INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

Pro has a long history of training students from outside Canada

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International Students at Pro

The Professional Flight Centre has had a long history of training students from outside Canada. Approximately 50% of our business comes from abroad. International students are drawn to Canada for flight training due to the high standard of the Canadian ICAO Licenses as well as our stable and affordable dollar, making it one of the world’s safest and most inexpensive countries to receive superior aviation training.

International Student

Over the years, we have trained pilots from over 40 countries encompassing all four corners of the globe. We are well versed in the special needs that our out-of-country guests may need and we always go out of our way to make your stay a positive one in every way possible. There is inexpensive housing located short distances from our Boundary Bay facility .

International Student

We often find that when the training is complete and it is time to return home, many of our students find leaving difficult due to the life-long friendships developed, extraordinary experiences shared, and exceptional training received during their time training at Professional Flight Centre. Many of our former students are now flying for major airlines in their respective home countries and keep in touch with us as they progress in their careers. As far as we are concerned, they, like all of our students, will always be part of the extended family of “Pro”.

Do I require a Study Permit to train at PRO?

Under the Canadian immigration laws, you will be required to obtain a Student Authorization Visa from your local Canadian Consulate if the projected duration of your training is more than 6 months. You do not need to acquire a study permit if you are planning to enrol in a short-term program of 6 months or less, but rather you can enter Canada as a visitor. Citizens of some countries require a Visitor’s Visa to enter Canada while some do not. If you do not need one, you can enter based upon your valid passport.

Do I need to pay full program cost up front?

No, there is no need to prepay full program cost up front. Instead, you will pay as you go and be charged by “flight time”. We do have International Students depositing first year tuition in advance to help with Student Visa applications. Please see Tips for obtaining a Study Permit section below for more information.

People from the following countries do NOT need a Visitor’s Visa:

Citizens of Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Botswana, Brunei, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Israel (National Passport holders only), Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Portugal, Republic of Korea, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, San Marino, Scotland Singapore, Solomon Islands, Spain, Swaziland, Sweden, Slovenia, Switzerland, United States, and Western Samoa;

If you are planning on attending our Institution for over six months, you must make an application at your local Canadian Consulate for a Study Permit. This is not a problem; it simply takes a little more time to process. As long as all of the required paperwork is in order, you will likely be granted permission to enter Canada as a student and commence training at our school within 4-6 weeks.

Procedure to receive a Study Permit:

The following are the requirements from the Canadian Consulate to successfully process your Study Permit application. You will be required to produce the following:

If everything seems in order with respect to your application to train as a pilot with us, Professional Flight Centre will issue you with an original Letter of Acceptance authorizing you to train at our Institution upon request. This letter must be an original, either a physical or digital version. This letter requires a valid and subsisting passport indicating date of birth, date of issue, country of issue, passport number, and details of the course you intend to enroll in;
Proof that you have sufficient funds to pay for school fees and cover living expenses for your duration of stay in Canada;
Proof that you will be returning home upon course completion;
Pass a Medical Exam if needed, (if you are inbound from some countries, this will be an additional requirement).

The Canadian Consulate will review your application, conduct the required background checks, and possibly interview the candidate. If everything on the application is satisfactory, you will be granted the Study Permit to train in Canada for the duration that is specified on the Permit. If at a later date you require an extension of the Permit, it is normally not a problem if you have a valid reason and the extension is requested early enough for it to be granted.

For more information, please refer to the Citizen and Immigration Canada website. It is very comprehensive and will answer any further questions you may have about coming to Canada to train with us.

In all cases, you will surely be supported by Professional Flight Centre in your application by correspondence in the form of e-mails, fax, or telephone if needed.

Tips for obtaining a Study Permit:

Canadian Study Permit application process is a fairly transparent and straight-forward process. We wish your experience to be as smooth as possible. Below are the tips we gathers from years of experience to successfully obtaining a Study Permit. Please read it carefully. If you have questions, please contact us.

Allow for 1-3 months of Visa processing time.
If an interview is required, dress formally. First impressions can be crucial.
Know the program you are applying for, and how it fits your academic background and future career plans.
Submit the correct paperwork.
Submit proof that you have enough funds.
Offer embassy proof that you will return to home country upon course completion. Materials such as proof of property, bank deposits, strong family ties in home country, and news paper article on promises of jobs in home country will definitely help.
Our past experiences showed that submitting official school letter demonstrating amount of prepaid tuition gave greater chances of having Study Permits approved by Canadian Embassy. Note that if one applied Study Permit through Student Direct Stream Visa program, tuition fee prepayment will be required by the Visa office. Students usually deposited first year tuition in advance which is the cost of Private Pilot License. Professional Flight Centre always issued official letters to students indicating amount of prepaid tuition received. In case Study Permit still got rejected, prepaid tuition will be refunded through Wire Transfer in full, less any bank charges and $215 CAD administration fee.

How to Be An International Student Pilot in Canada

What’s it like to be an International Student in Canada? We recommend new students to go through BC’s New Comer’s Guide to learn about details on BC’s health, education, government systems and many more. This will prepare one’s arrival to BC and help one to adapt to the new environment quickly and smoothly.

Our former student (currently employed by commercial airline) Poul Go made the following video on how to be an international student pilot in Canada. Poul came from Philippine and finished his PPL, CPL, Multi-IFR, and Instructor Rating in Canada at Pro. He hopes this video can help out others who were also planning to learn flying in Canada. Feel free to check out other flight training videos on his YouTube Channel.

Can International Students work in Canada?

During study period, full-time International Students can work up to 20 hours per week while studying in Canada. If you complete your CPL flight training with our school under a student visa/permit, you are eligible to apply for work permit and work in Canada. Because according to Government of Canada, to be eligible for a Post-graduation work permit (PGWP), you must meet one of these requirements:

You’ve completed a flight training course at a Canadian training centre and now have a Canadian commercial pilot’s license, or
You have or you are in the process of getting an instructor’s rating, and you have a job offer to work as a flight instructor at a flight training centre.

More information can be obtained from Government of Canada website at here.