Study Permit Extension & PGWP

What is a study permit?

The study permit is a document we issue that allows foreign nationals to study at designated learning institutions (DLIs) in Canada. Most foreign nationals need a study permit to study in Canada. Make sure you have all the documents you need before you apply. You should apply before you travel to Canada.

Your study permit is not a visa.
It doesn’t let you enter Canada. You may also need a visitor visa or an electronic travel authorization (eTA). If we approve your study permit, we’ll issue one to you with your study permit.

Get your study permit faster through the Student Direct Stream

If you’re a legal resident in certain countries, you may be able to get your study permit faster by applying online through the Student Direct Stream

Study permit: Who can apply

Eligibility requirements

You can come to Canada to study if you

• are enrolled at a DLI
• prove you have enough money to pay for
  • your tuition fees
  • living expenses for yourself and any family members who come with you to Canada and
  • return transportation for yourself and any family members who come with you to Canada
• obey the law, have no criminal record and get a police certificate (if required)
• are in good health and get a medical exam (if required) and
• prove to an officer that you will leave Canada when your study permit expires

Get your study permit faster through the Student Direct Stream

If you’re a legal resident in certain countries, you may be able to get your study permit faster by applying online through the Student Direct Stream.

Your responsibilities

While studying in Canada you must

• make progress towards completing your program
• respect any conditions listed on your study permit
• stop studying if you no longer meet the requirements

Depending on your case, there may be conditions on your study permit such as

• if you’re allowed to work in Canada
• if you’re allowed to travel within Canada
• the specific date you must leave Canada
• where you can study (a specific DLI listed on your permit)
• You must change your DLI in your IRCC secure account before you can study at a different DLI.
• whether you need an immigration medical examination

Who doesn’t need a permit to study in Canada

Why get a study permit if you don’t need one?

There are 2 reasons you may want to get a study permit even if you don’t need one:

1. Continue studying
2. Work on- or off-campus

Study permit: Get the right documents

You need these documents to apply for a study permit:

• proof of acceptance
• proof of identity
• proof of financial support

You may also need

• a letter of explanation
• an attestation of issuance of your Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ)
• a medical exam
• a custodian declaration (minors only), or
• other documents
  • if we request documents from you for an application in progress

Proof of acceptance

Your school must send you a letter of acceptance. Include the original or electronic copy of your letter with your study permit application.

Conditional acceptance and prerequisite courses

If you’ve been conditionally accepted, you need to take prerequisite courses. For example, these might be English as a second language or French as a second language courses. You must complete these before you can start your main study program.

If this is the case, we’ll only issue your study permit for the length of those courses plus 1 year. Once you’re accepted into your main program, you’ll need to apply for a new student permit to extend your stay as a student.

Exceptions

If you’re the family member of someone who has a study permit or work permit application that’s been approved in writing before you come to Canada, you don’t need a letter of acceptance.

Proof of identity

When applying for your study permit, you and each family member who comes with you to Canada must have

• a valid passport or travel document
  • Online applicants: Upload a copy of the information page of your passport when you apply online.
  • If you’re approved, you must send us your original passport.
  • Citizens of the United States have some options on the identification documents they can carry.
  • Lawful permanent residents of the United States must travel with a valid green card (or equivalent official proof of status in the U.S.) and a valid passport from their country of nationality (or an equivalent document).
  • two recent passport-size photos
    • The name and date of birth of the person should be written on the back of each
      photo.

Proof of financial support

You must prove that you can support yourself and the family members who come with you while you are in Canada.

You can prove your funds with

• proof of a Canadian bank account in your name, if you’ve transferred money to Canada
• a Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) from a participating Canadian financial institution
• proof of a student or education loan from a bank
• your bank statements for the past 4 months
• a bank draft that can be converted to Canadian dollars
• proof you paid tuition and housing fees
• a letter from the person or school giving you money, or
• proof of funding paid from within Canada, if you have a scholarship or are in a Canadian-funded ducational program

Minimum funds needed to support yourself as a student (and family members who come with you)

Outside Quebec

Persons coming to Canada	Amount of funds required per year (not including tuition)	Amount of funds required per month (not including tuition)
You (the student)	CAN$10,000	CAN$833
First family member	CAN$4,000	CAN$333
Every additional accompanying family member	CAN$3,000	CAN$255

Example
If you and 2 family members want to come to a province (other than Quebec) for a year, you will need

• living expenses: $10,000 (for the student)
• living expenses: $4,000 (for the first family member)
• living expenses: $3,000 (for the second family member) Total: $17,000

In Quebec

Persons coming to Canada	Amount of funds required per year (not including tuition)	Amount of funds required per month (not including tuition)
1 person under the age of 18	CAN$6,569	CAN$547
1 person aged 18 or over	CAN$13,134	CAN$1,095
2 people aged 18 or over	CAN$19,264	CAN$1,605
2 people aged 18 or over and 1 person under the age of 18	CAN$21,579	CAN$1,798
2 people aged 18 or over and 2 people under the age of 18	CAN$23,290	CAN$1,941
If your country uses foreign-exchange controls, you must prove that you’ll be allowed to export funds for all of your expenses.

Letter of explanation

This letter helps the visa officer to understand you and your goals. It explains

• why you want to study in Canada
• that you understand your responsibilities as a student

You should include this letter if you decide to apply for a study permit, even if you don’t have to get a study permit for your program.

Quebec Acceptance Certificate

If you want to study in Quebec for longer than 6 months, you need an attestation of issuance of your Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) issued by the Government of Quebec. Your school can tell you how to apply for the CAQ.

Find out about the process and the documents you need for studying in Quebec.

If you plan to study in Quebec for less than 6 months, you can apply for a study permit without a CAQ.

Medical exam

You may need a medical exam if any of these situations apply to you:

• You plan to stay in Canada for more than 6 months.
• You recently spent time in certain countries.
• You plan to work in certain jobs where public health must be protected.

Custodian declaration (minor children)

If the minor requires a custodian, you must include the Custodianship Declaration form (PDF, 1.02 MB) with your application. It has 2 pages that must be notarized (certified by a notary) and then included with your study permit application.

The custodian in Canada must sign the first page, and the parents or legal guardians of the minor child in the child’s home country must sign the second page.

Other documents

If you aren’t currently in your home country, you may have to prove your immigration status in the country you apply from.

If the government that issued your passport or travel document needs you to have a re-entry permit, you must get one before you apply for a Canadian visa. You may also need other documents.

If we request documents from you for an application in progress

• We’ll contact you to request the supporting documents.
  • This will happen in the next few months.
  • You’ll have 30 days from the date we contact you to submit the information.
• Start collecting your documents.
  • Do this before we contact you. It can take time to get certain documents.
  • Check the last email we sent you to confirm what you need to submit.
• Don’t travel to another city or country to get the supporting documents.
• We’ll consider extending your deadline if you have a reasonable explanation that shows you’re affected by COVID-19.

Features

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Study permit: How to apply

Generally, you must apply for a study permit before you come to Canada. Some people can apply for a study permit from within Canada. In some cases, you can apply when you arrive in Canada at the port of entry. Make sure you understand which option is available to you.

Get your documents ready

When you apply, you should submit

• a letter of acceptance from the designated learning institution (DLI) you’ll be attending
• as many of the documents needed for a complete application as possible
  • We won’t be able to finalize your study permit until you’ve submitted a complete application.
  • Waiting to submit documents will cause delays in processing.
• a letter of explanation for any documents that are missing due to COVID-19

If you plan to study in Quebec, you must provide a valid attestation of issuance of your Quebec
Acceptance Certificate (CAQ).

Apply online

If you’re applying for a study permit, you must apply online, whether you’re outside of Canada or
already in Canada.

You’re only eligible to apply on paper if you

• have a disability that prevents you from applying online
• hold an identity or travel document for non-national residents, refugees or stateless persons

Study permit: After you apply

1. Your fingerprints and photo (biometrics)
Book your biometrics collection appointment as soon as you can to avoid processing delays. Find out how to give biometrics.

2. We process your study permit application
We’ll check your application to make sure you have all the necessary documents. If it’s incomplete, we
may return your application without processing it, or reque st the missing documents.

We may also ask you to:

• go to an interview with our officials in your country, or
• send us more information

You may also need to get a:

• medical exam (if required), or
• police certificate (if required)

Missing documents

If you weren’t able to submit all the required documents with your application, you can submit the missing documents through your online account or our web form.

We won’t process your study permit until you’ve submitted a complete application. Waiting to submit documents will cause delays in processing.

Updating your application

If you move or change your address, telephone number or any other contact information after you apply, you must update your application.

There’s a new way to check your application status

Use the application status tracker(opens in a new tab) to get updates about your application. To create an account you need your

• unique client identifier (UCI)
• application number

If we approve your application

You’ll get your study permit

• at the port of entry when you arrive in Canada or
• mailed to you, if you’re already in Canada

If you applied for your study permit from outside Canada

We’ll send you a port of entry letter of introduction that says you’re allowed to study in Canada. This letter is not your study permit.

You need to bring this letter with you and show it to a border services officer when you arrive in Canada.
We’ll also send you an electronic travel authorization (eTA) or a visitor visa (temporary resident visa) to enter Canada, if you need one.

If you’re from a country where you need an eTA, the letter of introduction will include information about your eTA. Your eTA will be linked to your passport and is valid for 5 years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. It’s important that you travel with the passport you used when you applied for your study permit.

If you’re from a country where you need a visitor visa, the visa will be in your passport. It’ll show if you can enter Canada once or multiple times. You must enter Canada before your visa expires.

If you’re a lawful permanent resident of the United States, travel with a valid green card (or equivalent official proof of status in the U.S.) and a valid passport from your country of nationality (or an equivalent document).

If you applied for your study permit from inside Canada

• If you were eligible to apply from inside Canada
• If you followed the instructions to apply for a study permit from outside Canada

If we refuse your application

We’ll send you a letter explaining why.

We may refuse your application if you didn’t

• show proof that you have enough money to support yourself while studying in Canada
• pass your medical exam, if you needed to get one
• convince the visa officer that your main purpose in Canada is to study or
• convince the visa officer that you’ll leave Canada at the end of your study period

If you have questions about why you were refused, contact the visa office that sent you the refusal letter.

Study permit: Prepare for arrival

Before you come to Canada
Before you arrive, read the pre-departure guide for tips and information about student life in Canada.

To help ensure a smooth arrival in Canada, please check the Canadian Border Service Agency’s information for international students, and download their PDF pamphlet (PDF, 592 KB).

How early can you arrive in Canada before you start studying
There is no set time frame for you to arrive in Canada before you begin your studies. You should just arrive to give yourself a reasonable amount of time to prepare before you start studying.

You are not allowed to work on or off campus until you begin your studies in Canada.

Changing your designated learning institution if you’re outside Canada
If your application for a study permit has been approved and you change your designated learning institution, you must submit a new study permit application with a new letter of acceptance. You must also pay all the fees for the new application.

When you arrive in Canada
When you arrive in Canada, you’ll meet a border services officer who will make sure you meet some basic requirements. To enter Canada, you must

• have a valid travel document, such as a passport
• have the port of entry letter of introduction the visa office sent you when they approved your study permit
  • This letter has your permit reference number, which we use to issue your study permit.
• have a copy of a valid letter of acceptance from your school
• have letters of reference or any other documents the visa office told you to bring
• have a valid electronic travel authorization (eTA), a valid visitor visa (temporary resident visa), a valid green card (or equivalent official proof of U.S. status) or another valid travel document
  • If you have a valid eTA, it’ll be linked to the passport you used to apply for your study permit.
• have enough money for your stay (the amount you will need can vary—it depends on things such as how long you will stay, and whether you will stay in a hotel, or with friends or relatives)
• be in good health
• have no criminal or immigration-related convictions
• convince an immigration officer that
  • you have ties—such as a job, home, financial assets or family—that will take you back to
    your home country
  • you will leave Canada at the end of your visit
• have valid immigration medical exam results (if you needed one)
  • Your exam is valid for 12 months from the day you get it.
  • It must be valid the day you enter Canada.
  • If your exam will expire before you enter Canada, you need to get another medical exam.
    • This applies even if your letter of introduction is still valid.
• prove that you’ll leave Canada at the end of your stay

If you need proof you entered Canada

Your school or training facility may need you to prove you entered Canada. If you need proof of entry, make sure a border services officer stamps your passport before you leave Canadian customs. You may also be able to use a Primary Inspection Kiosk to stamp your passport.

Inadmissibility

Some people are inadmissible—they’re not allowed to come to Canada. Several things can make you inadmissible, including involvement in criminal activity, in human rights violations or in organized crime.

You can also be inadmissible for security, health or financial reasons.

Study permit: While you study

While you’re studying in Canada as an international student, you must meet the conditions of your study permit and keep your profile information updated in your online account. If your study program is ending soon, you also need to know how long you can stay in Canada and what to do if you plan to stay longer.

On this page

• Updating your profile information
  • Changing schools
  • Updating your contact information or documents
• Changing the conditions of your study permit
• How long your study permit is valid
  • If you’re taking prerequisite courses
  • If your study permit will expire before you finish your studies
  • If you’ll finish your studies before your study permit expires
• Staying in Canada after you graduate

Updating your profile information

If information in your profile changes, you must update it in your online account.

You may need to update your profile if you

• change schools
• need to update documents or your contact information

Changing schools

Before you change your school or program, you must meet all the conditions of your study permit. This
means you must be

• enrolled at a designated learning institution (DLI) and
• actively studying while you’re in Canada

You need to update your online account or contact us if you

• are a post-secondary student changing schools or
• have a co-op work permit and have changed post-secondary schools to another co-op program

Updating your contact information or documents

Contact information
You must keep the contact information on your study permit up to date. If your contact information
changes, use our web form to update it.

Medical exams

If you plan to leave Canada while you’re studying, you’ll need a new immigration medical exam (IME) to return if

• you’re from a country that requires a valid IME to enter Canada and
• your IME has expired or will expire while you’re outside of Canada

Find out if you need an IME to return to Canada as an international student.

Changing the conditions of your study permit

If you want to change a condition on your study permit, you must apply.

Find more information about your study permit conditions.

How long your study permit is valid

A study permit is usually valid for the length of your study program, plus an extra 90 days. The 90 days
let you either

• prepare to leave Canada or
• apply to extend your stay

The amount of time you can stay in Canada after you’ve completed your studies depends on whether

• you’re taking prerequisite courses
• your study permit will expire before you finish your studies
• you’ll finish your studies before your study permit expires

If you’re taking prerequisite courses

If your school asks you to take courses before they accept you into the main program (you have conditional acceptance), your study permit will be valid for the length of those courses plus 1 year.

When you get accepted into the main program, you must apply to extend your stay as a student.

If your study permit will expire before you finish your studies

If your study permit will expire before you finish your courses, you must apply to extend your stay as a
student.

If you don’t, you’ll need to stop studying and leave Canada.

If you’ll finish your studies before your study permit expires

If you finish your studies early, your study permit will stop being valid 90 days after you complete your studies, no matter what day is printed on the study permit.

Your studies are officially completed on the date your school first notifies you by any of the following:

• completion letter
• transcript
• degree or diploma

You must provide proof of the date your school notifies you or the date you get your degree, diploma or
certificate. If you don’t have proof, we’ll use the earliest issue date on the document. We may confirm
this date with your school.

Staying in Canada after you graduate

You may be able to work temporarily or live permanently in Canada after you graduate.