Canada is a popular destination for international students. In 2018, more than 721,000 international students studied in top-quality educational institutions in Canada, making it the third preferred destination for international students. This blog post will address the 10 main reasons for the rejection of a Canadian study visa.

Every student going to study in Canada must have a study permit. A study permit is a written authorization issued to international students authorizing them to engage in studies in Canada. It is no secret that getting a Canadian study visa is more challenging than getting a U.S. study visa. You might be surprised to know that the odds of being granted a Canadian study visa is less than 30% for Africans.

Though Nigeria is among the top 10 source countries for international students nevertheless has the third-highest rejection rate among African countries, with 81 percent of prospective students denied, after Algeria with 86 percent and Cameroon with 82 percent.

To be eligible for a study permit, applicants must meet some minimum requirements like having proof of acceptance from a Canadian educational institution. You also need proof of sufficient financial resources to cover your expenses while in Canada.

You need to convince the visa officer that you are going to Canada with the sole intent of studying, and you will leave the country after completing your program even if you have dual intent. So, what are some of the reasons for student study visa refusal? 

Letter of Acceptance/Academic Qualifications

Canadian study permit application starts with researching schools that you intend to attend and meet the admission requirement of the college or university, which must be a Designated Learning Institution (DLI). The institution must provide you with an acceptance letter. Even though officers are to treat conditional letters of acceptance as meeting the requirements, except where there is serious doubt that registration will be allowed, you must meet all the conditions on the letter.

If the officer has concerns about an institution’s academic or administrative practices, which raises doubts about the institution or the authenticity of the letter of acceptance, it could lead to visa rejection. Moreover, if the visa officer also believes that you are not qualified for the program, that is meeting the minimum entry requirements for the specific course you apply.

Solution: Make sure that you apply to a designated learning institution in Canada and get an authentic unconditional acceptance letter from the school. It is also advisable to add your school documents such as your certificates, reference letter, and transcripts to your application to show that you can go through the program.

Language Proficiency

Another requirement added recently for speedy processing times is to have proof of IELTS test results with minimum requirements of a score of 6.0 or higher in each skill.

Lack of Job Prospects in your home country:

One of the reasons for visa refusal is that your home country lacks job prospects. A letter from your current employer stating that you will be guaranteed a job in your home country after completing your education should suffice to demonstrate job prospects. If you do not have a job, then show that the study course you plan to enroll in will help you apply for jobs on your return.

Study permit applicants must explain why they are pursuing the proposed program of study. If the program includes a real-world, work-oriented application, make sure to specify this as the program requirement. “As such, it is important that study permit applicants demonstrate why they are taking a proposed program of study. If a program offers a unique hands-on approach, this should be stated. As well, as the Federal Court noted in Mahida v. Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), if an applicant can show that job postings for a career that she is interested in required a specific education, that can be helpful to demonstrating the reasonableness of a proposed program of study.”

Purpose/Bonafide:

This is one of the common reasons for the rejection of visas in Nigeria. You will always see this on the Global Case Management System (GCMS) note or refusal letter.

Refusal Grounds R216(1)(b) Purpose

Description I am not satisfied that you will leave Canada at the end of your stay, as stipulated in subsection 216(1) of the IRPR, based on the purpose of your visit.

This means that the visa officer does not believe that the applicant is going to Canada for studies rather using the study to immigrate to Canada.

They look at the totality of the application. They sometimes look at age and the level of education, they look at how long the applicant has been out of school before returning to further his/her studies, they look at practically everything. They are just not convinced that the applicant is a prospective student.

Therefore, it is the applicant’s responsibility to submit enough proof of intent of being a genuine student going to Canada to study. This does not mean you cannot have dual intent; it just means the applicant has to show the intent of return or won’t be illegal if immigration application is denied.

Solution: The following is what the officer should consider in dealing with Bona fides: the length of time that they will be spending in Canada; • the means of support; • obligations and ties in home country; • the likelihood of leaving Canada should an application for permanent residence be refused; • compliance with requirements of the Act and Regulations. This is basically about almost everything concerning the study permit, so everything meets the requirements.

Ties to the Home Country/Canada:

Lack of ties to your home country or strong ties to Canada can lead to student visa rejections because it raises questions about your motivation of either returning to your country of residence or incentives of staying back in Canada.

Solution: It is helpful for the family to have property and other assets shown on their financial documents with all or most family members residing in the home country, representing family ties because the consular officer weighs the ties.

However, if you have been denied in the original decision, and you need to reapply, you can reference the Federal Court’s decision, for example, Ogbonnaya v Canada 2008. The Court concludes that the visa officer’s conclusion was patently unreasonable because Ogbonnaya detailed a large and extensive family unit in Nigeria, including his mother, father, and six siblings, all of whom are older than him.

He also stated that he has no relatives in Canada, implying a strong incentive to return to Nigeria after finishing his studies. 

Financial Insufficiency:

Right in your refusal letter or (GCMS) note are: Grounds R216(1)(b) Assets.

Description I am not satisfied you will Canada at the end of your stay as stipulated subsection 216(1) of the IRPR based on your personal assets and your financial status

It is important to demonstrate proof of funds for your first-year tuition fee, living expenses, and return flight costs. One of the major reasons for the rejection of a study visa is the inability to meet the financial proof requirement needed for visa approval.

Even though the visa officer is only meant to assess the application’s proof of finances for the first year of studies, they can also look at the bank statements you present and ask for more financial documents should they think you may lack the ability to fund the program after the first year. Please note that the consulate does not appreciate lump-sum deposits in your account. You need to have the available funds and a consistent account without just dumping a large sum of money in the account at once to improve your chances of visa approval.

Solution: Submit your application with a mybankStatement certificate showing proof of adequate finances for your studies for at least 6 months and 12 months of banking history or bank statements from your bank with 12 months history. Below are living expenses outside Quebec that you must show proof for, plus your Tuition fees

Persons coming to Canada	Living Expenses per year	Living Expense per month
Student	C$10,000	C$833
First Family Member	C$4,000	C$333
Every Additional Accompanying Family Member	C$3,000	C$250

The Visa Officer is not convinced that you will return to your country of residence.

I am not satisfied that you will leave Canada at the end of your stay, as stipulated in subsection 216(1) of the IRPR, based on the limited employment prospects in your country of residence.

This is one of the reasons for Canadian student visa rejection in Nigeria. The consular officer believes that most people are using the student visa to immigrate to Canada unless you prove that something is waiting for you on your return to your home country. This is very crucial in getting your study permit. 

Solution: You should include a letter from your current employer indicating that you are guaranteed a job on your return to the country after completing your education. 

If you do not have a job, you can prove that the study course you intend to pursue will help you qualify for employment when you return or any additional documentation to help your case.

Lack of or Limited Travel History:

Lack of previous travel history often affects the student visa application of young high school graduates because most of them have not had the opportunity to travel before. However, even many that have finished their first degree may have the same problem. It is not likely that the visa officer will deny the visa based on travel history alone but based on some other factors. 

Solution: You have to explain this in your letter of explanation and use the Federal Court decision about how lack of previous travel should be neutral and not negative; however, anyone that has travelled before, based on whether they overstayed or not, could have an impact on the application. Lack of previous travel history is actually not in Canadian student visa law.

Inadmissibility: 

Crime and Security

There are so many reasons why a person may be inadmissible in Canada. Inadmissibility means people that will not be allowed to go into Canada. The reasons range from security reasons to human or international rights violations.

For example, an officer or a former of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) Nigeria may be deemed inadmissible because the Canadian government has labelled them for gross human rights violations. Criminality and serious criminality and organized criminality.

Solution: Some cases of inadmissibility can be overcome while some cannot. It is good to provide a police clearance with your application to show evidence that you have no criminal record.

Criminal rehabilitation is a way to overcome some crimes committed in the past. There are deemed rehabilitation that automatically kicks in 10 years after completing your sentence for non-serious crimes. The following are important to qualify for deemed rehabilitation: No weapon was used in the crime, nobody was hurt, and no property was damaged.

Whereas individual rehabilitation is through application after 5 years of finishing your sentence.

Medicals

It could also be on health grounds that are likely to be a danger to public health, danger to public safety or might cause excessive demand on health or social services.

During the visa application process for a Canadian student visa,  every visa applicant must go to a government-approved medical institution either for upfront medical or the regular medicals when asked by the consulate.

Misrepresentation:

Misrepresentation is actually part of inadmissibility. The integrity of all the immigration programs depends on you being truthful with every question and every document you submit to the visa officer. The objective of this is to curb immigration fraud.

The Act says you will be inadmissible for misrepresentation for directly or indirectly misrepresenting or withholding material facts relating to a relevant matter that induces or could induce an error in the administration of this Act.

Canada is very strict about misrepresentation. The Canadian government can revoke your study permit, permanent residence, or your citizenship based on misrepresentation. Canada is very strict on misrepresentation, and it carries 5 years ban. 

Solution: Be truthful in every document and form you submit.

Failure to Leave the Country at the end of your studies: 

A study permit is essentially like a visitor visa; they are in the class of temporary visa. They have a validity period, and you are to leave the country before it expires. The issue is more of if you will remain in Canada illegally after your studies. That is why you must persuade the visa officer and fully convince him/her that you will not stay in the country illegally.

Solution: Even though Canada allows students to have dual intent as in the Act, it is equally important to convince the officer that your trip is temporary. It would help if you convinced the immigration officer that with relevant documents, that after your study, you intend to leave Canada even though you have an option of a Postgraduate work permit, one of the immigration pathways to permanent residence.

It would help if you showed that you have a well-paying job on your return to your home country. If you are married with children, and they won’t be accompanying you while in Canada. Do you or your parents have a company you are likely to manage or work in on your return? Lastly, if you do not have a job to return to or a family business, then you need to explain how the program will enhance your career opportunities on return to your home country