Two Major Updates for Canada Study Visa Applicants

In this blog, I’m going to share two important updates about Canada that could affect many students. One relates to emails students are receiving from their colleges or universities, and the other concerns students whose visa applications are stuck and haven’t received any results. I’ll explain both updates in simple terms and give practical solutions you can follow.

1. Emails About Closed Courses: What Should You Do?

Many students have started receiving emails from their colleges or universities in Canada. These emails are mostly about programs (courses) that are being closed. Here's why this is happening:

• Canada has introduced a list of "in-demand courses," and some colleges are closing courses that are not on this list.
• Some programs with low student enrollment are also being closed.

If you’ve received such an email, don’t panic. Here’s what the email usually offers:

1. Option to Change Your Course – You can switch to another course.
2. Option to Get a Refund – You can ask for a refund if you don’t want to continue.

What Should You Do?

• First Step: Regularly check your email to stay updated. This will help you act quickly if your course is closed.
• If You Haven’t Submitted Your Application Yet: If the college offers another course that fits your previous studies, you can opt for that. If no relevant course is available, you can request a refund. Since your application hasn’t been submitted to the embassy yet, this option is available.
• If You Have Already Submitted Your Application: You can withdraw your application and submit a new one with a new course or even change your college. If your college offers a relevant course, you can accept it and notify the embassy about the change.

Important Note:

If you change your college, you will have to submit a new study visa application. This means you cannot simply switch colleges and courses without restarting the process. Be very careful about this step.

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2. What to Do If Your Application Is Stuck?

Some students, especially those who applied for the September intake, are still waiting for their results. It’s been 3 months, 4 months, or even longer, and they haven’t heard anything. If you’re in this situation, here’s what you can do:

1. Raise a Web Form: Web forms are a common way to check the status of your application. However, don’t raise them repeatedly every day. Raise one Web Form and wait for about a week for a response. If you don’t get a reply, you can raise another Web Form after 10 days. This will help you get a more accurate update on your file.
2. Withdraw Your Application: If you’ve raised multiple Web Forms and still don’t have a solution, you can withdraw your application through your GCKey account. After withdrawal, you can submit a new application. Even if the withdrawal isn’t confirmed immediately, you can still submit the new application, and it will start processing.

How Does the Withdrawal Work?

• If your old file hasn’t been processed yet and you withdraw it, your new file will go into processing.
• If the visa officer picks up your new file first, it will start processing faster, and your old file will be automatically withdrawn.

Important Tips:

• Only withdraw your application if your file is not being processed. For example, if your medical or biometrics updates are pending or there’s no action on your file, it might be time to withdraw and submit a new one.
• If your file is still moving forward, do not withdraw it. There’s still a chance that your result will be issued soon.

Final Thoughts

These are the two major updates that could impact many students:

1. Emails about closed courses: If you receive one, follow the steps I shared to manage it effectively.
2. Stuck applications: If your application is stuck, you can use Web Forms to get updates or withdraw and submit a new application if necessary.

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