Can I travel to Canada and stay at relatives, if all my courses are online this semester?

[casit]

I'm a new student starting at Memorial University and all my courses are online this semester. I'm traveling on May 2nd, and my classes start on May 9th. All my classes are online and I want to stay at my relative's place in Toronto for this semester, whereas my university if in Newfoundland. Is this allowed or will I face any problems at border?
My relatives will provide me with a invitation letter with all their details.

 

[canuck78]

I'm a new student starting at Memorial University and all my courses are online this semester. I'm traveling on May 2nd, and my classes start on May 9th. All my classes are online and I want to stay at my relative's place in Toronto for this semester, whereas my university if in Newfoundland. Is this allowed or will I face any problems at border?
My relatives will provide me with a invitation letter with all their details.

Is there a possibility of in class studies and you are choosing online? Fairly unusual for there to only be online only studies at this point unless the course was always distance education.

 

[T0pubo]

Is there a possibility of in class studies and you are choosing online? Fairly unusual for there to only be online only studies at this point unless the course was always distance education.

Memorial Uni has many many online class offerings.

 

[canuck78]

Memorial Uni has many many online class offerings.

Many of the online classes/programs do not qualify for PGWP. re the online classes due to Covid or not?

 

[casit]

Many of the online classes/programs do not qualify for PGWP. re the online classes due to Covid or not?

No, Memorial always offered some online sections even before covid, so I'm choosing online courses only for this semester. And regarding PGWP, the number of courses I'll take online are minuscule compared to the total courses I'll take during my degree (like 4/30 courses).

To clear it all, there is possibility of in-person, but I'm choosing online. Is there anything wrong with this?

 

[casit]

Many of the online classes/programs do not qualify for PGWP. re the online classes due to Covid or not?

Also, I just came across this: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/service-delivery/coronavirus/temporary-residence/study-permit/pgwpp.html
This page says:

Time spent studying outside of Canada can be counted towards the overall length of the post-graduation work permit until August 31, 2022. Any time spent studying outside of Canada after August 31, 2022 should be deducted from the length of the post-graduation work permit.

Which means that online studies during summer/spring 2022 will be counted towards PGWP. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[T0pubo]

No, Memorial always offered some online sections even before covid, so I'm choosing online courses only for this semester. And regarding PGWP, the number of courses I'll take online are minuscule compared to the total courses I'll take during my degree (like 4/30 courses).

To clear it all, there is possibility of in-person, but I'm choosing online. Is there anything wrong with this?

Yes. PGWP is dependent on being full time in class.

 

[Naturgrl]

Also, I just came across this: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/service-delivery/coronavirus/temporary-residence/study-permit/pgwpp.html
This page says:


Which means that online studies during summer/spring 2022 will be counted towards PGWP. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

But you are studying inside Canada now, not outside as per the link. You can come to Canada and study. As you quoted , "Time spent studying outside of Canada can be counted towards the overall length of the post-graduation work permit until August 31, 2022." You will not know until you apply for PGWP.

 

[casit]

But you are studying inside Canada now, not outside as per the link. You can come to Canada and study. As you quoted , "Time spent studying outside of Canada can be counted towards the overall length of the post-graduation work permit until August 31, 2022." You will not know until you apply for PGWP.

Alright, so yes you're right. But still keeping in mind that only 1 of my 8 semesters would be online, I don't think it will effect my PGWP, right?
And what do you think about my main question, can I face any problems if I'm traveling to Canada with online courses this semester?

 

[Naturgrl]

Alright, so yes you're right. But still keeping in mind that only 1 of my 8 semesters would be online, I don't think it will effect my PGWP, right?
And what do you think about my main question, can I face any problems if I'm traveling to Canada with online courses this semester?

Can’t say as you still have 7 semesters to go where you must be full time and in-person. They will let you enter and may ask you if you are travelling to NFLD or not.

 

[casit]

Can’t say as you still have 7 semesters to go where you must be full time and in-person. They will let you enter and may ask you if you are travelling to NFLD or not.

And what if I'm not traveling to NFLD for this semester?

 

[Naturgrl]

And what if I'm not traveling to NFLD for this semester?

Already said above. They can ask any question - why aren't you travelling now? Where are you staying? Do you have a ticket to NFLD? Or they may ask you no questions. You will not know until you enter Canada.

 

[casit]

But you are studying inside Canada now, not outside as per the link. You can come to Canada and study. As you quoted , "Time spent studying outside of Canada can be counted towards the overall length of the post-graduation work permit until August 31, 2022." You will not know until you apply for PGWP.

So I just re-read the page and what I understand is that we need to complete at least 50% of courses in-person and in Canada to be eligible for PGWP. According to this, one can study less than 50% courses online, within Canada, and still be eligible for PGWP. Although IRCC does highly encourage us to study in-person if we can.

Under normal circumstances, all distance learning courses completed outside Canada are excluded from the time accumulated towards the length of the post-graduation work permit, and 50% of a student’s courses must be completed in Canada and in person.