The study permit in Canada

A study permit is a document issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) allowing an international student to study at a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) in Canada.

Once an international student receives a letter of acceptance from a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) such as a university or college, they must also obtain a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) to submit to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) with their study permit application.

Read more about the pathway fromstudying and working to immigrating to Canada.

Overview

Applicants for a Canadian study permit may include family members in their application so that they can accompany the applicant to Canada. An accompanying spouse or common-law partner may apply for an open work permit, allowing them to work for any Canadian employer, and minor children may attend Canadian primary and secondary schools. Read more athere.

Most international students need a study permit. Applicants do not need one if their programme in Canada lasts six months or less. In addition, minor children and certain other individuals may be exempt from the Canadian study permit requirement. Read more aboutstudying in Canada without a study permit.

How to obtain a study permit in Canada

It is important that applicants apply for a study permit as soon as they receive their letter of acceptance. Study permit processing times vary, and applicants may face delays during busy periods, particularly over the summer months.

To be eligible to apply for a Canadian study permit, a prospective student must:

• Have received aLetter of Acceptance (LOA) from aDesignated Learning Institution (DLI) in order to apply for a study permit.
• Have received aA Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) from the province or territory in which the DLI is located (unless the student meets an exemption from the PAL requirement).
• Prove that they have sufficient financial support to cover their first-year tuition fees, along with living costs and the cost of return travel to their home country.
• Have received aQuebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) if they wish to study in Montreal or elsewhere in the province of Quebec.
• Have a clean record. Applicants with a criminal record, or who pose a risk to Canadian security, may be refused.Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) may require applicants to provide a police clearance certificate.
• Be in good health. IRCC may require applicants to complete a medical examination.
• Satisfy an immigration officer that they will leave Canada at the end of the stay authorised by the study permit.

Applicants may also be asked to provide the following supporting documents:

• The passport of the applicant and of each family member included in the application.
• Two passport photographs of the applicant and of each family member included in the application, with the full name and date of birth written on the back.
• A copy of the marriage certificate (if applicable).
• Any other document required by the specific visa office.

The Student Direct Stream (SDS)

Study permit applications submitted after that time must go through the standard study permit process set out above.

Before the stream closed, applicants could apply for faster processing through the Student Direct Stream (SDS) if they lived in one of the following countries:

• India
• China
• Philippines
• Pakistan
• Vietnam
• Morocco
• Senegal
• Brazil
• Colombia
• Peru
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Costa Rica
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

IRCC’s processing standard for most SDS applications was 20 calendar days. Applications had to be submitted online.

Nationals of these countries had to be residing in that country to be eligible for the SDS (they could not be residing in another country if they wished to apply for a study permit through the SDS).

To be eligible for the SDS, applicants had to meet the following requirements:

• Be a legal resident living in one of the following countries: India, China, the Philippines, Pakistan, Vietnam, Morocco, Senegal, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Antigua and Barbuda, Costa Rica, Trinidad and Tobago or Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
• Hold a letter of acceptance from a Canadian Designated Learning Institution.
• Hold an attestation letter from the province or territory in which the Designated Learning Institution (DLI) is located.
• Be living outside Canada when applying for the study permit.
• Provide proof that they had paid the tuition fees for their first year of study in Canada.
• Provide proof that they could cover their travel costs.
• Hold a Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) worth CAD $20,635 with a participating Canadian bank.
• Have received a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) if they intended to study in Quebec.
• Have completed a medical examination before applying (if required to do so).
• Have obtained a police clearance certificate before applying (if required to do so).
• Hold their most recent school transcripts (secondary and post-secondary).
• Have achieved the following minimum language test results:
  • A minimum score of 6.0 in each skill on IELTS Academic or General Training (reading, writing, speaking and listening).
  • A TEF score equivalent to a minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 in each skill (reading, writing, speaking and listening).
  • CELPIP General (minimum CLB 7).
  • CAEL (minimum score of 60).
  • Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic (minimum score of 60).
  • Educational Testing Service (ETS) TOEFL iBT Test (minimum score of 83).

Proof of funds

Applicants for a Canadian study permit must show that they have enough money to cover their first-year tuition fees. They must also have the funds to support themselves and any accompanying family members for each year.

Funds may be demonstrated with the following:

• A Canadian bank account statement in the applicant’s name, if the money has been transferred to Canada.
• A Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) from a participating financial institution.
• Proof of a student or education loan from a financial institution.
• The applicant’s bank statements for the past four months;
• A bank draft in a convertible currency.
• Proof of payment of tuition and accommodation fees.
• A letter from the person or institution providing the applicant with money.
• Proof of a scholarship or funding paid from within Canada.

The applicant’s family or friends may also submit a letter confirming that they will support the applicant during their studies.

The table below shows the amounts a student is required to have (all amounts in Canadian dollars):

In Quebec, the financial requirements for prospective students differ. In addition to tuition fees, a prospective international student must show that they hold the following funds, depending on their circumstances.

What international students must do once the study permit is approved

If the application is approved, the prospective student will receive:

• A Letter of Introduction (LOI) confirming the approval. This letter is not a study permit. The prospective student must present the Letter of Introduction to an immigration officer on arrival in Canada. The officer may then issue the study permit.
• An Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) if they come from a country whose nationals require an eTA. In such cases, the eTA is noted on the Letter of Introduction.
  • Because the eTA is linked to the applicant’s passport, the applicant must travel with the passport used in the study permit application.
• A Temporary Resident Visa (TRV), if they come from a country whose nationals require a TRV.
  • The TRV is placed in the passport. The holder must enter Canada before the expiry date shown on the TRV.
  • The TRV also states whether the holder may enter Canada once only (a single-entry visa) or several times (a multiple-entry visa). All applicants are automatically considered for a multiple-entry TRV.
  • Applicants for a study permit do not need to submit a separate TRV application. If the application is approved, the TRV is issued together with the Letter of Introduction.

Extending a study permit

After receiving a study permit, a student may need to extend or change it during their studies in Canada. Read more aboutextending your stay or changing the conditions of a study permit.

If a student at a post-secondary institution wishes to change institution, programme or level of study, they do not need to apply for a new study permit. They are, however, required to update Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) when they change institution

For example, a student may move from a bachelor’s to a master’s level, from Geography to Philosophy, or from a college to a university, without applying for a new study permit. Nor do they need to apply to change the conditions of their study permit. The student may continue to study in Canada for as long as the study permit remains valid.

An international student moving from primary to secondary school, however, or from secondary school to a post-secondary institution, must apply to change the conditions of their study permit.

Options after graduation

A study permit expires 90 days after graduation, regardless of the date shown on the permit. It is vital that international graduates update their status with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) within 90 days of graduating, or they risk losing their status in Canada.

Many graduates are eligible to apply for aPost-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). A Post-Graduation Work Permit allows the holder to work for any employer anywhere in Canada for up to three years after graduation. Work experience gained on a Post-Graduation Work Permit can support an application for Canadian permanent residence, particularly through programmes such as theThe Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and certain streams of theProvincial Nominee Program (PNP).

Applicants can read more about their options after completing their studies athere.

If an international graduate does not apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit, they can take the following steps to maintain legal status in Canada:

• Apply to change their status to visitor.
• Obtain another work permit if they are eligible (for example, an employer-specific work permit).
• Apply for another study permit to pursue a further programme. A graduate may, for instance, wish to go on to a master’s programme after completing a bachelor’s degree.
• Leave Canada.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ) about the Canadian study permit