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Frequently asked questions
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courses
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https://www.uottawa.ca/study/international-students/immigration/faqs
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Frequently asked questions

Source: https://www.uottawa.ca/study/international-students/immigration/faqs Parent: https://www.uottawa.ca/study/international-students

Understanding immigration issues as a student can be challenging. This page provides answers to common questions about studying and working in, and travelling to and from, Canada.

On this page

Studying in Canada

Working in Canada

Travelling to and out of Canada

Studying in Canada

1. Can I begin my studies outside Canada with or without a study permit?

International students studying online from outside Canada do not need to hold a valid study permit.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has confirmed that international students can study online outside Canada without an approved study permit. However, it is strongly recommended to apply for a study permit before starting your studies online, as the program of study may still require you to be in Canada in the future (subject to travel restrictions).

In addition, please keep in mind that any time spent studying outside of Canada will be deducted from the length of the post-graduation work permit (PGWP).

2. How do I apply for a study permit?

Please consult our webpage on how to apply for a study permit.

You must apply for your study permit online using an IRCC secure account. We have prepared a detailed guide on applying for a study permit using the IRCC secure account (GCKey), which has step-by-step instructions on the process.

Be sure to also consult questions 3 and 4 of this FAQ (just below) to confirm whether you also need to include a provincial attestation letter (PAL) in your study permit application.

You must have a valid study permit before starting classes in Canada and ensure it remains valid throughout your program. You don’t need to wait for your final grades to start the application process. Apply as soon as you’ve received your offer of admission (even if it’s conditional) and your letter of attestation (if you need one).

Include your complete offer of admission in your application. You’ll only receive a digital copy of the document.

Depending on your country of citizenship, you may require a  Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to enter Canada. If you are applying for a study permit from outside of Canada, you don’t need to apply separately for either a TRV or eTA.  IRCC will issue the TRV or eTA automatically once your study permit is approved.

IRCC evaluates your study permit application. As an educational institution, we have no control over the decision or processing times and can’t approach IRCC on your behalf.

3. Do I need a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL)?

You must include a PAL with your study permit application if you’re an international student admitted to an undergraduate program or to a graduate certificate or diploma program, who is:

Study permit applications for master’s or PhD programs submitted starting January 1, 2026, will no longerneed to include a PAL. Students in Canada with a valid study permit who need to extend it to study at the same designated learning institution (DLI ) and level of study as under their current study permit don’t need a PAL at this time. 

See the full list of PAL exemptions.

4. How do I obtain a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL)?

Once you have accepted your offer and paid the admission deposit, the University will send you a PAL directly if you need one. Only applicants who have accepted their offer of admission and paid the admission deposit are eligible to receive a PAL. There are no additional steps required from you to obtain a PAL.

Please note that deposits may take up to 14 days to process if the financial institution is outside Canada. Once we have received your payment, our Admissions Office will email you your attestation letter within approximately 3 working days.

5. I received a Biometrics Instruction Letter (BIL). However, I am unable to provide them by the deadline indicated. What should I do?

If you’re not exempt from giving biometrics, IRCC needs the biometrics to process your application. You should book an appointment as soon as you get your BIL. If you can’t book an appointment by the deadline in your BIL, you should use the web form to tell IRCC why you need more time. Make sure you provide details about your situation. For example, tell IRCC the date of your appointment and include a screen shot of the confirmation, etc. IRCC will consider extending your deadline if you have a reasonable explanation that shows you’re affected (for example, if the biometrics collection site in your country or territory is closed).

6. What will be the status of my application if I am not able to submit biometrics, additional documents or send my passport?

You are required to complete all steps of your application. If you are missing any documents or steps, an IRCC officer should send you a final request letter with a deadline to allow for either of the following to be provided:

7. If I'm still waiting for a decision on my study permit application, can I travel to Canada?

To be authorized to study in Canada (online or in person), you must have a valid study permit.

We don’t recommend travelling to Canada until your study permit application has been approved and you have received your port of entry (POE) letter of introduction. It’s very complicated to try and get a study permit when you’re in Canada if you’ve applied for it from outside Canada.

International students studying online from outside Canada don’t need a valid study permit to study. Please see Question #1 of this FAQ above for more information.

8. What happens if my study permit is refused?

There’s no guarantee that IRCC will approve your study permit application.The decision depends on the strength of your application.If you begin your studies through distance learning while outside Canada, and then IRCC refuses your study permit application, you’ll have three options:

  1. Reapply for a study permit: If you feel that you can overcome the reasons for the refusal, reapply for a study permit. Email [email protected] to request a new provincial attestation letter, and include proof of your study permit refusal in the email. Remember that a study permit is required for in-person classes in Canada. Here’s a resource you can consult if you receive a refusal:
  2. YouTube tutorial: Our immigration advisers have prepared a YouTube tutorial on how to overcome a refusal.
  3. Finish the term and receive uOttawa credits: IRCC has confirmed that you don’t need a study permit for online courses you take while outside Canada, so if your courses are fully online, you can finish them from outside Canada. Even if your study permit is refused and you choose not to reapply for one, you can still receive the credits if you successfully pass the courses.
  4. Drop courses before the reimbursement deadline: If your study permit application is refused before the deadline to withdraw from a course and receive a financial credit (less administrative fees), you can drop your courses and request a refund. If you withdraw from your courses after this deadline, you won’t be able to request reimbursement. If you want to opt for this option and still plan on studying at uOttawa in a later term, please contact the Admissions Office (undergraduate students) or contact your academic unit (graduate students) to ask about the impact on your offer of admission and your available options.

Please note that your tuition deposit is non-refundable, except if IRCC rejects your study permit application. To qualify for a refund, you must provide proof your study permit application has been rejected. Once we’ve verified this, we’ll refund your deposit. You must request your refund by the last day to enrol for the term when you’ve been admitted. We don’t grant refunds if you’re still awaiting a decision from IRCC on your study permit application.

9. What should I do if I have to be on campus and I still don't have a decision on my study permit application?

If you have to be on campus for in-person courses, check the Enrol application in your uoZone account to see whether any of your courses offer online sections. If you are an undergraduate student and need assistance, please contact your faculty. If you are a graduate student, please contact your faculty via your academic unit. You may also wish to reach out to your professors directly to inform them that you cannot be physically present on campus and see with them if there are any accommodations possible.

You can also ask IRCC to urgently process your study permit application. See ourvideo about requesting urgent processing of your study permit application.

Unfortunately, there’s no guarantee that your request will be approved by IRCC, but making a request will not harm your application.

Note that your offer of admission is normally only valid for the term indicated on the letter. However, if you wish to defer your admission to a later term, please contact InfoAdmission if you are an undergraduate student, or your academic unit if you are a graduate student to see if it possible. Please note that deferral requests are evaluated on a case-by-case basis and are not guaranteed.

As a last resort, if you do not obtain your study permit in time, you can drop your courses and request a reimbursement if it’s before the deadline. Please consult the important deadlines for the term on our website. Be sure to consider all options very carefully before going ahead.

If you applied for on campus housing, you should also reach out to the Housing Service to inform them that you cannot be here.

10. I never received my study permit in the mail, or I've lost or misplaced it. What should I do?

If you never received your study permit in the mail, you should reach out to IRCC to confirm that the mailing address they have on file is correct and see whether they could re-send the permit. They may accept to do so free of charge if they determine it was a mistake on their side. If not, they will ask you to fill out an application and pay a fee ($30) to replace the permit.

You can contact IRCC via the IRCC webform. Please note that they have a high volume of webforms that they are processing so there may be delays in obtaining a response. 

Another way that you can contact them is via the IRCC Client Support Centre. You can call the IRCC Call Centre (1-888-242-2100), from within Canada only, Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm local time, except for statutory holidays. Try to call the Support Centre first thing in the morning as by the afternoon, the call volume is usually too high to be connected to an agent.

If you lost your study permit, you should follow the steps below:

  1. Contact the police service in the area where you are located to report that your permit has been lost or stolen. Keep any file numbers or documents they provide so that you can prove you contacted them and reported it.
  2. Fill out the application form for the Verification of Status or Replacement of an Immigration Document (IMM 5009). Once you have filled out the form, you will need to print and sign it. There is an instruction guide available to help you fill out the form, and it also provides additional information about paying the processing fee and mailing the completed application to IRCC.

Once you receive your new permit, you can then apply for a new Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) if you need one.

11. I am an exchange student coming to Canada for a one-term exchange. Do I need a study permit?

You can enter Canada to study for six months or less with a valid electronic travel authorization (eTA) or temporary resident visa (TRV), depending on your country of citizenship. You don’t need a study permit.

That said, there are advantages to getting a study permit for six months or less, including being able to work during your exchange. It’s also easier to extend your stay from inside Canada if you already have a study permit. However, as mentioned, this isn’t mandatory. We encourage you to check our information on how to apply for a study permit, should you decide to apply for one, since we cover many important topics. We’ve also prepared a detailed guide on applying for a study permit using the IRCC secure account (GCKey). It has step-by-step instructions on the process.

12. Do I need a study permit to study online if I am in Canada?

If you are physically inside Canada, a valid study permit is generally required for any studies that are longer than six months in duration. There is an exception for distance learning if the program has no in-Canada in-class course components (i.e. the program is 100% online).

13. What is the impact of studying part-time for an international student?

Here are the immigration impacts of studying part-time:

Actively pursuing studies: From an immigration standpoint, you may study part-time and still be considered to be actively pursuing your studies and therefore, meeting the conditions of your study permit.

Work during the academic term: You will no longer be authorized to work on or off campus as a part-time student. In order to be eligible to work on campus or off campus on a part-time basis during an academic term, you must be a full-time student. Please note that if you’re in the last semester of your study program and you don’t need a full course load to complete your program, and you were a full-time student in your program in Canada up until your last semester, you may continue to work and your eligibility for the Post-Graduation Work Permit will not be affected. 

Work during a scheduled break (reading week and spring-summer term): In order to be eligible to work full-time during a scheduled break, you must be enrolled full-time in the term preceding and the term immediately following the break. More information is available under the “Can I work full-time during the spring-summer term?” question of this FAQ.

Unauthorized Study/work: As stated on IRCC’s website: Non-compliance with study permit conditions or engaging in unauthorized work or study may also negatively affect future applications that are made under the IRPA and IRPR. For example, a subsequent study permit or work permit may not be issued until a period of 6 months has passed, since the cessation of the unauthorized work or study or failure to comply with a condition, per section R221 and subsection R200(3).

Working after your studies: One of the eligibility criteria for the Post Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) is to have continuously studied full-time during an entire program of study. In other words, any part-time term that is not your final academic term puts your eligibility for the PGWP in jeopardy. We recommend that you keep copies of all relevant documents if you plan to apply for this type of work permit in the future, in order to justify and explain your part-time studies.

For the impact on your differential tuition fee exemption scholarship eligibility, please contact Financial Aid and Awards at [email protected].

For the impact on your University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP) coverage eligibility, please contact the UHIP team at [email protected].

14. What is the impact of a leave from studies for an international student?

Please consult your faculty or academic unit about their leave of absence and leave from studies policies. Here are the immigration impacts of a leave from studies:

Leave from studies and study permit: According to the IRCC guidelines, you have no action to take regarding your immigration status if your leave from studies is less than 150 days or if you leave Canada. Your study permit remains valid until the expiry date indicated on the permit. If your leave from studies will be more than 150 days and you wish to remain in Canada, you must apply to change your status to visitor or worker (if eligible).

Work during your leave: You will no longer be authorized to work on or off campus during a leave from studies or during a scheduled break following a leave from studies (for example, the spring-summer term or holiday break). You must be enrolled as a full-time student in order to be authorized to work using your study permit. You can learn more about on campus and off campus work on IRCC's website.

Unauthorized study/work: As stated on IRCC's website: Non-compliance with study permit conditions or engaging in unauthorized work or study may also negatively affect future applications that are made under the IRPA and IRPR. For example, a subsequent study permit or work permit may not be issued until a period of 6 months has passed, since the cessation of the unauthorized work or study or failure to comply with a condition, per section R221 and subsection R200(3).

Post-graduation work permit: One of the eligibility criteria for the Post-Graduation Work Permit is to have continuously studied full-time during an entire program of study. For this reason, we recommend that you keep copies of all relevant documents if you plan to apply for this type of work permit in the future in order to justify and explain your leave from studies in a future application. You can learn more about the eligibility requirements for this type of permit on the IRCC website.

IRCC Compliance Reporting: If you take a leave from studies, the University may report your academic status as "no longer enrolled" or "authorized leave" in the next compliance reporting period with IRCC. You may receive an email from IRCC at a future date asking for clarification on your leave from the University. We encourage you to keep copies of all supporting documents to this end.

For the impact on your differential tuition fee exemption scholarship eligibility, please contact Financial Aid and Awards at [email protected].

For the impact on your University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP) coverage eligibility, please contact the UHIP team at [email protected].

15. What is the impact of being withdrawn from a program and/or becoming a non-degree student for an international student?

Depending on the time of year that you receive the notice of withdrawal and on your CGPA, it may be possible to make changes to your undergraduate program before your program withdrawal takes effect. We would recommend speaking to your faculty about this possibility.

It is possible for international students to become non-degree students while on a study permit. Please note that the impacts differ depending on the action taken after being withdrawn. We recommend communicating with an immigration adviser to obtain advice specific to your situation.

If you decide to enroll in courses and do academic upgrading, you will no longer be authorized to work off campus while you are a non-degree student. You must be enrolled in a program that leads to a degree, diploma, or certificate to be eligible to work off campus using your study permit. If you enroll as a non-degree student on a full-time basis, you will be eligible to work on campus. You can learn more about on campus and off campus work on IRCC’s website.

For the impact on your University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP) coverage eligibility, please contact the UHIP team at [email protected].

16. I have a valid study permit, but my temporary resident visa (TRV) is expired. I need a new one urgently. What should I do?

Please submit your TRV application as soon as possible if you have not already done so. Please see the IRCC website for detailed information on supporting documents you should include in your TRV application based on your situation. You may also attempt to prioritize your visa application with IRCC by following the instructions outlined in our tutorial.

17. Both my study permit and temporary resident visa (TRV - student category) will expire soon. What should I do to extend them?

You need to make sure that your study permit stays valid for your entire program, even if some or all your classes are online. You need to apply to extend your study permit if it will expire before your program ends. If you’re outside Canada and need to extend your study permit, you’ll need to submit a new study permit applicationfrom outside Canada and include documentation that confirms you’re a returning student. Please email us if you wish to book an advising appointment to discuss this in more detail.

Study permit extension: Please check our information on how to apply for a study permit extension. Information onthe study permit extension processis also available on IRCC’s website. You must submit your extensionapplication online. If you don’t have an IRCC secure account, you can register for one. Discover more information on how to create a GCKey (IRCC secure account)on the IRCC website. Our YouTube channel also hasa video that goes through all of the steps for creating a GCKey (it’s video 2 on the playlist). Please note that your passport must be valid for at least six months when you apply. For that reason, it’s always recommended that you renew your immigration documents in the following order: 1) passport, 2) study permit and 3) visa. Due to the high processing times we’re currently experiencing, we recommend you apply for an extension up to six months before the expiry date of your current permit. If your permit expires in less than six months, please apply as soon as possible.

Documents to apply: We recommend that you include three academic documents in your application: an official enrolment verification letter with a specialized comment indicating your expected completion date, a transcript if you’ve completed two or more academic terms, and your original offer of admission. You can request official academic documents from InfoService. The document you should request is called official enrolment verification. You can purchase enrolment verification online by completing the request form. Under the “proof of my studies or a letter” tab, you should request the “estimated graduation date” specialized comment from the dropdown menu. You can also request a remark that confirms the date enrolment opens for the upcoming term if you’re not enrolled in courses.

Current students and alumni can order an official digital transcript online. To do this, log into uoZone. Under the Applications tab, select Purchase Official Documents, select the Digital documents format and follow the steps.

Your offer of admission can be found in your admission file, in uoZone.

InfoService accepts document orders via the InfoService virtual line.

Missing documents: If your application is incomplete, an IRCC officer can reject it without giving you the opportunity to provide any missing documents. For this reason, we strongly recommend submitting a complete application whenever possible. However, if there are any documents that you can’t include in your application (for example, a passport) and your permit is close to expiring, you’ll need to instead upload a letter of explanation. This letter must detail why you can’t obtain the document at this time (attach proof of your inability to obtain the document) and inform IRCC that as soon as the missing document is available, you’ll provide it using the IRCC web form. If an officer deems that your explanation is reasonable, you should receive a request for the missing document, with a deadline to provide that document. Your application will remain pending until you can provide the missing document, and you’ll benefit from maintained status until a decision is made on your application. Maintained status will allow you to continue working and/or studying while you wait for your study permit. However, please note that there are no guarantees, and there’s a risk of refusal.

Proof of financial support: There are several options you can use as proof of financial support. As a reminder, you must demonstrate that you have the minimum funds necessaryto support yourself as a student.

TRV application: You won’t receive a new TRV automatically when extending a study permit. You need to submit a separate application. Information on applying for a new temporary resident visa is available on IRCC’s website. You can submit a TRV application online as soon as your study permit extension is approved. Please note that a TRV is solely a travel authorization. You’re not required to have a valid TRV unless you have plans to travel outside Canada and return.

Time of submission: Typically, you must wait until after your status extension has been approved before applying for a new TRV from inside Canada. However, if you need a TRV sooner, you can apply for one only at a visa office outside Canada.

18. I have applied to extend my study permit, but I have not received an answer yet. My current study permit expires soon. What should I do?

If you applied before the expiry date of your current study permit and you have not left Canada since the expiration of your current permit, you benefit from maintained status until a decision is made on your application and have no additional action to take. As indicated on IRCC’s website: “If a temporary resident applies for renewal of their work or study permit before the expiry of their existing permit and their permit expires before a decision is made, paragraph R186(u) or section R189 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) (authorizes them to work or study without a permit under the same conditions pending a determination of their application for renewal andonly as long as the person remains in Canada.” In order to benefit from maintained status, you must apply to extend your status before midnight Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) on the expiry date indicated on the permit. If the application is submitted after midnight UTC on the date of expiry, you do not maintain your status under subsection R183(5).

If you leave Canada with maintained status, you may be allowed to re-enter if you meet one of the following:

After re-entering Canada, you cannot keep studying or working until you have received your new study permit. For this reason, travel when under maintained status is not recommended.

19. What happens if my study permit expires and I was not able to apply for an extension before the expiry?

According to IRCC, temporary residents who are inside Canada and can’t extend their permit before the expiry date can restore their status within 90 days from the expiry date of their legal status. Unlike with maintained status, visitors, students and workers applying for restoration have lost their status and cannot continue to work or attend school until their status has been restored and a new work or study permit has been issued.

Visitors, workers, and students who are outside Canada and whose status has expired are ineligible for restoration. Instead, they’re encouraged to apply for a new study or work permit from outside Canada.

If you have questions on your immigration status and impacts, we encourage you to email an immigration adviser with InfoService at [email protected] or attend a virtual Let’s Talk Immigration drop-in session. You can also contact IRCC directly.

Working in Canada

1. I just entered Canada and received my study permit. How can I know if it allows me to work on or off campus?

Your study permit should have a mention indicating your eligibility to work on or off campus if you meet the eligibility criteria indicated on the On Campus and Off Campus work authorization IRCC webpages. If there is no mention about work on your study permit and you think you should be eligible, it may be possible to request an amendment of your study permit. If the following remark is printed on your study permit: This permit does not permit the holder to engage in off campus employment in Canada, and you have become eligible to work on or off campus without a work permit (e.g. you have transferred to an eligible program of study), you must apply to change the conditions of your study permit and pay the applicable fee ($150).

2. My study permit has a restriction on it about working in certain fields, but I want or need to work in those fields. How can I have the restriction on my study permit removed?

Certain jobs that bring you into close contact with people require a medical exam to be authorized to work in them. To have this condition removed, you must undergo a medical exam and apply to change the conditions of your study permit and pay the applicable fee ($150). We recommend that you complete an “upfront” medical exam and answer “yes” to the question “Have you had a medical exam performed by an IRCC authorized panel physician (doctor) within the last 12 months?” in the eligibility questionnaire so that the medical exam requirement is added to your document checklist. Learn when and where to get your medical exam.

3. How do online studies impact my post-graduation work permit (PGWP)?

You must complete at least 50% of your program (or programs) of study in class in Canada (exceptions apply if you started your program before September 1, 2024). Any time spent studying online outside of Canada will be deducted from the length of the post-graduation work permit (PGWP). We encourage you to consult the IRCC website for more information on how online studies can impact your PGWP.

4. How do I apply for my Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)?

Post-graduation work permit (PGWP)eligibility: Learn more on PGWP eligibility.

Application process: You can apply for a PGWP online using your IRCC secure account. It’s possible to apply for a PGWP from inside Canadaor apply for a PGWP from outside Canada (there’s an instruction guide available for each option).

Consult our detailed guide on applying for a PGWP using the IRCC secure account (GCKey), which has step-by-step instructions on the process.

Information session: We held an online information session on how to apply for a PGWP (video 18 on the playlist). We recommend that you watch it since it explains all of the steps and documents required in great detail.

Academic documents needed to apply:To apply for your PGWP, you’ll need the following things:

Before your degree is conferred:

After your degree is conferred:

If you didn’t study on a continuous full-time basis throughout your program, you’ll need additional supporting documents to explain and justify any part-time terms or gaps in your studies. We encourage you to book an individual advising appointment with us if you’re in this situation.

Other required documents: As of November 1, 2024, you must include proof of language ability when applying for a PGWP. As someone completing a university program, you must demonstrate a minimum (intermediate) level in all four language areas for either:

o English: Score of 7 on the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB)

o French: Score of 7 on the Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC)

We encourage you to book your language test well in advance because it may take time to get your results. You must upload these language test results in the Client information section of your PGWP application.

Work authorization: You’re eligible to work full time after you’ve submitted your application if you meet the conditions for working while IRCC processes your application. Section 186 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations confirms the authorization to work without a permit until a decision is made on your application. IRCC should send you a letter confirming your authorization to work while you wait for a decision if you meet the criteria.

5. When should I apply for my Post-Graduation Work Permit?

Students have 180 days to apply for the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) after completing their studies. If you want to remain in Canada after the end of your studies, you should apply to extend your status as visitor, student or worker within 90 days of completing your program.

Your study permit becomes invalid 90 days after receiving a written confirmation that you have officially completed your program or on the expiry date of your study permit, whichever comes first. This written confirmation can be a Diploma, an Official Final Transcript or an Official Letter confirming Completion of Studies. Please consult Important Academic Dates and Deadlines to determine when your final grades and academic standing will be available.

To apply for a PGWP from inside Canada you must:

If you have lost your status you must apply for a restoration of status as a student in addition to the PGWP and pay additional fees.

If you graduate from outside Canada and wish to apply for a PGWP from there you:

6. For how long will my Post-Graduation Work Permit be valid?

According to Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the validity period of the PGWP is determined based on the length of the program or programs of study. When assessing your application, the immigration officer will determine the length of the permit based on the completion letter provided by uOttawa and your final transcripts. The wording that will be used to describe the duration of your program of study in the letter of completion issued by the University will be the same wording that is used to describe your program in its official description. You may consult the official duration of your program by visiting university programs and courses and clicking on your program of study. The duration can then be found on either the “Overview” tab or the “Program Requirements” tab. You may read more about how the length of a permit is determined on the IRCC website.

There is no guarantee of how long the work permit will be as each immigration officer uses his or her discretion to assess the application. You can consult the IRCC website for more information on the validity you can expect to receive based on your program. Please note that a longer, 3-year post-graduation work permit is available to those who are graduating from a master’s degree program that is less than 2 years and who meet all other PGWP eligibility criteria.

Please note that the validity period of the PGWP may not go beyond the applicant’s passport validity date. PGWPs can be extended only when the length of the permit could not be provided at the time of the application, due to the expiry date of the applicant’s passport.

7. My study permit expires on the last day of my final term of study, and I plan to apply for my post-graduation work permit (PGWP) when I finish my program. I can't apply before my permit expires because my final grades won't be available. What do I do?

Your study permit is supposed to be valid for your entire program of study, plus an additional 90 days or 3 months after your expected completion date. This is to ensure that you have valid student status while you wait for your final grades and completion documents. You also need a valid study permit to be able to start working right after applying for your PGWP.

If your study permit does not have enough validity, you should apply to extend your study permit. In your extension application, you should include a letter of explanation where you explain your timeline for completing your program and receiving your official documents. You can include a screen shot of the uOttawa Important Dates and Deadlines website that confirms when your academic standing will be considered official (it is usually around 3 weeks after the end of the term). Please consult the other questions in this FAQ about applying for a study permit extension (Question #15) and/or a PGWP (Question #7) for more information.

8. How many hours am I allowed to work during a regular academic term?

Your study permit authorizes you to work up to 24 hours a week off campus and also work on campus during an academic term when you are studying full-time. IRCC does not indicate a maximum number of hours for on campus work. There is also no rule that restricts you to combine on and off campus work experiences. Having said that, we would like to remind you that your studies should remain the focus of your experience in Canada. It is very important to work with time management to ensure you continue to make reasonable progress towards the successful completion of your academic program.

9. Can I work full-time during the spring-summer term?

This depends on whether or not the spring-summer term is considered to be a regularly scheduled break based on your program of study. Please see the two options below.

Undergraduate students: Your study permit authorizes you to work full-time during regularly scheduled breaks (i.e. reading week, etc.) if you are registered as a full-time student in the period preceding and following the break. In order to determine if the spring-summer term is a regularly scheduled break, you must consult the suggested course sequence for your program of study. If the sequence indicates that you are expected to take courses during the fall and winter terms only, the spring-summer term (from May 1 to August 31) is considered a regularly scheduled break. For more information on work authorizations and taking courses during a scheduled break, please visit IRCC’s website. Note that should you decide to take courses during a regularly scheduled break, it is still considered a break and the requirement to study full-time therefore does not apply, and you can still work full-time.

Graduate students: Your study permit authorizes you to work full-time during regularly scheduled breaks (i.e. reading week, etc.) if you are registered as a full-time student in the period preceding and following the break. As per the Academic Regulations C-3.1.3 on graduate enrolment and leaves of absence, graduate students must enrol in each term until they complete their program unless otherwise specified in the regulations for a specific program. For example, the Master of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering program specifies that “For immigration purposes, the summer term (May to August) for this program is considered a regularly scheduled break approved by the University. Students should resume full-time studies in September.” So, students in this program are not required to enrol in the spring-summer term. If your academic program does not have any scheduled breaks specified, you will only be eligible to work up to a maximum of 24 hours per week off campus when enrolled full-time. We encourage you to check directly with your Academic Unit to confirm the expectations for your program.

10. Do I need a work permit or a study permit to work remotely for a Canadian employer from abroad?

You do not need to have a work permit or study permit for remote work done from outside of Canada. Note that each employer will have their own internal hiring processes and requirements; however, for immigration purposes, no work permit nor study permit is required if you are not physically in Canada.

Travelling to and out of Canada

1. What documents do I need with me to travel to Canada as an international student?

To travel to Canada as an international student, you should have the following documents:  

Travel for family members

If your family member wishes to travel to Canada with you or come to join you if you are already inside Canada, your family member needs to have a valid Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA).

2. When can I travel to Canada?

Please note that travel restrictions (if applicable), exemptions, and immigration measures are subject to change and may be modified at any moment. We encourage you to consult the Government of Canada website for the most up-to-date information.

There is no set time frame for you to arrive in Canada before you begin your studies. You should just arrive to give yourself a reasonable amount of time to prepare before you start studying. Note that you are not allowed to work on or off campus until you begin your studies in Canada.

You should consider whether you have all of the recommended supporting documents mentioned above when deciding to travel to Canada.

We don’t recommend travelling to Canada until your study permit application has been approved and you have received your port of entry (POE) letter of introduction. It’s very complicated to try and get a study permit when you’re in Canada if you’ve applied for it from outside Canada. You should also keep in mind that to be authorized to study in Canada (online or in-person), you must have a valid study permit.

Final decisions for entry to Canada are always determined by the border officer at the port of entry.

3. Can we leave Canada and travel to another country?

Please note that the Canadian government does not restrict travellers leaving Canada.

Make sure to check the entry/exit requirements put in place by the country or countries where you plan to travel before your trip. You should also make sure to meet the latest travel requirements to travel to Canada if planning to return. The institution is not able to act and override any measures or restrictions imposed by the Government of Canada.

Please also note that students travelling outside of Canada for University business, e.g. exchange, study, research, work, etc. must register their trips with the University and follow the steps outlined on the travel safety website.

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Information on this page could change

The immigration information on this page has been reviewed and endorsed by Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) or Regulated International Student Immigration Advisors (RISIAs). While we aim to keep it accurate, it could change without notice. Always refer to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for the most up-to-date information.

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