10 Main reasons for Canada student visa Rejection and Tips to avoid them

International students planning to study in Canada require a study permit and a Canadian student visa which is initiated after securing admission to a Designated Learning Institute (DLI). As per IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and citizenship Canada) records, around 6,40,000 international students are holding student visas in Canada and their numbers continue to rise annually. The rise in student visa applications resulted in the number of Canada visa Rejections.

Post the Pandemic, issues like ongoing application backlog, rise in Canadian universities popularity, increase in applications more than the colleges admission capacity, etc. led to the Canada visa Rejection even for the applicants with good academic record.

The percentage of Canada student visa rejection is reported to be around 30% every year. Reasons for the rejection of Canadian student visas need to be addressed by international students to ensure progress in their study abroad dream.

This article will explain you

• 10 Reasons for the Canada Student Visa Applications Rejection
  • Insufficient Identity or Travel History Documents
  • Unclear Purpose of Visit
  • Financially Unstable
  • Fails to submit Letter of Acceptance (LOA)
  • Not having an intention of coming back to home country
  • Lack of Academic Performance and low language test scores
  • Choice of study program that does not matches with past qualifications and experience
  • Biometric Rejections
  • Family Relations in Canada
  • Hiring an Unauthorized Immigration Consultant
• Valuable tips to reduce the chances of Canada Student visa Rejection
• What to do if a Canadian Visa was rejected?

10 Reasons for the Canadian Student Visa Applications Rejection

Here are some of the common reasons for the rejection of Canadian study permits by IRCC,

1. Insufficient Identity or Travel History Documents

Visa officers reject your application if your identity documents are unclear or if your travel record is incomplete. They will examine your travel history for the gaps and problematic periods in your travel record. The authorities will also verify your identification documents to assess medical or criminal concerns.

If you claim travel experience but lack in presenting supporting documents like previous passports with visa stamps of countries entry and exit, your application might be denied. Hence, it is necessary to provide proper documentation and make sure you arrange scanned copies of documents chronologically for clarity.

2. Unclear Purpose of the Visit

Visa officers will reject your application if they are not convinced that your purpose of studying in Canada is genuine. This might happen if you don’t include a statement of purpose in your application, that clearly states why you want to study in Canada and how this particular program will help you reach your career goals. Make sure the details you provide in the statement of purpose and visa application are accurate. Because submitting fraudulent documents is a criminal offence that will result in student visa denial and can also bar you from entering into Canada in future.

3. Financially Unstable

Before issuing a Canadian student visa, officers assess your financial capacity to pay for at least one year's tuition fee at your chosen institution. It is crucial to demonstrate your financial capacity with sufficient financial documentation. Students are expected to have enough funds to cover tuition fee, which starts at $15000 and other living expenses. If you fail to provide sufficient proof of finances, your student visa will be rejected. Hence, include sufficient documentation of financial stability, demonstrating funds more than one year in your study permit application.

4. Fails to Submit Letter of Acceptance (LOA)

Every international student, at the time of admission, should receive a letter of acceptance (LOA) from the Designated Learning Institution (DLI). This needs to be submitted to the visa officials to qualify for a study permit. Also, The students need to produce some supporting documents like academic transcripts, proof of eligibility criteria etc. attached to the application form. In any circumstances if the student fails to submit a letter of acceptance to the visa officials, the visa application will be rejected.

5. Not having an Intention of Coming Back to Home Country

A student visa is a temporary visa with an expiry date. So, visa officials aim to verify if the international students have an intention to return to their home country after course completion. There are chances that international students might prefer settling in Canada by applying for study permit extension or post graduate work permit (PGWP) due to limited opportunities in their home country. This desire can lead to Canadian student visa rejection. 

Therefore, highlighting your intention to stay in Canada after completing your studies leads to the rejection of your visa application. So international students should express convincing statements, eagerness to return to their home country and also demonstrate scope of job opportunities in their home country. 

6. Lack of Academic Performance and low language test scores

An overall academic performance and consistency is screened by visa officials prior approval. If your academic records are incomplete and inconsistent, any unexplained gaps in your education or work experience may lead to refusal of your student visa application. In addition to this, the approval or rejection of visa applications also depends on English language proficiency test scores (IELTS, TOEFL). Hence it is advised to prepare themselves with the best explanation and remedy to overcome such inconsistencies.  

7. Choice of study program that does not matches with past qualifications and experience

Students face study permit rejection if the chosen study program does not match with their past educational qualifications (and work experience, if applicable) and if your explanation regarding change in the field of study is not convincing to the authorities. The officers will raise an issue due to sudden change in stream of study and future professional aspirations.

A few reasons related to academics for Canada student visa rejection are as follows

• Career gap
• Second Masters (Non-MBA)
• Applying for PG diploma after Masters
• Improper selection of program (example: applying for health sciences programs with engineering degree)
• Applying for PG diploma with a very good GPA scores in Bachelors

If you find yourself in one of the above situations, make sure to explain in detail through a personal statement as well as other records referring to academic background.

8. Biometric Rejections

The Canadian embassy has the right to reject the student visa application failing to upload any kind of biometric requirements or improper biometric scan. Hence, students are advised to give biometrics properly that will stay valid for a 10 year period, even if your permit or visa application is refused or has expired.

9. Family Relations in Canada

In your study permit application, mentioning siblings or strong family ties residing in Canada can sometimes lead to Canada visa rejection. Because these statements might raise suspicion to visa officers that you won’t return back after graduation. Similarly, if you emphasize the absence of immediate family in your own country, the visa officer may think that there is no particular reason to leave Canada after completing your studies.

10. Hiring an Unauthorized Immigration Consultant

Working with an unlicensed consultant can result in the rejection of your student visa application. So, when applying for a Canadian study permit, hire an authorized immigration or educational consultant approved by the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC) in Canada. These consultants are commonly called Regulated International Student Immigration Advisors (RISIAs), and are affiliated with Canadian universities or colleges.

Beware of unauthorized consultants guaranteeing admission in canadian universities or advise you in providing false information on your application.

If you figured out the reason for your rejected student visa application, then check on these steps for remedial measures you can take

Valuable Tips to reduce the chances of Canada Student visa rejection

Given below are some valuable tips that will help you to decrease your chances of canada visa rejection.

• Form a list of mandatory documents required to apply for a Canadian student visa.
• Fill the application form carefully and cross check all the relevant information.
• Remember to upload the offer letter copy received from a recognised canadian university.
• Make sure to produce proof of finances while applying under the Student Partnership Program.
• If you possess relevant work experience, then submit your bank statements or salary slips as proof.
• Specify all travel history and visa rejections (if applicable) in the visa file.
• Provide accurate and complete details regarding academic achievements, intent to study in Canada etc. in your statement of intent. Because this crucial document will introduce you to the visa officer who decides your visa approval/refusal.
• While applying online, ensure that you answer all the questions on the CIC website.
• Ace your language tests like IELTS,TOEFL, CELPIP, TCF, TEF  on the first try with a very good score to increase your chances of approval.
• Finally, make sure that your immigration consultant is an authorized RISIA.

Canadian Visa Related Resources:

• SDS and Non SDS visa application difference
• Canada Visa Interview Questions

What to do if a Canadian visa was rejected?

If the student visa gets rejected, then international students can reapply for it. But, make sure not to repeat the same mistakes that you made in the past. Here are some steps to proceed further,

1. Figure out the reason behind visa rejection and rectify the problem

Among the Canadian visa rejection reasons given above, identify the reason for which your application got rejected and solve the issue. Here are some issues with rectifications.

2. Re- apply for the Student Visa

If your visa got rejected for the first time then there is a possibility of approval in the second attempt. After rectifying your mistakes, start reapplying for a Canada visa. However, if you have got multiple student visa rejections from the same country, you can explore alternate options by applying for other countries that offer the same quality of education.

3. Appeal against refusal

Applicants who feel that their study visa was unfairly rejected can appeal against the refusal. They can proceed in 3 ways - requesting reevaluation, appealing against the decision in federal court and submission of new application.

This is a very complicated process that requires the services of an immigration lawyer. 

Moreover, the federal court doesn’t review all the cases, hence some students find filing a new application for the study permit preferable. 

It is always best to carefully review the visa application requirements before applying and ensure that your student visa application meets or exceeds them to reduce the chances of your Canada Visa Rejection.

Connect with our Kanan International Visa Assistance team and let us help you get your student visa with precision.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the chances of Canada visa rejection?

If the visa officers were not convinced that your purpose of study in Canada is genuine, then they will reject your application. This can only happen when you don’t include a statement of purpose, clearly stating the reason to study in Canada and how this particular study program helps you to achieve your career goals.

2. Is visa rejection high in Canada?

The percentage of rejection of visa applications is reported to be 30% every year. International students need to address the various reasons caused for rejection of Canadian student visas to ensure a smooth journey towards their overseas education dream.

3. Why is Canada student visa rejected?

IRCC may refuse your study permit application if your identity documents are improper or if you don’t submit the complete records of your travel history. Because, through these documents IRCC wants to identify if you are medically or criminally inadmissible to Canada.

4. Is Canada still rejecting student visa?

In 2022, around 2,30,000 canada study permit applications were submitted from India alone. However, this surge in applications has resulted in the rise of Canada Student visa rejections. By September 2022, several Indian states witnessed a rejection rate of 60% for Canadian student visas.