By Riley Hill
Recent changes in Canada’s Department of Citizenship and Immigration will allow international students to receive multi-entry visas easier than ever before.
Most international students in Canada have single-entry visas. This means that if they leave the country, they need a new visa to get back in.
Under the new system, all applicants will be automatically considered for a multi-entry visa, allowing them to enter and leave Canada as they need.
“For whatever reason, the government before was very hesitant to give out multi-entry visas,” said Students’ Union vice-president external Connor Brown. “For the most part, international students could only get single-entry visas.”
The change was welcomed by the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA) — an organization that has long lobbied for this type of policy change.
“CASA has been calling on the government to provide multiple-entry visas to students and we’re happy these changes are being made,” CASA chair Amanda Nielson said in a press release. “Improving the clarity of visa applications will help government reach the goal of increasing Canada’s international student population.”
The changes will not affect students already in Canada on a single-entry visa.
International students coming to Canada still need to obtain a separate student permit.