Every year, over 130,000 students come to Canada to study. In order to do so, they must obtain a study permit issued by the Canadian government. This permit, which is a type of Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) allows students to study in Canada for a temporary period of time, and typically indicates the educational institution they are attending and course of study. To qualify, an applicant must fit a certain set of requirements.

In order to qualify for a study permit, you must:

• Satisfy an officer that you will leave Canada at the end of your studies
• Have a letter of acceptance from an educational institution
• Prove that you have money for the duration of your stay in Canada to pay for tuition fees, and living expenses for yourself and accompanying family members.
• Be law-abiding and have no record of criminal activity
• Not be a risk to the security of Canada
• Be in good health (complete a medical examination, if required)

Note: You may need to produce any additional documents requested by the officer to establish your admissibility.

There are several eligibility requirements for those looking to immigrate to Canada for study. The following are requirements for study permits in Canada:

• You must be enrolled at a Designated Learning Institution (DLI).
• You must prove you have enough money for: tution fees, living expenses, and return transportation.
• You must obey the law, have no criminal record, and get a police certificate (if required).
• You must be in good health and get a medical exam (if required).
• You must prove to an officer that you will leave Canada when your study permit expires.

Generally you can stay in Canada for the duration of your study permit. Look at your permit and it will tell you when it expires. In some cases, you can apply for an extension.

To get a Canadian study permit, you must first apply to a designated learning institute. Once accepted, you may proceed to apply for a study permit. Along with the application itself, you will be required to submit certain documentation, as well as meet all requirements set by the Canadian government.

Yes, but only under limited circumstances such as when:

• Your employment is on-campus;
• The international student is the recipient of a scholarship;
• The work has been certified as being an integral part of the program of study;
• The work consists of academic research or a post-doctoral fellowship;
• The work takes place after graduation in a field related to the program of study.

Spouses of international students are eligible to work temporarily in Canada.

There are other ways to work while on a study permit depending on where you study in Canada.

No. You do not require a Study Permit when:

• You take a French or English language training course that is no more than three months in duration; or
• You are the spouse or dependent child; a diplomatic or consular officer; a representative of a foreign country; or a representative of the United Nations or any other intergovernmental organization of which Canada is a member.

Yes you can. You will need to file Form IMM 1249. This immigration visa form is used by individuals who want to file for an extension of their study permit in Canada. Individuals submit form IMM 1249 to change conditions or to extend their stay in Canada as students. This application is for temporary residents who reside currently reside in Canada as students.

Note: Individuals holding valid current temporary resident status can apply for an extension of their stay, provided they apply at least 30 days before the expiry date of their current status.

An applicant can be refused for a number of reasons. He or she may lack proof of sufficient funds, or proof that they will stay for only a temporary basis. If this happens, it is important to take a close look at the application to understand what went wrong. From here, an individual may be able to reapply and oftentimes have success the second time around if all issues are fixed.

If you are interested in studying in Canada, you will first need a letter of acceptance from an educational institution, meaning you will need to apply to the university directly. Canada offers great opportunity for higher learning at a number of institutions. Here we have highlighted some options to serve as a starting point in deciding where to apply.

Many international students in Canada finish their studies with the hopes of obtaining work and remaining in Canada permanently. In certain Express Entry categories, students may be eligible for permanent residence without any work experience. Often though, students will apply for work and then a work visa to stay temporarily. After having gained academic and work experience in Canada, they may have more options to apply for Canadian permanent residency.

Those foreign nationals from a specific list of countries have the ability to apply for the Student Direct Stream (SDS) which is ultimately for faster, more efficient study permit processing.

The Post-Graduate Work Permit Program gives international student graduates there opportunity to work in Canada up to 3 years after their studies. Due to Coronavirus this temporary policy was announced that graduates are able to apply for the PGWP even with online courses.

Canadian Study Permit Processing Times depend mostly on the applicant’s country of residence. Typically a Canadian study permit can be processed between 1-16 weeks. Visit our page on Canada Visa Processing Times for 2021 to learn more.