Reasons for Canada Study Permit Refusal for Nigerians

What does it take to get a Canada study permit?

First, you need to have been given admission by a designated Canadian institution. It must be a designated learning institution, and you are required to have your acceptance letter and also have enough finances to pay for the institution and for your living expenses during the course of your study in Canada.

You need to your tuition fee and at least a one-year living expense amount in your personal account, it is also important that satisfy the immigration authorities that you’d be leaving Canada at the end of your studies.

The ability to satisfy the immigration authorities in Canada that you be leaving at the end of your studies is where a lot of people get things mixed up, and in the end, they are met with rejection in getting the Canada study permit.

Canada Study Permit Application: The Facts

In the past, around 2015 to 2017, getting admission and getting a Canada study permit is pretty easy. Unfortunately the last years after 2017, some Nigerians seeking to get the Canada study permit have met with more rejections in their applications.

The way is before you decide to come to Canada it is important that you assess yourself using several parameters I will highlight in this guide.

How to do Self Assessment before applying for Canada Study Permit

These criteria will help you to base yourself on a kind of self assesment that determines if you get the Canada study permit or not if you put up an application. If you don’t pass the self-assessment, it will be wise not to waste your energy or any funds trying to put up an application for a Study permit or even applying for admission.

This is because the Canada government already have a clue that many are using the Study route to immigrate into the country, as a student, your spouse is allowed to get a work permit while you are on a Study permit.

After your spouse has worked for a year in Canada, they are allowed to put up an application for the Canada Experience Class, while you continue your study, so they already know that people are using the study as an avenue to immigrate to Canada and also to become a permanent resident in Canada.

So before you put in your application, ask yourself if you will satisfy the authorities you will be leaving Canada after your studies, even though you and I know that the intention is to immigrate after your studies. So give them strong enough reasons that you’d be going back to your country after your studies.

1. Do you have Enough Travel History?

Do you have enough travel history, well, what comes to mind may be traveling to Kenya or Dubai on a vacation and all that, but No! I mean traveling to countries like the United Kingdom and the US, os if you have provable extensive travel history for up to 3 years or more, so you can see that as you pass the first self-assessment for your Canada study visa application process.

2. Do you have the Finances?

Financing is a crucial important part of your application, there are even some who have good financial standing and are still denied a study permit. You need to ask and answer these questions:

Do I have the fund to pay for at least one year’s Tuition?
Do I have the fund to pay for my living expenses in Canada (up to $15000 )?
Do I have enough finances to cover for my healthcare?
Do I have enough to return to my home country after my studies?

So to answer all these questions above, It means you will need to have more than $70,000 and above in your personal account before you can conclude that you passed the financial standing self-assessment test to get a Canadian study permit.

Yes! It is fine if you have a sponsor, but for sponsorship that’s for young school leavers, who still depend on their parents or guidance, they are young school leavers who are not yet in the workforce yet or attain the age of fending for themselves.

Their sponsors are their parents, Uncle, Elder siblings, family members etc. If you belong to this category, it is acceptable to present your sponsor’s statement of account instead.

But for someone, who already has a first degree and is planning to come to Canada to study for his/her second degree, it is quite important, that you have your own fundings in your personal account.

The immigration officers are not in any way dumb, they are always looking for red signals, for an adult to be present someone else’s financial statement in the name of sponsorship is seen as a foul play.

They don’t want people who use the education to get into Canada and as soon as they get in, they peg their education and start hustling with what they have.

In a nutshell, if you’re a matured person coming to school in Canada it is important that you have your own money is your personal account and submit that alone as proof of funds to cover for your tuition, living expense, health and return back to Nigeria after your studies.

Another trick that works is…

Pay your Tuition Fee Upfront

There have been cases that people who paid their tuition fee upfront still met with denial, due to other reasons I will mention in the next lines below.

It is still much of a guarantee that if you pay you tuition upfront you are some reasonable percentage close to getting your Canada study visa, even though there are a couple of other things they also consider alongside.

Finances are very Key! It is not a thing you say, I will borrow money from friends and family as soon as I get there, especially if you are coming in as a matured student to study for Postgraduate degrees.

If you think you can meet up with the finances as explained, I’ll suggest that you do not bother yourself applying to any Canadian institution for admission.

3. Do you have strong ties?

It may surprise you that having strong ties in Canada and disclosing it, is more like a red flag for those who are seeking for Canada Study permit, the authorities see it that you may not want to go back to your home country when you have a relative or siblings.

So it’s best not say even if you have a relative or close tie in Canada, simply maintained that your relatives and family members are in Nigeria and you can’t wait to unite with them again after your studies in Canada.

Apart from family, If you are married and you want to apply, I will advise on personal experience that you first apply for your Study permit first and land in-country before your spouse and other family members come to join you on an open work permit.

That strengthens your application that you have family back in Nigeria and you will be returning back to your family members after your application.

I hope this is some useful information for anyone planning for apply for the Canadian study permit visa in Nigeria. If you have any more concerns, you are welcome to use the comment section below.