Canadian Student Visa Rejection Reasons in 2023

Canada Student Visa Rejection 2023: Canada is one of the most preferred study destinations for international students. With world-class education, friendly visa and immigration rules, and better life prospects it is one of the most sought-after study destinations globally. As a large number of people apply for a student visa, it becomes difficult to get a visa. Due to its huge popularity, it follows a rigorous visa process. After COVID-19, Canada student visa rejection rate has shot up to 40-50%. In the pre-COVID scenario, the Canada student visa rejection rate was nearly 15-20%. In this article, we will inform you of the reasons for the rejection of Canada Student Visa and what you can do to avoid that.

As per IRCC, the number of international students holding a Canada student visa is 6,21,565 in 2022. In 2022, there are around 2,30,000 applications submitted for the Canada Study Permit from India. The Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration tabled a report in the Canadian House of Commons in May titled ‘Differential treatment in recruitment and acceptance rates of foreign students in Quebec and rest of Canada’. According to this report, in 2021, there were 91,439 Study Permit applications were rejected from India and 2,25,402 were accepted. The refusal rate was around 41% which is higher than the typical refusal rate of 30%.

According to the report, the number of study visa permits increased by 52% from 2,64,625 in 2016 to 4,02,427 in 2019. This was the highest number of study permits issued since Canada's study visa programme started.

Canada Visa Rejection Reasons (Student Visa)

Below we have given some of the popular reasons for the rejection of Canadian student visas.

• Financial stability: The authorities may find that you are not financially sound and won't be able to support yourself while studying in Canada. You need to show that you can arrange a sufficient amount of funds till the time you are staying there.
• Academic performance: As you are applying for a Student Visa, you need to have adequate academic credits or scores as mentioned by your educational institution and the Canadian government to get the visa approval.
• Letter of acceptance: In order to apply for a valid study permit, you need to prove that you received a letter of acceptance from a registered Canadian educational institution. Apart from this, the candidate should also meet all the requirements for the program you applied.
• IELTS or TOEFL Score: Whether you are going under the SDS program, PNP, or SPP program, you need the minimum IELTS or TOEFL Score to prove language proficiency. The candidate needs to secure a minimum IELTS or TOEFL Score as set under these programs for securing a student visa. Students should also know the SPP and non-SPP visa requirements to study in Canada.
• No permanent stay: The study permit is a temporary visa, and it has an expiry date. The visa officer must be convinced that you will come back to your home country after completing your studies. If the visa officer is not satisfied and finds you a potential immigrant, then your Student Visa can be rejected. It does not mean that students cannot extend their visas. Canada is known for its visa-friendly policies for international students. You can extend your visa by following the due process. However, at the time of the visa interview, you need to convince the visa officer that you are not going to settle there permanently.
• Selecting a study program that does not align with your previous studies: If your selected study program does not match your past educational background or work experience then you can be questioned on this. In this case, you should be able to explain why you are changing your field of study.
• Inadequate documents: You can check out the list of documents required to get a Canadian Student Visa here. Make sure to carry all the important documents at the time of the visa interview, and also carry the documents sequence-wise and clearly, so, the officer can go through them easily.
• Return to home country: Study permit is valid for a particular time period. The applicants need to showcase that they will come back to their home country after completing their studies. However, this does not mean that one cannot extend their study visa or get a PR. It is important to show that the student will not stay in Canada once his/her study permit expires.
• Other Reasons: Other reason for Canada student visa rejection might include an increase in the number of applications. If the number of applications to Canada increase, it leads to pendency and an increase in the Canada student visa rejection rate. This issue is beyond the control of a student. Hence, it is advised that a student must focus on the factors that he/she can control.

Reapply for a Student Visa after Rejection

Candidates can reapply for a Canadian Student Visa after getting a rejection earlier. However, first of all, evaluate why your application was rejected last time and make sure this time you won't repeat the same mistake. As per the new guidelines issued under the SDS Program, the Canada Student Visa processing time can take up to a maximum of 45 business days. In addition, you must be aware of the steps that need to be taken if your student visa gets rejected.

Know the Exact Reasons for Rejection of Canada Student Visa: It is important to know why your application was rejected. When the students receive a refusal letter, they do not get a specific reason based on which their visa was rejected. Students must take the help of the GCMS or CAIPS notes. Citizenship & Immigration Canada uses the Computer Assisted Immigration Processing System or CAIPS to process all visa applications in overseas offices. GCMS computer (Global Case Management System) has now superseded the CAIPS system. Students who do not have a Canadian PR or citizenship can take the help of various consultants to apply for the GCMS or CAIPS notes. Students can also authorize a representative who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident to apply for the information. Once you have applied, your file request will be processed by IRCC in Ottawa, Canada. You should get your notes in around 5 weeks (35-40 days).

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Need more tips related to Visa Applications? Check out: Interview tips for a Student Visa