International Student Visas
Pacific Rim Aviation Academy welcomes students from around the world! It’s an honor and privilege to have students travel to our school from abroad. Our wish is to make your travels as smooth as possible. If you have questions, please contact us, but remember, we’re pilots, not immigration lawyers. The student authorization process is fairly straightforward but is intolerant of missing documentation, missed deadlines, missed fees, and abuses of the system so again, please READ the following documents very carefully. There are lots of external links on this website, if some go stale please let us know.
If you are training toward any of the following individual licenses, ratings, or experience, a student visa is required as the time to complete the training is more than 6 months:
Recreational
Private
Commercial
Instrument
Instructor rating
All students traveling to Canada to complete their flight training are asked to fill out our online application.
To obtain a Student Visa
A student visa is required when a course is more than 6 months from when you arrive. This process takes a few weeks in Europe, Australia, and the Americas, and up to 3 months in Asian, African, and Middle Eastern countries AFTER submitting the documentation. More delays will result if there are errors and/or missing documents/fees.
Application to Study in Canada, Study Permits
You may need a medical examination. This is not the same as the aviation medical exam. If you are a citizen of these countries you need a medical exam. It can take weeks to schedule an examination so do not delay in making an appointment.
You’ll need a NON-REFUNDABLE processing fee of $150 Canadian dollars. Payment for a study permit application must be made by MANAGER’S CHEQUE, CERTIFIED CHEQUE, POSTAL MONEY ORDER, or BANK DRAFT payable to the “Canadian Embassy”. Cash will not be accepted.
Proof of funds (e.g. bank drafts, fixed deposits, a bank statement showing the account balance, etc.). These proof of funds must be under YOUR name. Students are permitted to enter Canada to study on the understanding that they can access sufficient funds for living expenses, full tuition, return transportation, and other necessary costs. Costs in Canada vary according to the location of the institution and room and board facilities. As a guideline, $10,000 Canadian dollars (in addition to tuition fees) per year would be sufficient.
A counterfoil copy or a certified true copy of a bank draft in your name or in the name of the institution
Police Checks — You may also have to prove to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) officers that you are a responsible person and that you do not have a criminal record.
The embassy will require the original passport or valid travel document. (Alternatively, you may submit a photocopy of the identity pages and the page showing the expiry date of your passport or travel document and once processing of your application is completed, we will ask you to submit your passport so that a visa can be issued.) Your Study Permit will normally be valid for the duration of your course. We suggest that you ensure that your travel document is valid for the full duration of your course of study in Canada.
In order to ensure the protection and well-being of prospective students under the age of majority (18) destined to institutions in Canada, all unaccompanied students under the age of 18 are required to submit with their application for a notarized declaration signed by the parent or legal guardian of the applicant in the country of origin and a notarized declaration signed by the custodian in Canada. These declarations must be notarized by a notary public, by a Commissioner for Oaths, or by a lawyer. The signed declarations must indicate that arrangements have been made for the custodian to act in place of the parent or guardian at all times. In addition, the custodian in Canada must provide proof that they are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada at least 19 years of age and prepared to act in place of the parent or guardian. In the case of a minor child attending a boarding school, this declaration may be signed by the school principal.
Three passport-sized photographs of yourself and any accompanying family members.
Tips for obtaining a student visa.
Allow for 2-3 months to process a student's authorization. Less time is possible, but understand that we are dealing with a giant bureaucracy that moves when it wants to move.
You must get the paperwork right. Missing paperwork is not tolerated at all by embassy officials. Get help if you are unsure.
When submitting a student visa application, embassy officials are concerned with:
The student has enough money to complete the training including the cost of the training, accommodations, living expenses, and transport back to your home country. All of this money must be under your name (not a family member or friend).
The student will return to his home country when the training is complete. Offer them some proof that you will do this. (property, family, promises of jobs).
One must have money for transportation to and from the school, $10,000 for a year (or pro-rated at $833 per month) for living expenses, plus the cost of tuition. (Canadian Dollars).
