License for International Students

Do I require a Study Permit to train at Centennial Flight Centre?

Latest updates on Attestation Letter and PGWP (Updated on March 11, 2024)

• As of Jan 22, 2024, new study permit applications require a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) from the province of Alberta in addition to the Letter of Acceptance.  Please refer to the Canada.ca International Student Website for details. 
• If you are a current student, your study permit validity and study permit extension application from inside Canada will not be affected by these changes.
• PGWP eligibility for students will not be affected by the policy change.

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 enroll in a short-term program of 6 months or less, such as Private Pilot License (PPL). For PPL, 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.

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.

WHAT TO EXPECT ON ARRIVAL TO CANADA

Centennial Flight Centre will be there to welcome you when you arrive in Canada.  Arrangements can be made to pick you up at the airport and transport you to your arranged accommodation.  Should you require hotel accommodations at the start of your journey, Centennial Flight Centre has arranged a discount at the Holiday Inn in St. Albert (only a 20 minute drive to the Villeneuve Airport).  Once in Canada, we will arrange a Discovery Flight with your new instructor, a tour of our facilities and an orientation session to your training.

At Centennial Flight Centre, we value and respect the unique cultural norms, values, and  communication styles our students bring.  We are committed to providing an environment that ensures your comfort and belonging at our school.  Centennial Flight Centre has many students from all over the world representing a wide range of cultures who are always willing to share their insight and tips on living in Canada to our newcomers.   We understand living in Canada will be new and unfamiliar to you.  Your experience and culture is unique to you.  We will be here to help answer all your questions or provide recommendations to organizations or individuals that can assist you if we don’t have the answers.

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, Centennial Flight Centre will issue you with an original Letter of Acceptance (LOA) 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;
• Obtaining a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) after receiving the LOA.
• 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 Centennial Flight Centre in your application by correspondence in the form of emails ([email protected]), WhatsApp (number available on request), or telephone (780-451-7676) if needed.  Office hours are 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday to Friday, excluding holidays.  

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 Alberta’s New Comer’s Guide to learn about details on Alberta’s health, education, government systems and many more.  Students in programs longer than 1 year in duration are able to apply for Alberta Health Care services.  Edmonton is the closest, large center to Centennial Flight Centre and details of their newcomer support services can be found at the Newcomer’s Guide to Edmonton.  Housing is accessible within a 20 minute drive of the training airport.  The Edmonton Immigrant Services Association is a one-stop shop to help new immigrant students find housing and other support when they arrive in Canada.

Please note: there is no public transportation to the Villeneuve Airport.  Students are encouraged to arrange for private transportation prior to arriving in Canada.  Many students purchase a vehicle or arrange to travel with other students.

In all cases, you will surely be supported by Centennial Flight Centre in your transition to the community in the form of emails ([email protected]), WhatsApp (number available on request), or telephone (780-451-7676) if needed.  Office hours are 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday to Friday, excluding holidays.  

Can International Students work in Canada?

During study period, full-time International Students can work 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 the Government of Canada website.