The Federal Court has decided that students attending Canadian postsecondary educational institutions are not required to pay their entire or partial tuition costs in order to be qualified to apply for a study visa.
Tehrani won their appeal against Canada (Citizenship and Immigration) at the Federal Court, according to CIC News, further solidifying Canada’s position as one of the top study abroad destinations, according to VisaGuide.World.
Tehrani, an Iranian national, had sought for a study permit after being accepted into a project management program at a college in Toronto. His application for a study permit, however, was denied because the immigration officer believed it was irrational to grant it given that the student intended to depart Canada when his residency permission expired.
The student’s marital status, familial ties, and the fact that he had paid a portion of his tuition to secure his spot in the program were taken into consideration while making the decision.
The Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) make it clear that applicants must demonstrate they have the financial resources to cover the cost of tuition and other costs. With regard to the tuition payment issue, the court clarified that applicants only need to demonstrate they have been accepted into a study program and do not need to demonstrate full or partial tuition payment.
Overall, the court decided that the officer’s judgment was unjustified and did not take into account the evidence the student presented, and that Tehrani’s decision to pay the tuition had nothing to do with his intention to leave the country at the end of his stay.
The decision removes an obstacle for foreign students who want to study in Canada but are unable to pay their tuition in full or in part at the time of applying for a study permit.
According to data, 388,782 international students are enrolled in higher education programs in Canada; of those, 39.4%, or 153,360, are in colleges, and the remaining 60.5% are in universities.
Over the past five years, there has been an increase in the number of overseas students studying in Canada, going from 228,924 to 388,782, a jump of 69.8%. With 180,275 students, Indians are the most common nationality of international students studying in Canada. The majority of these students are enrolled in BHASE programs, which include business, humanities, health, and the arts. Of these, 240,711 are in BVASE programs, while 134,664 are in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math).