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It has been a year since the world declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. Since then, everyone has been affected in one way or another. Many international students had to defer their studies, leave Canada, and start/continue their education 100% online. The movement to online learning has its benefits as well as its downsides.
Many international students study in Canada with a long-term goal which includes obtaining a post-graduation-work-permit (PGWP) upon graduating. Due to Covid-19, the IRCC declared that international students can complete 100% of their studies online from outside Canada and have it count towards obtaining a PGWP. Below are the details of PGWP eligibility requirements during the Pandemic:
As mentioned above, the time spent studying online from your home country between Spring 2020 and December 31, 2021, counts toward the length of a PGWP. This also applies for students completing two programs.
For international students completing 2 study programs, they can finish their program 100% online if they were ongoing or started between March 2020 and Fall 2021, and
For international students with study permits/visas that will expire soon, it is important to apply for a renewal, even if they are studying online from their home country. The IRCC accepts online applications and once an application to renew a visa/study permit before the expiry date is submitted, the applicant will automatically receive “implied status” which allows students to continue their studies under current conditions.
International students who got accepted into a study program and plan to start studies 100% online from their home countries still need to apply for a study permit/visa. While there are significant delays in processing times, once the application is submitted, the IRCC may ask applicants to give biometrics or medical exam results. The time to provide biometrics and medicals has been extended from 30 to 90 days (and beyond) where offices remain closed. It is crucial to apply as soon as possible. Once post-secondary schools open again, students will require a study permit/visa to come to Canada to continue/start their programs.
Students who are not tech savvy may encounter a few challenges at the beginning of their studies, but the platforms used by the schools provide all the support necessary for anyone to succeed. Each school will have a tech centre in addition to tutorial videos to assist students in navigating their online platforms (Moodle, Blackboard, Zoom, etc.). The shift to online learning allows students a safe learning environment and gives them the opportunity to continue their studies from their home countries. This allows them to follow their study plans without delay. Discussion boards and break-out rooms are used by many professors as a great avenue for students to collaborate and share ideas.
With online learning, students can now attend class in-bed, in their pajamas, roll-out of bed 5 minutes before the lecture starts and do other tasks while attending their classes virtually. People learn differently and online learning has made it more flexible. Some Professors provide recordings of their lectures, some only teach live. Depending on what is available, international students can adjust to a learning style best suited for themselves. For example, multitaskers would greatly benefit to follow along the lecture while doing other readings or doing household chores. This may have been difficult to do in-class, but in a virtual setting, international students are given more freedom to learn at their own pace.
At the post-secondary level in Canada, it is always the responsibility of students to keep track of their assignment deadlines, midterm, and exam dates. It is important to understand which time zone the professor follows. As the world’s second-largest country, Canada has six different time zones: Pacific, Mountain, Central, Eastern, Atlantic and Newfoundland. It is important to know where your university or college is located and which time zone it follows. For students who find difficulties meeting a deadline, it is best to contact the professor to request an extension on your assignment or special accommodation if you have any health or personal situations. Professors are there to guide students. As long as you reach out to them in advance, they can be of great help.
