Immigration Basics

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International Students and Immigration in Canada

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is the department of the Government of Canada which manages immigration. It is important for you to understand immigration policies, your responsibilities as a temporary resident in Canada, as well as the policies and procedures for keeping your immigration documents valid.

To understand more about your status as an international student in Canada, it is first helpful to understand the different residency statuses in Canada, how international students fit into those categories, which immigration documents a required by international students, and how an international student can maintain their student status in Canada. 

There are three main residency categories in Canada:  

  1. Citizens of Canada,  
  2. Permanent Residents, 
  3. Temporary Residents.  

Visitors, international students, and foreign workers are all considered temporary residents. 

Entry documents versus status documents 

Entry documents authorize entry into Canada. Foreign nationals who wish to enter Canada require one or more of these depending on their country of citizenship. 

Status documents define what a foreign national is authorized to do once inside Canada. Status documents do not authorize entry into Canada.

Required Immigration Documents for Most International Students

As an international student, and as a temporary resident of Canada, there are a number of documents you require. 

Most international students will require the following: 

  • A valid passport
  • A valid study permit: international students in programs longer than 6 months need a valid study permit to study in Canada 
  • An entry document: Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). 
    • If you are from a visa-requiring country, you require a TRV to enter Canada
    • If you are from a visa-exempt country, you may require an eTA to arrive in Canada by air
    • Some foreign nationals are exempt from the TRV and eTA requirement and can enter Canada with their passport only. 
  • Documentation for your co-arriving dependent family members

Maintaining your Immigration Status in Canada

You are responsible for maintaining your immigration status and obeying immigration regulations during your stay in Canada. 

Check your primary immigration documents, including your passport, study permit, and, if applicable, your Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or work permit, to ensure they are valid and the information stated on them is accurate. Your Canadian immigration documents will not be issued past the expiry date of your passport.

If you extend your study permit or transition from student status to worker status by applying for a Post-Graduation Work Permit, you will be required to extend other documents after you receive your new permit. 

Document When to extend
Passport At least 6 months prior to the expiration date.

*Note the processing times within Canada can be much longer than renewing your passport from your country of residence.
Study Permit 4-6 months prior to the expiration date.
Co-op Work Permit 4-6 months prior to the expiration date.
Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) Before or after the expiration date. Note this is your entry document and it is required for entry into Canada. If it expires, do not leave Canada.

Typically the expiry aligns with your status document expiry (study permit/work permit) therefore once you extend your study permit or receive a post-graduation work permit, apply for a new TRV.
Social Insurance Number (SIN) Before the expiry date or after you extend your study permit or obtain a Post-Graduation Work Permit.

The Conditions of Your Study Permit

As a study permit holder, you need to meet a number of conditions. If you don’t meet these conditions, you may lose your student status and study permit. You may also have to leave Canada.

As a study permit holder, you must:

  • be enrolled at a designated learning institution (DLI), unless you’re exempt
  • show you’re actively pursuing your studies, unless you’re exempt, by
    • being enrolled full-time or part-time during each academic term (excluding regularly scheduled breaks)
    • making progress towards completing your program’s courses and
    • not taking authorized leaves longer than 150 days from your study program
  • apply to extend your study permit to change post-secondary schools
  • end your studies if you no longer meet the requirements of being a student and
  • leave Canada when your permit expires

Other study permit conditions you may need to follow

You may have other conditions listed on your study permit. You must follow these conditions, which could include

  • the level of studies
  • if you’re allowed to work on or off campus as a student in Canada
  • if you need to report for medical procedures
  • if you’re allowed to travel within Canada, and
  • the date you must stop studying

Full-time Enrollment and Immigration

Remaining full-time enrolled during each mandatory term of your program has important immigration implications for international students in Canada. Remaining full-time enrolled will ensure you meet your study permit working conditions (if eligible), and will ensure you remain eligible for a future Post-Graduation Work Permit (if your program is eligible). 

How full-time enrollment is defined and the mandatory terms for your program depend on your level of studies.

UNDERGRADUATE
  • A minimum of 2.0 credits in each mandatory term.
  • Fall (Sept to Dec) and Winter (Jan to Apr) are deemed mandatory terms. The summer term is a regularly scheduled break. 
POST-GRADUATE CERTIFICATE
  • A minimum of 2.0 credits in each mandatory term. However, certificate programs have a fixed schedule which requires students to take 2.5 credits in each mandatory term. 
  • Mandatory terms are dependent on your program. Please confirm with your academic department. 
GRADUATE (MASTERS/PHD)
  • Automatically full-time unless request part-time.
  • Fall (Sept to Dec) and Winter (Jan to Apr) and Summer (May to Aug) are deemed mandatory terms.

 

Note:  

  • In your final term or work term, if you are in a part-time courseload, you will still be deemed a full-time student for immigration purposes. 

  • If a student takes a mandatory term off, it would be deemed a leave from studies and an authorized leave application is required. 

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Disclaimer 

The immigration information on this page, and all other related immigration pages, has been reviewed and endorsed by Regulated International Student Immigration Advisors (RISIAs) in compliance with the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and Regulations. However, this is not a legal document and information may change without notice. Always refer to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for the most up-to-date information. 

Trent University respectfully acknowledges it is located on the treaty and traditional territory of the Mississauga Anishnaabeg. We offer our gratitude to First Peoples for their care for, and teachings about, our earth and our relations. May we honour those teachings.

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