Student Visa Refusal - Saudi Arabia

[kaniera89]

I applied for a student visa (master's) program in November 2024 along with my wife and kid under 7 and the visa got refused for the following reasons mentioned in the portal:


• Your assets and financial situation are insufficient to support the stated purpose of travel for yourself (and any accompanying family member(s), if applicable). - (I already provided well enough funds around CAD 150K

• You do not have significant family ties outside Canada.

• The purpose of your visit to Canada is not consistent with a temporary stay given the details you have provided in your application.

• Your immigration status outside your country of nationality or habitual residence.

• You have limited employment possibilities in your country of residence.


I am a Sri Lankan and I have been working in Saudi since 2019 in a reputed company.


Could anyone advise how I respond to the visa officer to explain the reasons in detail? And what is the procedure of it? (still waiting for GCMS notes)

 

[Naturgrl]

I applied for a student visa (master's) program in November 2024 along with my wife and kid under 7 and the visa got refused for the following reasons mentioned in the portal:


• Your assets and financial situation are insufficient to support the stated purpose of travel for yourself (and any accompanying family member(s), if applicable). - (I already provided well enough funds around CAD 150K

• You do not have significant family ties outside Canada.

• The purpose of your visit to Canada is not consistent with a temporary stay given the details you have provided in your application.

• Your immigration status outside your country of nationality or habitual residence.

• You have limited employment possibilities in your country of residence.


I am a Sri Lankan and I have been working in Saudi since 2019 in a reputed company.


Could anyone advise how I respond to the visa officer to explain the reasons in detail? And what is the procedure of it? (still waiting for GCMS notes)

• What school and program?
• What are your ties to return to Sri Lanka? What are the employment prospects to justify costs when you return?
• You have no family ties to return if family is coming with you.

 

[kaniera89]

Thank you @Naturgrl for the response to my questions.

• What school and program? - Northeastern University Toronto, Program: Cyber-Physical System
• What are your ties to return to Sri Lanka? What are the employment prospects to justify costs when you return? I showed my assets (Vehicle, Land, Shop, etc.) with a valuation done by a certified individual in Sri Lanka. These were valued at around CAD 200K, and my mother and father also reside in Sri Lanka, as I explained in my SOP.
• You have no family ties to return if family is coming with you. - Do we have any other way to convince the visa officer?

 

[canuck78]

Thank you @Naturgrl for the response to my questions.

• What school and program? - Northeastern University Toronto, Program: Cyber-Physical System
• What are your ties to return to Sri Lanka? What are the employment prospects to justify costs when you return? I showed my assets (Vehicle, Land, Shop, etc.) with a valuation done by a certified individual in Sri Lanka. These were valued at around CAD 200K, and my mother and father also reside in Sri Lanka, as I explained in my SOP.
• You have no family ties to return if family is coming with you. - Do we have any other way to convince the visa officer?

One of the issues is your choice of program and school. Northwestern Toronto campus is essentially a degree mill satellite campus not the same quality education as actually attending Northeastern in the US. Stick with public universities. Do you have 150k in liquid funds? Parents are not ties to Sri Lanka. The fact that you live in a 3rd country hurts your application because you have minimal ties to Sri Lanka or proof you will return home. What is your education and employment history? You need to justify how the degree makes sense and will lead to career advancement.

 

[Naturgrl]

Thank you @Naturgrl for the response to my questions.

• What school and program? - Northeastern University Toronto, Program: Cyber-Physical System
• What are your ties to return to Sri Lanka? What are the employment prospects to justify costs when you return? I showed my assets (Vehicle, Land, Shop, etc.) with a valuation done by a certified individual in Sri Lanka. These were valued at around CAD 200K, and my mother and father also reside in Sri Lanka, as I explained in my SOP.
• You have no family ties to return if family is coming with you. - Do we have any other way to convince the visa officer?

1. Changes schools, NEU is a private school in an office building only for international students. Go to a public school for better chance if you want to bring family.
2. What are your ties to return? You have lived in Saudi for years so parents are not a tie nor are assets. Need to explain why you need to take the program and the jobs available (higher pay than you get now) When you return.
3. How much in cash did you show, and did you pay tuition? What is tuition and how long is program? Assets are not cash in the bank.
4. Again ties to return for job etc. Spouse and child need to show reasons to return - job, schooling etc.

 

[scylla]

Thank you @Naturgrl for the response to my questions.

• What school and program? - Northeastern University Toronto, Program: Cyber-Physical System
• What are your ties to return to Sri Lanka? What are the employment prospects to justify costs when you return? I showed my assets (Vehicle, Land, Shop, etc.) with a valuation done by a certified individual in Sri Lanka. These were valued at around CAD 200K, and my mother and father also reside in Sri Lanka, as I explained in my SOP.
• You have no family ties to return if family is coming with you. - Do we have any other way to convince the visa officer?

Think of this refusal as a gift. This is a terrible choice of schools and a waste of money. Get a refund from the school, get admission into a program at a public university, reapply for the study permit then.