Canada has emerged as one of the favourite study abroad destination among international students. It has got number of benefits which the students can avail while on Canada student visa.
There were some updates announced in 2021 where by a very big benefit for international students was announced .As per these update students who wish to study in Canada can apply for their Canada student visa along with their spouses, so yes you can apply for your Canada study visa along with your spouse. Your spouse would be eligible to apply for Canada open work permit -this is the name of the visa your spouse would be eligible for based on your Canada study visa.
There are certain requirements which must be met if you would like to apply for your Canada student visa along with spouse
Requirements to apply for Canada study visa with spouse
The single condition to qualify for this is that your application must fall under SDS category.
Your application means that the Canada study visa application must fall under SDS category. It is only possible to apply for Canada study visa with your dependent spouse if your application falls under SDS category. If your application comes under non SDS category then the application for Canada open work permit for your spouse would not be processed together.
What is SDS category for Canada student visa?
In order for your application to fall under SDS for Canada study visa there are certain requirements which must be met
- The first and foremost is that your English language ability must be equivalent to a IELTS band score of at least overall 6 with a score of 6 in each of the four models of reading, listening, writing and speaking . Under SDS category only IELTS as English language evidence is accepted. If you have any other English language test let’s say PTE then even if your PTE score is equivalent to IELTS 6 each then also you will not fall under SDS category and hence will not be able to apply for your Canada study visa along with their spouse
So to qualify for this you must be an applicant whose Canada study visa falls under SDS category
- The second condition for SDS category is that you must have paid tuition fee for one year. This is the second requirement to be considered under SDS category. If you pay your tuition fee for 6 months then even after having IELTS band score of 6 in all of the four modules of IELTS your application will not be put under SDS category. So your application will fall under non SDS category. So you won’t be able to apply for your Canada study visa along with spouse as your application would fall under non SDS category
- The third condition which must be met for the Canada student visa application to fall under SDS category is that you must have a GIC certificate of Canadian Dollars 10000. GIC is guaranteed income certificate and the students purchase the certificate to show their cost of living for one year. GIC is an excellent way to show that you have enough funds for yourself while on Canada study visa. If you have IELTS band score of 6 in each of the four modules, pay tuition fee for one year but do not purchase GIC of Canadian Dollars 10000, then your application would not fall under SDS category. It would fall under non SDS category and you will not be able to apply for Canada study visa along with spouse.
So having a GIC certificate of Canadian Dollars 10,000 is another very important condition to be eligible to apply for Canada study visa along with spouse
- The next requirement is to have an upfront medical examination. It is an important requirement for Canada study visa. Students can provide medical examination upfront or at later stage. For SDS processing of the application you must have medical upfront order to be eligible to apply for Canada study visa along with your spouse. So you must provide upfront medical.
Above are all the conditions which the student visa applicant must meet.
Other requirements for Canada study visa with spouse
There are certain other conditions which must be met in order to apply for Canada open work permit.
- The first requirement is that you must be enrolled in a course which has got post graduation work permit rights after the completion of the course. The new update which has been announced in late 2021 is that if the course you wish to study in Canada does not give you post graduation work permit right that is post study work visa after the successful completion of your course then you may not be eligible to support your spouse to apply for Canada open work permit . So take care that the course you select is the course which gives you post study work visa rights.
- The second condition is about the relationship condition .If you are applying for Canada work permit based on your relationship with your spouse a very important requirement is that you must be in a genuine relationship. Only having a marriage certificate may not be enough prove to the case officer that your relationship with your spouse is genuine and that you have not entered into this relationship solely for getting a Canada open work visa. The application for your Canada open work permit for your spouse may not be successful if the case officer does not believe that you are genuinely in a relationship.