Canada Student Visas and U15

One of the most popular visas that Citizenship and Immigration Canada grants during the year is the Student Visa.

This is because Canada is very agreeable for higher education students and university students.

Canada has quite a few exceedingly well developed universities and a group of schools called the U15. The U15 is a list of 15 research universities in Canada which have very good reputations.

Obtaining a Student Visa

International students who wish to study in Canada must first get student visas before they enter the country.

Student visas are somewhat easy to get after the student has received an acceptance letter from a Canadian school. Students then apply with Citizenship and Immigration Canada for a visa.

These visas can be repeatedly granted to students for their entire academic careers, provided they stay on track and show that they are achieving their educational goals.

Many students who study at Canadian schools develop something of an attachment to the country during the course of their studies and unlike some other countries Canada allows them to apply for permanent residency at the end of their studies without leaving the country.

The Canadian Experience Class of immigration allows these students to start working in their field in Canada after their graduation.

Language Learning in Canada

Canada is a bilingual country, meaning that there are two primary languages spoken throughout the country. While it is not necessary for a student to come to Canada being completely fluent in either language, it would prove to be helpful to be familiar with them.

During the course of their studies, students will build on their knowledge of English or French (they are sometimes encouraged to learn both, especially in Quebec).

The learning process involved in becoming familiar with the national languages of Canada will not exclusively come from direct study at the university, although classes in English or French may be required.

Rather, many people learn the language simply from exposure to it while they experience the culture of Canada. Many language teachers believe that this technique (called immersive learning) is the best way to learn new languages because it provides direct incentive.

In an increasingly global economy, familiarity and even mastery of multiple languages is an invaluable skill and increases a student’s value in the work force. Being able to say that one knows a few different languages on one’s resume or curriculum vitae makes one very attractive to potential employers.

The U15

The U15 is a list of the 15 leading research universities in Canada. These schools provide a lot of information and research that helps to inform policy and innovation all over the world.

These universities were established as early as 1663 (Universite Laval in Quebec) and as late as 1966 (University of Calgary) and are located in 7 of Canada’s provinces.

The U15 universities are:

• The University of Alberta
• The University of British Columbia
• The University of Calgary
• Dalhousie University
• Universite Laval
• University of Manitoba
• McGill University
• McMaster University
• Universite de Montreal
• University of Ottawa
• Queen’s University
• University of Saskatchewan
• University of Toronto
• University of Waterloo
• University of Western Ontario