No, student can now complete 100% of the program online either in Canada or from their home countries and it will not affect their PGWP application.
If you are inside Canada and your study permit has expired, you have lost your status. You cannot study or work until you have restored your status. If your status expired on or after January 30, 2020, you now have until August 31, 2021 to submit your application instead of the normal 90 days.
You must apply online to extend your stay in Canada. If you’re a student, you have 3 options:
- If you want to continue studying, you may be able to extend your study permit if you’re eligible. If you are a current active student you should be providing proof of enrolment as opposed to letter of acceptance for study permit extension application, and the proof of enrolment should show your enrolment for the next academic session.
- If you’re no longer studying and not applying for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP), you can apply to change your status to visitor, as long as your study permit has not expired.
- If you completed your program of study, you may be eligible to apply for a PGWP.
College education can be a first step to immigrating to Canada, and the Canadian and the Canadian government has established some programs to make it easier to do this. The Post-Graduation Work Permit allows graduates to work for up to three years (depending on your length of study). Many graduates also apply to individual provinces under the Provincial Nominee programs; if the province nominates you, this can assist your federal (Canadian) application for Permanent Residence.
All Institutions require guard.me for primary health care (doctor/hospital) and Student VIP for extended health care (dental/vision/prescriptions). The Institutions will invoice students for these premiums and send the funds to the insurance company on student’s behalf. This cost will be payable before the first day of college.
Each Institution has a Students’ Association, which plans activities for all students, and international students are encouraged to take part in these activities. There is an international representative for the Students’ Association. Staff also coordinate events to which all students are welcomed.
According to the IRCC, Canada will allow you to begin your studies remotely without an approved study permit. We highly recommend that you begin the process of applying for a study permit even if you do not have all the required documents to complete your application. Please forward missing documents via webform.
Your application will not be refused for missing documentation. Applying early will increase your chances of obtaining a decision on your study permit application before beginning your studies in September.
If you are not a citizen of the country where you submit your application, you may have to provide proof of your present immigration status in the country where you apply.
A study permit application should be complete when submitted. A visa officer may make a decision based on the documents submitted with the initial application without giving the applicant a chance to submit the missing document.
An applicant may need a criminal record check if he or she intends to come to Canada as a student. If required, he or she will have to obtain a police certificate from each country or territory where he or she has lived for six or more months consecutively since the age of 18. Police certificates are required to determine if applicants have a criminal record. They also help visa officers make sure applicants are not a security risk to Canada.
Yes, official English translations must accompany any document in a language other than English.
We suggest two options:
- You can consider an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) program. There could be a gap of a number of months between finishing the EAP program and the start of the college program. Also, you may require more than one 14-week session of EAP classes to achieve the English proficiency level required for the college program.
- Pathway partner English schools. Most Institutions have partnerships with English language schools. If you apply to a college program with proof of registration in the pathway program at a partner school, there will be a condition on your Letter of Acceptance. The condition would be to complete the partner school’s program with a result that meets their requirement. Our recommendation is to write the IELTS Academic exam.
Study permit applicants need to prove they have sufficient funds to cover tuition fees, and the financial means to support living expenses for the first year of study. This following shows minimum funds required to support yourself as a student and family members who come with you to Canada:
| Number of people | All provinces except Quebec |
| Single student | Tuition plus $10,000 for a 12-month period (or $833 per month) |
| For one accompanying family member add: | $4,000 for a 12-month period (or $333 per month) |
| For each additional family member, add: | $3,000 for a 12-month period per dependent child of any age (or $255 per month) |
Turion fees vary depending on the Institution. The Institution will provide us with this information at the time of initial application.
The first step is to get admission to a Canadian Designated Learning Institution (DLI) recognized by the government of Canada. Once an individual receives a letter of acceptance from a DLI, he or she may be able to apply for a study permit. Applications may be made online or by mail.
All new study permits are issued at a Canadian port of entry. An applicant who has submitted an application to a foreign Canadian Visa Office will be issued a letter of approval advising him or her to travel to a Canadian port of entry to have the study permit issued. A study permit is generally issued for the duration of the person’s studies.
Post- Covid19
You have access to COVID-19 screening free of charge, regardless of OHIP status (unless you need the test for travel reasons). You should provide your OHIP card if asked. If you do not have your OHIP card, please apply for one.
Due to service disruptions, IRCC is experiencing difficulties receiving and processing applications submitted by mail or in person at a VAC. At this time, if you’re applying for a visitor visa, study permit, work permit or permanent residence, you must apply online.
If you have not yet submitted your application, do not pay the $85 biometrics fee even if the system asks you to pay for it.
If you have a pending application for which you have paid the biometrics fee, you do not need to give biometrics and will receive a refund of $85 once your application is processed.
Applicants outside Canada
If the site closest to you is closed, you will receive an automatic extension of time to give your biometrics. You don’t have to give your biometrics until the sites start offering collection services again. This applies to you, even if your biometrics instruction letter (BIL) says you have 30 or 90 days.
You don’t have to contact IRCC for this extension, and you don’t need a new BIL to make another appointment when sites reopen. Bring your original BIL to your new appointment to show proof of payment.
IRCC continues to process applications submitted online, however, disruptions due to COVID-19 may affect processing times. You can check the current processing times to find out how long it will take to process your application.
Quarantine and Entry to Canada
Yes. The fact that your studies are online do not prevent your entry to Canada. However, you must ensure that you meet the requirements indicated in the current travel restrictions.
We recommend you avoid travel if at all possible.
It’s important to remember that if you choose to travel abroad:
- your trip may become much longer than you planned
- you may have reduced access to quality health care
- you could be subject to the measures of other countries
If you’re still considering travel outside of Canada, you should:
- understand the risks to your safety and security abroad
- check the pandemic travel health notice before travelling
- know the health risks and travel restrictions and requirements for your destination
- make sure you have enough money and necessities, including medication, in case your travel is disrupted