Arbutus College Director Alfredo Vazquez has issued a reminder to all incoming students to work on getting their study permits well ahead of their deadline for their intake start dates. Alfredo reiterated the guidelines set by the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for international students to prepare by facilitating their entry requirements at the soonest possible time.
Under Canada’s regular visa processing stream, processing times vary per source country. On average, it normally took four weeks for students from China, six weeks for those coming from the Philippines, seven weeks for those in India and 17 weeks for those in Vietnam for their visas to be processed. The IRCC, however, has vowed to address the issue last year by introducing the Student Direct Stream to speed up the processing time.
The IRCC has also enlisted the help of school administrators in cascading the information through student associations, websites and social media channels. Alfredo then echoed the reminder to the entire campus staff and student representatives to help disseminate the information so that students can avoid the stresses of processing their visa at the last minute. He added that students should also be prepared to provide fingerprints and photo (biometrics) if and when required.
“Preparation is key to ensuring a smoother transition into a new country and adjusting to its way of life,” he says. “Here at Arbutus College, we cater to our students’ individual needs to eliminate unnecessary stress. We also align our programs to support them in their academic and professional goals through the delivery of practical courses and activities that engage their interests,” he adds, “and an early reminder to prepare ahead of the deadline is just one of the ways by which we look after their welfare.”
