cancelled or suspended
• you’re entering Canada for any reason other than to study

Students would still need to quarantine for 14 days once they arrive in Canada.

As of this writing, all post-secondary DLIs in Quebec are approved. 39 post secondaries are open in Alberta and British Columbia, 10 in Manitoba, 13 in New Brunswick, 3 in Newfoundland & Labrador, 14 in Ontario, 5 in Prince Edward Island, 7 in Saskatchewan and one in Yukon. DLIs have not yet been approved in the provinces of Nova Scotia, Nunavut, or North West Territories.

IRCC UPDATES FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS OCTOBER 2020

• As mentioned earlier, your visa would remain in a deactivated state if your college is not on the COVID-19 ready list (for those who have received visas)
• If you currently have an AIP (Approval in Principle) for 2021, then you must have deferred the program and also must have notified the IRCC about the deferral with the new LOA (Letter of Acceptance) through the web form on their site.
• Only those applicants whose DLIs are on the list will be prioritized and advance to the next stage of approval.
• Even if you are going to be completing a full year of your course online, you will still be eligible for a PGWP (1year programs)
• Students whose classes would start in January can enter Canada 3 weeks prior to their first day of class.
• To enter Canada, you don’t require a POE (Port of Entry Letter) if your DLI is on the approved list. You would however need to carry your LOA (Letter of Acceptance), quarantine package from your DLI (or quarantine plan), passport and visa. CBSA officers will ask proof or supporting documents for the information you mention in the quarantine plan.
• When the VACs open, the request for Biometrics will be sent. You may give Biometrics in any other country, but not upon arrival to Canada (No biometrics, No visa)
• The DLI list shall be updated every 2 weeks

The following is a brief overview of the relevant developments concerning international students and
immigration during the ongoing pandemic. It has been made by sifting through the Canadian
Bureau for International Students, Universities Canada, and Colleges and Institutes Canada.
For convenience’s sake, listed below are situations that international students are most likely to find
themselves in:

You possess a study/work permit that’s about to expire in the coming weeks and
are unable to obtain a new passport or access the necessary documents. Would
you are given an extension?

The prudent course of action you can take at this juncture would be to apply online to renew your
permit, which would trigger implied status. This will allow you to continue working or studying in
Canada until your application is undergoing processing. Moreover, you must also attach an
explanatory letter stating why you don’t currently have access to the required documents. Don’t
worry as your application won’t be denied if it is incomplete; you will be given 90 days to submit the
documents.

If you had your May acceptance deferred to September, would you need a new
Letter of Acceptance?

If you were in Canada at the time of the deferral, you need to start your studies within 150 days from
the date of deferral, or the following semester, whichever happens, to come first. Otherwise, you
would need to change your status ( for example, to a visitor status), or leave Canada.

You don’t currently have received a study permit, can you still start studies online
from abroad?

Yes, you may. However, there is a caveat; for your studies to contribute to your future PGWP
eligibility, you need a study permit/ study permit approval. Moreover, you can only attend the course
up to 50% of the curriculum online, for the rest, you need to be in class to maintain eligibility for
PGWP.

If you are a new graduate on implied status awaiting a decision to be made on
PGWP application with a job offer letter, would you be allowed to come to
Canada?

If your study permit is no longer valid, you need to have a Letter of Introduction to be exempted from
the existing travel restrictions

If I start my studies online from abroad without an approved study permit, would
this time be included towards a future PGWP application?

No. Unfortunately, the time spent studying online from abroad without a valid study permit or
approval will not count towards your eligibility for PGWP.

Being an international student, you accessed the Canada Emergency Response
Benefit (CERB). Will this in some way affect your eligibility for PR or PGWP?

Even if you have accessed CERB, it will not affect your eligibility for PR or PGWP.

Can you work full-time if your semester has been suspended?

A suspended semester is not considered to be a scheduled break, so you are only allowed to work
the same number of authorized hours detailed on your study permit.

Would your parents be allowed to come to Canada if you are on a valid study
permit?

Immediate family members who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents are exempted
from travel restrictions and can come to Canada provided that they first obtain authorization from
IRCC to board a flight.
In order to do this, submit a request by sending an email to IRCC.COVID-TravelExemptions-
Exemptionsdevoyage-COVID.IRCC@cic.gc.ca
Also, if your parents do not already have a temporary visa or an Electronic Travel Authorization
(eTA), they will first need to apply for one.

Fast-track option for Indian students who want to begin their
studies in Canada in 2020: the Student Direct Stream

Under the newly implemented Student Direct Stream, Canada aims to expedite the process for
study permit applications of Indians within just 20 calendar days.
To be considered eligible for the SDS, Indians must meet the following additional criteria, such as,
but not limited to:

 Being able to score at least 6 in each skill of the IELTS Academic test (reading, writing,
listening, and speaking)
 Obtain a Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) of CAD 10,000 from a participating financial
an institution that meets the criteria for the SDS.
 Be able to prove that you have paid tuition fees for the first year of your studies in Canada.

The SDS is a very cost-effective option for Indians that want to begin their studies in Canada this fall.
To add to the good news, you can still begin your program online in India and remain eligible for the
PGWP by completing up to 50% of the course online