Is there any hindrance like students are not allowed to enter physically?? I mean if one has got the visa already and have got all the documents in place, then why not go physically in Canada? even if the classes are online.
2020 Fall Graduate Certificate Programs
- Thread starter proceso
- Start date
Well the latest update from IRCC is that if your course is online then you presence is not essential and will be denied entry at the border.
IRCC website says clearly: even if people are exempt from the travel restrictions, they can only travel & enter if their purpose is ESSENTIAL.
And what exactly is considered essential in their viewpoint is not at all clear, as they've not put that up explicitly on their website.
That's right, but we've also been hearing of students travelling from South Korea, Vietnam, the UK, UAE, Pakistan, etc. being allowed inside by the CBSA officers.
I understand that online classes are being considered a non-essential reason for travel, but then with students being allowed in, it raises the question as to whether they want us to test our luck at the border and still go ahead & travel.
But we keep hearing of cases daily where students are allowed in, even though they have online classes.
I don't know what to make of this.
Where did you hear this?
Where did you hear this ? Because taking your chanse on losing 1000$ on a plane ticket is better then losing 10k on an overpriced obline course.
I heard on this forum only as well as from posts on twitter that students are being allowed in. It's only what I heard here, and of course, I don't have proof.
I agree with you. Given the current circumstances, losing $1000 on a plane ticket is nothing compared to the entire tuition that we pay.
So does that mean they want us to take the chance and go ahead and travel. And leave it to our luck that we may or may not be allowed entry there?
I'm shocked that IRCC has not put up clear instructions on what is essential and what is not. They're usually very clear and methodical.
And if online is non-essential, then they should not allow students in. But they are allowing. I don't know what this means.
Yeah you are right. Man I am really disappointed by how IRCC is handling this. The latest updates only really seam to make us pay the tuition fee and the chances are 50/50 for PGWP.
Students who are already in the country with jobs and apartments have a substantially greater connection to Canada than those who have yet to arrive.
I agree. But I was referring to those who went there in January 2020, and are now in a rented place, studying online. They aren't employed.
The thing is PGWP eligibility is not affected for them even if they take a break from studies for a term.
But in my case, I'm about to start a master's program having scored high in the GRE. I am making significant investments (not just monetary) in doing this program and the degree isn't a run-of-the-mill college diploma or certificate.
Doing it and doing it well requires so much from the student, irrespective of whether I'm going to sit in a hostel room in Canada or sit at home, while studying online. Even those who're already there can't go to their classes or meet with professors.
It's all online and I dont see any difference in being at home or in Canada, if it's online. Academically, there's no difference. Still, my PGWP is under threat if I don't manage to do at least 50% there. After going through a difficult master's degree, it'd be devastating for things to go wrong, only because of issues with the program length completed within Canada ( which isn't our fault ).
And nobody knows when I'll be allowed to travel as they've made online classes non-essential for entry ( even for those with study permit approval before March 18 ).
Yeah Ive got tons of it packed with me ready to unleash
lolwell, to all of the us who are discussing what is worth taking chance and what not, here is what GOC (Not IRCC) has to say about imposed travel restrictions:
International students
If you’re an international student who has a valid study permit, or were approved for a study permit on or before March 18, 2020, you’re exempt from the travel restrictions.
here is the link for your reference:
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/coronavirus-covid19/visitors-foreign-workers-students.html#restrictions-students
International students
If you’re an international student who has a valid study permit, or were approved for a study permit on or before March 18, 2020, you’re exempt from the travel restrictions.
here is the link for your reference:
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/coronavirus-covid19/visitors-foreign-workers-students.html#restrictions-students
Anybody of you has a co-op component in your programs ? any thoughts on what will happen for that ? we can't do co-op programs remotely right ?