The study permit, issued by Immigration Canada, is a mandatory immigration document for all international students at ɬÀï·¬ enrolled in programs that are longer than 6 months in total. 

International students who fail to obtain a study permit before the start of their studies or do not apply to renew their study permit before their current one expires may be deregistered from ɬÀï·¬.

1. A study permit authorizes you to study in Canada and grants you your immigration status of a student in Canada.
2. In order to study in Quebec, you must:
   • Hold a valid study permit for the entire duration of your studies (if your study permit will expire before the end of your program, you must apply to renew it)
   • Meet the conditions of your study permit for the duration of your studies
3. Students who are studying in a program that is 6 months or less in total (e.g. one-term exchange students) do not need a study permit. 

See for a full list of individuals who are exempt from the study permit requirement.

Study Permit Conditions:

You must respect the during your studies. These conditions include:

• Being enrolled at a
• Actively pursuing your studies
• Applying to extend your study permit to change post-secondary schools
• Applying to extend your study permit, change your status, or leave Canada before your study permit expires.
• Respecting any limits you may have on your ability to work in Canada

Study Permit Validity: 

Your study permit will become invalid on the first date to occur of the following days:  

• your study permit expiry date, 
• the date that is 90 days after the day you receive proof of program completion from ɬÀï·¬ or
• the date that you are no longer enrolled at the university (besides due to the completion of your studies) – e.g., no longer enrolled due to being withdrawn or deregistered from ɬÀï·¬

Contact ISS right away if you are worried that you may be deregistered or withdrawn from ɬÀï·¬, or if you are thinking of taking time off from your studies.

Co-op/Internship Work Permit:

1. Students in a program of study with mandatory co-op or internship terms (e.g. Bachelor of Education, Bachelor of Nursing, some Bachelor of Engineering programs) must have a Co-op Work Permit (CWP) in order to participate in the mandatory work requirement (co-op, internship, field experience, practicum).
2. Submit an application for a CWP within your study permit application – you must include a co-op support letter from your department.
3. See How to Apply, Required Documents, and the Co-op/Internship Work Permit webpage for more information.

When to Apply

Incoming PhD students (and their accompanying family members) applying for a study permit from outside of Canada may be eligible for 14 day processing of their application(s). Review the for more information.

1. You can apply for a study permit after your CAQ application has been approved.
2.  vary depending on where you are applying from.
3. A study permit is normally issued with an expiration date that matches the expiration date on your CAQ or the expiration date on your passport – whichever date comes first.
4. Since your study permit cannot be issued beyond the expiration of your passport, try to apply for your study permit with a passport that will be valid for the entire duration of your program.
5. Some students may not have time to renew their passport before their first study permit application.
   • If you obtain a study permit that will expire before the end of your studies, you will need to renew your passport at a later date and then apply to renew your study permit from inside Canada before it expires.

Related Content: