A study permit is a written authorization issued by an officer allowing foreign nationals to study in Canada.
Important information: A study permit becomes invalid 90 days after your study program has been completed. Your program is considered complete when you receive a notification of program completion from your school.
Do I need a study permit?
Generally, foreign nationals must obtain a study permit in order to study in Canada.
However, foreign nationals may be exempted from requiring a study permit in the following situations:
Family members or private staff accompanying a foreign representative accredited by Global Affairs Canada; or
Members of the armed forces of a country or territory designated for the purposes of the Visiting Forces Act.
Are there activities for which a study permit is not required?
Yes, there are activities that do not require a study permit. Generally, a study permit is not required for:
attending preschool;
completing a distance learning program;
following audit courses (where a student is permitted to attend an academic course without obtaining credits);
taking courses included in tour packages as a secondary activity for tourists;
taking a course which is not academic, professional or vocational in nature that is of general interest and can be completed within the period authorized upon entry to Canada;
taking a course or a program of study which is six months or less that can be completed within the period authorized upon entry into Canada.
Important information: If your program of study is six months or less but you intend to continue your studies in another program, you should apply for a study permit before coming to Canada. This allows you to apply to extend your stay as a student from within Canada. Otherwise, you will have to apply for a study permit from outside of Canada.
In order to study in Quebec, students must obtain a Certificat d’acceptation du Québec (CAQ) issued by the Ministère de l’Immigration, Diversité et Inclusion(MIDI). The educational institution should provide the student with all the details related to applying for Quebec. For residents of countries or territories such as France, Austria, Mexico or the Hong Kong Administrative Region, where there is a Quebec Immigration Service (SIQ), they can apply there directly for a CAQ.
Students do not have to wait for the actual CAQ before applying for their study permit. As proof of their acceptance, they can simply submit MIDI’s letter of approval.
Consult the MIDI website for appropriate contact information and for the latest updates on the process and documents required for Quebec.
Persons who have completed a short-term course or program of study that is a prerequisite to their enrolling at a DLI;
Holders of temporary resident permits (TRPs) valid for a minimum of six months and their family members;
Refugee claimants and persons subject to an unenforceable removal order;
In-Canada permanent resident applicants and their family members who are determined eligible for permanent residents (PR) status in one of the following classes:
live-in caregiver, spouse or common-law partner, protected persons, and humanitarian and compassionate considerations (H&C);
Persons whose study permits were authorized by a visa office abroad, where the permit was not issued at a port of entry;
Family members of athletes on a Canadian-based team, media representatives, members of the clergy, or military personnel assigned to Canada.
Do I have to apply separately for my family members?
Family members must complete their own application forms. However, you may submit your applications together online or at a Visa Application Centre (VAC) and use one payment receipt for the total amount.
Your spouse or common-law partner and children must meet all of the requirements for temporary residence in Canada.
May my children attend school?
Your children may attend school in Canada. You must apply for their study permit at the same time as your own. If they intend to join you at a later date, they must also apply for a study permit before coming to Canada.
Custodians
Children 17 years of age or less coming to Canada to study without an accompanying parent or a legal guardian must still be in the care of a responsible adult in Canada. This person is the custodian . The parents or legal guardians in the country or territory of origin and the custodian in Canada must complete a notarized Custodianship Declaration (IMM 5646) (PDF, 1.02MB). Pages 1 and 2 of the form are required when submitting the application.
Minor children between 17 years of age and the age of majority in the province or territory (18 or 19 years old) where they intend to study, may need a custodian at the discretion of an immigration officer.
Note:Custodian must reside in Canada and be Canadian citizen or permanent resident 19 years of age or older.
Custodianship is not mandatory for minors travelling with one parent or an authorized guardian. However, a signed consent documents from the non-accompanying parent should be provided.
Yes, as an international student, you may work under any Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s work programs for students, if you meet certain eligibility requirements. In most cases, you will need to apply for a student work permit.
As long as you have a valid study permit and are a full-time student enrolled at a post-secondary DLI (university, community college, collège d’enseignement général et professionnel (CEGEP), publicly funded trade or technical school, or private institutions authorized by provincial statute to confer degrees) you may work on campus. The employer may be either the school or a private contractor operating on campus.
May I work off campus without a work permit?
You are allowed to work off campus without a work permit for up to 20 hours a week during a regular academic session and full-time during regularly scheduled breaks, provided that:
you hold a valid study permit;
you are a full-time student enrolled at a designated learning institution;
the program in which you are enrolled is a post-secondary academic, vocational or professional training program, or a vocational training program at the secondary level offered in Quebec;
the program of study is at least six months or more in duration and one that leads to a degree, diploma or certificate; and
you continue to fulfill the terms and conditions of your study permit, as well as the conditions to engage in off campus work (e.g., work no more than 20 hours a week during a regular academic session).
May I work as part of a co-op or internship program?
International students may work as part of a co-op program only if work is an essential part of an academic, professional or vocational training program offered by a DLI.
To be able to work, you will need a co-op work permit.
Note: If you are studying English or French as a second language (ESL/FSL) or participating in general interest or preparatory courses, you are not eligible for a co-op work permit.