(Ottawa) The bureaucratic nightmare of obtaining a study permit does not seem to have ended in Ottawa. A young Belgian student is still waiting for a response from the federal Immigration Department less than two weeks before the start of the academic year.
What you need to know
- A young Belgian student is still waiting for her permit to be able to study at the University of Montreal a few weeks before the start of the school year.
- His father, who works in Quebec, had to make this request three times in one year.
- Their case is not unique and illustrates the administrative maze of the federal Immigration Ministry.
“Honestly, it discourages me,” Yeal Veys confides in an interview. The 19-year-old had hoped to join her father, who has been working in Quebec for a few years, and start her film studies courses at the University of Montreal. The federal government’s administrative maze has already cost her a year.
University is a big step, so it already stresses me out, but on top of having to say to myself: “They don’t accept me and maybe I missed the start of term, maybe not…” I’m uncertain about everything, actually.
Yeal Veys
His father is worried, especially since the Legault government recently announced its intention to limit the number of foreign students in Quebec. “If it happens in September, it will be for him again, and it will no longer make him want to stay,” François Veys told us, visibly disappointed by the turn of events.
This is his third application for a study permit for his daughter and he has had to deal with conflicting instructions and confusing forms. But it can be difficult for applicants to get clarification from the department. Mr. Veys has called several times in recent weeks, but he has been met with an automated message before the line is disconnected.
“I find it a shame. It’s a waste,” he laments. His case is reminiscent of that of the Quénéhervé family, which was reported The Press in January. One of the young people was able to enter CEGEP at the last minute. As had happened for them, the ministry only acted in the case of Mr. Veys and his daughter after receiving our questions.
Read “A Nightmare Marathon”
Bureaucratic Nightmare
The first study permit application sent in June 2023 was refused after a mix-up over biometrics. The instruction letter received by the Department stated that study permit applicants could have them collected “upon arrival in Canada.” Her father understood that she could provide them when she came to join him to begin her studies.
“On the letter, they indicate that we can do this collection at the points of entry into Canada. So, with the email that was sent to us, all the codes, etc., we said to ourselves: ‘Here it is, she shows up at the airport and they collect the biometric data there,'” explains François Veys.
“Between what they ask and what is written, it doesn’t work,” he adds.
A second application made in November was also denied because the university’s acceptance letter was missing from the application.
As there was no box for this purpose in the online form, Mr. Veys was unable to attach the document. The same thing happened to the Quénéhervé family.
He made a third request in December. Once again, it was confusing. The Ministry advised him again that the university acceptance letter was missing, but this time, Mr. Veys had taken screenshots to show that the online form did not contain a box to attach the letter. However, there are boxes for all the other documents requested – Quebec acceptance certificate, passport, proof of sufficient financial resources, etc. – with the word “required” in parentheses.
The missing box was finally added a few weeks later after a request for reconsideration. The study permit application form was updated “to support the introduction of the new acceptance letter verification system” in effect since December to combat fraud, the Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship confirmed to The Press last winter.
The acceptance letter “has always been required as part of the study permit application,” he recalled. It previously had to be added in the box vaguely titled “Client Information,” which was unclear to some applicants.
Mr. Veys uploaded the old acceptance letter while waiting to hear whether the government would review his application again. An official told him on the phone that he didn’t know if the document was still valid, “but at least the file would remain open,” he said.
“Since the other applications were refused, I contested it,” he explains. “But I’m not going to re-register it every time I contest it. The second time I contested it too, but I didn’t get any response.”
He must pay $125 for each registration application and $150 for each study permit application.
He finally added the document in May after the ministry sent him instructions to upload it, but he has not heard anything since.
However, the Ministry had not yet requested verification of the university’s acceptance letter by Thursday when The Press asked about the case of Mr. Veys and his daughter. It was only sent the next day.
“The verification request was made on August 23 and the designated educational institution has 10 calendar days to complete it. The processing of the request will continue once the results are received,” responded the spokesperson for the Ministry, Rémi Larivière, early Friday evening. He did not indicate how many cases like that of the Veys were pending.
“They’ve been able to apply for this for three months, right?” Veys said. He still breathed a sigh of relief. Yeal’s return to the University of Montreal is scheduled for September 3. This time, she also applied for admission to Belgium to avoid losing another year.