Some Express Entry profile questions ask whether you completed at least 50% of your Canadian study program through in-person learning — this matters for candidates whose entire program was delivered online.
- Know that this question has been genuinely ambiguous. At the time of this thread, IRCC had not clearly clarified how to answer it for students who studied online while physically living in Canada, as opposed to fully remote/overseas online study.
- The key distinguishing factor community members pointed to is physical presence, not delivery format. If you were physically in Canada during your study period — even though your classes were held online as an alternative to in-person classroom instruction — that combination is generally understood not to be treated the same as studying online from outside Canada.
- Answer based on your actual circumstances and be prepared to explain them. If your classes were 100% online but you lived in Canada throughout the program, note that distinction; if you were studying online from outside Canada, expect that to be treated differently.
- Check for updated IRCC guidance before submitting, since program-delivery rules and their treatment in CRS/eligibility calculations have been revised multiple times post-pandemic and may have since been clarified.
This reflects community understanding at the time, not confirmed IRCC policy — verify the current definition on IRCC's website or with an immigration consultant before answering.