Low grades can be a reason for IRCC to deny a Canadian study pass application: Federal Court

Reason for IRCC to deny a Canadian study pass application: The Federal Court has decided that it is reasonable for an Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) visa officer to turn down an application for a study permit if the applicant has low grades from a previous program of study in “core courses” or “core subjects” that are related to the program they want to study in Canada.

In Barot vs. Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), the applicant was an Indian national who was 23 years old. A visa officer at the IRCC denied his request for a study pass, so he asked the court to review that decision.

The candidate went to the University of Mumbai and got a Bachelor’s in Management Studies in 2020. In 2021, the candidate asked for a study permit so that he or she could go to Canadore College and get a post-graduate certificate in entrepreneurship management.

The applicant sent in a letter of acceptance from Canadore College, his transcripts, and a letter of support from his present employer along with his application.

Even though Canadore College accepted the applicant, the visa officer rejected his application for a study permit because he did not show that he had the academic skills needed to finish his studies in Canada. The applicant’s papers showed that he or she got low average grades, especially in core subjects. The officer came to the conclusion that the applicant was not a real student and that the program of study chosen was not a good choice.

The Court also said that the visa officer did not have to explain why they thought someone’s grades were too low, even though a post-secondary school in Canada had accepted the student.

Because of this case, it’s clear that visa officers have a lot of freedom to turn down applications. Also, if you have lower grades, you should try to put people’s minds at ease and explain how those grades will affect (or not affect) your ability to finish your suggested studies.