Canada Study Permit
Each year, close to 80,000 students come from abroad to study in Canada.
Most international students will require a Study Permit to study in Canada, however, there are some exceptions.
A Study Permit is not required in the following circumstances:
- For a course or program with a duration of six months or less;
- For a minor child already in Canada, whose parents have legal status in Canada, other than Visitor Status;
- For the family or staff of a foreign representative to Canada.
A Study Permit is a document issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada that allows a foreign individual to study in Canada for a limited time, generally at a specific Canadian educational institution and in a specific program.
Study in Canada: Visas, Work and Immigration for International Students
Canada has one of the best and most respected education systems in the world.
Every year, thousands of students from other countries pursue their educational
goals in Canada.
With new ways to gain valuable Canadian work experience during and after your
studies, the advantages of studying in Canada are great. There are also
permanent immigration options for international students who have graduated from
post-secondary programs in Canada.
For full information about your options, please visit the Citizenship and
Immigration Canada (CIC) website at
www.cic.gc.ca/study.
You will need a study permit
If you wish to take academic, professional or vocational training at a
university, college or other educational institution in Canada, you will need a
study permit before you enter Canada.
There are a few exceptions to this rule. For example, you do not need a permit
if you are enrolling in a short-term course or program of six months or less.
However, if you think you might study for more than six months, it is a good
idea to obtain a study permit before you arrive.
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Choose a Canadian school, college or university
Before you can apply for a study permit, you must be accepted at a Canadian
educational institution. In Canada, each province or territory manages its own
education system. Different provinces and territories have different options and
services for students. For more information on educational institutions in
Canada, see
www.cic.gc.ca/schools.
Note: Some private institutions, such as career colleges and
language schools, are not regulated by the government.
For more information on educational institutions in Canada, please refer to
www.educationau-incanada.ca.
Once you have chosen a place to study, you will need to apply for admission. If
the school admits you as a student, it will send you a letter of acceptance. You
need this letter in order to apply for a study permit.
Please note that if you apply to study in the province of Quebec, the
requirements are different. For more information, contact the school or see
www.immigration-quebec.gouv.qc.ca.
Apply for a study permit
You must apply for a study permit from outside Canada, at the visa office responsible for the country or region where you live.
Many visa offices have specific local instructions about which documents you
must submit with your application. Visit your visa office’s website to find out
what these are. There is a list of visa offices on the
CIC website at
www.cic.gc.ca/offices.
All the forms you will need, and guides to help you complete the forms, are
available for free on CIC’s website at www.cic.gc.ca/study. There is also a
document checklist to make sure you include everything you need with your
application.
You must include:
- your letter of acceptance;
- proof of your identity; and
- proof that you have sufficient funds for your stay in Canada.
Immigration representatives, consultants and lawyers
There are people who offer immigration advice or assistance to visa applicants.
They usually charge a fee for their services.
You do not need to hire an immigration representative in order to apply for a
study permit. Hiring one will not cause your application to get special
attention.
If you do hire a representative, choose carefully, and make sure you hire
someone who is authorized by the Government of Canada.
CIC will not deal
with anyone who is not authorized.
For more information, see the CIC website at www.cic.gc.ca/fraud.
Letter of acceptance
You must include the original letter of acceptance you received from the
educational institution you plan to attend. This is to prove that you have been
accepted.
You must ensure that all the necessary information is included in the letter.
You can find the requirements at
www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/pub/acclet-e.pdf.
Proof of funds
You must also include proof that you have sufficient funds for your stay in
Canada. This includes money for:
- tuition fees;
- living expenses for you and any family member coming to Canada with you; and
- return transportation for you and your family.
You will find a list of what will be accepted as proof of funds at www.cic.gc.ca/study.
For information about tuition fee estimates, cost of living in Canada’s provinces, study permits and scholarships in Canada, visit www.educationau-incanada.ca.
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Other information about study permits
You may be asked to provide additional documents. In most cases, you and any
family member coming to Canada with you will need a medical examination. You and
any family member who is 18 or over may also need a security check. The visa
office can assist you with these matters.
The visa office may ask to interview you as part of the process. If so, they
will tell you when and where the interview will take place.
If your application is approved, you will receive a letter of introduction
confirming the approval. This is not your study permit, but it is proof that
your application has been approved. You will need to bring this letter to Canada
with you in order to obtain your study permit upon entering.
Depending on your citizenship or where you live, you may also need a temporary
resident visa to enter Canada. To check the requirements for a visa, and to find
out how to apply, see
www.cic.gc.ca/visit.
Obtaining your study permit
When you arrive in Canada, you will be met by an officer from the Canada Border Services Agency.
You will need to show the officer:
- your letter of introduction from the visa office;
- your passport or other valid travel documents;
- the letter of acceptance from the school you will be attending;
- proof of funds documents; and
- your temporary resident visa, if required.
If you meet all the necessary conditions, the officer will give you a study
permit.
Note: Canada Border Services Agency officers make the final
decision on whether you will receive a study permit, based on Canadian law.
Renewing your study permit
You can apply to renew your study permit if you want to study longer. It is
important to apply well before your current permit expires to ensure your permit
remains valid. You will find the forms you need at
www.cic.gc.ca/study.
Work in Canada during and after your studies
You and your spouse or common-law partner can work while you study and after
graduation through a number of work permit programs for international students.
Working in Canada can provide a source of income while you study, give you
valuable work experience, help you make business contacts for the future, and
even allow you to immigrate after your graduation.
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Working while you study in Canada
You and your spouse or common-law partner may be eligible to work temporarily in
Canada while you study. You may also be able to gain Canadian work experience
after you graduate.
Working on campus
If you have a valid study permit, you may be able to work on the campus of the
institution you attend without a work permit. You can work for the institution
itself, or for a private business located on the campus.
To do this, you must be a full-time student at a public university, a community
college, a collège d’enseignement général et
professionnel (CEGEP), a publicly funded trade or technical school or a private institution authorized to
confer degrees.
Working off campus
To work off campus, you must have a work permit. Through the Off-Campus Work
Permit Program, you can work part-time during regular academic sessions
(20 hours per week) and full-time during scheduled breaks, such as winter and
summer holidays, and spring break. You can work in any occupation, and you can
change employers whenever you like.
To qualify for the program, you must have a valid study permit and be a
full-time student at a recognized post-secondary educational institution.
Recognized institutions generally include a public, post-secondary college or
university, a CEGEP in Quebec and degree-granting programs offered by private institutions.
For a list of participating institutions in the Off-Campus Work Permit Program,
visit www.cic.gc.ca/institutions.
Check with your institution to make sure the program that you choose is eligible.
Co-op and internship programs
If you are in a program with a work experience component, such as a co-op or
internship placement, you will need a work permit as well as a study permit.
To get a work permit, you must prove that the work experience is essential to
completing your program. Acceptable proof could include a letter from the school
you are attending or a copy of the school curriculum.
The work experience cannot be more than 50% of your total program of study.
Working after graduation
The Post-Graduation Work Permit Program allows you to gain valuable Canadian
work experience after you have completed your studies in Canada. This can help
you apply to become a permanent resident of Canada.
To qualify, you must have graduated from a public or private institution that
grants degrees recognized by the province or territory. These institutions may
include a university, college or CEGEP.
Work permits under this program are valid for the length of your study program,
up to a maximum of three years. For example, if you graduate from a four-year
degree program, you could be eligible for a three-year work permit. If you
graduate from an eight-month certificate program, you would be eligible for a
work permit that is valid for up to eight months.
You must apply for a post-graduation work permit within 90 days of receiving
written confirmation from your educational institution that you have met the
requirements for completing your academic program.
With this permit, you can work in any occupation and change employers anytime
you wish.
Work permits for spouses of students
If you are a full-time student at a recognized post-secondary institution, and
you have a valid work permit or study permit, your spouse or common-law partner
can apply for a permit to work in Canada. As long as they have a work permit,
they can work in any occupation and change jobs at any time.
These permits are valid for the same period of time as your study or work
permit.
How to apply
For more information about working during or after your studies in Canada, and
how to apply, visit www.cic.gc.ca/english/study/work.asp.
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Staying in Canada permanently
If you want to make Canada your permanent home, there are a number of ways to
apply. In most cases, you will not need to leave Canada.
Canadian Experience Class
The new Canadian Experience Class makes it easier and more convenient for
international students to apply for permanent resident status in Canada. If you
have graduated from a post-secondary program at an eligible institution in
Canada, and you have at least one year of work experience in Canada in a
managerial, professional, technical or trade occupation after graduation, you
may be eligible.
For more information, visit www.cic.gc.ca/cec.
The Federal Skilled Worker Program
If you have skills and experience that meet Canada’s labour market needs, you
may qualify for permanent resident status in Canada under the Federal Skilled
Worker Program.
The CIC website
has an interactive tool that will help you determine whether you meet the basic
requirements. By answering a few simple questions, this tool will tell you if
you may be eligible and what other options may be available to you. You can find
it at www.cic.gc.ca/cometocanada.
Please visit the CIC website at
www.cic.gc.ca/skilled to see
the current eligibility criteria.
Note: The province of Quebec is responsible for selecting its
own skilled workers. If you plan on living in Quebec, please visit
www.cic.gc.ca/quebec for more information.
Provincial Nominee Program
Most Canadian provinces and territories have agreements with the federal
government that allow them to nominate immigrants who have the skills to meet
their specific economic and labor market needs. One of the standard
requirements is that applicants must intend to settle in the province that
nominates them.
To qualify, you must apply to the province or territory where you wish to settle
and complete its provincial nomination process. Each province or territory has
its own requirements and application process.
If your application is accepted by the province or territory, you must apply
separately to CIC for permanent residence. A CIC officer will then assess your application based on Canadian immigration regulations.
For more information on the Provincial Nominee Program, including links to provincial and territorial government websites, visit www.cic.gc.ca/pnp.
Entering Canada — The basic requirements
Everyone must meet basic requirements to come to Canada. For example, you must
not pose a threat to the health, safety or security of Canada. any record of
criminal activity could prevent you from being allowed to come to Canada. you
also must not provide false information or fraudulent documentation, or withhold
information that could be related to your application.
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Citizenship and Immigration Canada will normally issue a Study Permit if an applicant has received an acceptance letter from a qualified Canadian educational institution, and possesses sufficient funds to pay for tuition and living costs. In some cases, Citizenship and Immigration Canada may require applicants to undergo
medical examinations and provide Police Clearance Certificates.
A Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) may also be required if the student is a citizen of a country from which Citizenship and Immigration Canada requires Temporary Resident Visas for entry into Canada. A Temporary Resident Visa is not required for citizens of visa exempt countries.
Applicants who wish to study in Montreal or another city in the Province of Quebec will also require approval from immigration authorities of the Government of Quebec.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada generally issues Study Permits that are valid for the duration of the intended course of studies. However, international students studying in Montreal or another city in the Province of Quebec must renew their status each year.
International Students are considered Visitors in Canada. They must satisfy a Citizenship and Immigration Canada Officer at the Port of Entry that the purpose of their entry into Canada is of a temporary nature.
Working in Canada as an International Student
Citizenship and Immigration Canada allows International Students to work in Canada in limited situations. Students are required to arrive in Canada with sufficient money to live and pay their bills while studying. However, in some cases, a student may be able to work in Canada during the course of study:
- On campus without a Work Permit;
- Off campus with a Work Permit;
- In Co-op and Internship Programs, where work experience is part of the curriculum, with a Work Permit.
In addition, spouses/common-law partners of international students are eligible to work in Canada while their partners study.
Upon graduation, international students are encouraged to obtain Canadian work experience. The
Post-Graduation Work Permit Program allows international graduates to obtain a three-year open work permit so that they can stay and contribute to the Canadian work force.
For more information, see our Study in Canada FAQ.
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