A study permit must first be obtained before you can study in Canada as a foreign student. With a study permit, international students can legally live in Canada while attending an accredited school. Find out everything you need to know about Canadian study permits by reading on!

What is a Study Permit in Canada?
A document that allows a foreign national to attend a Canadian school to study is known as a Canadian study permit. The Canadian study permit is required for all foreign nationals to legally study in Canada, regardless of whether they are attending primary school, secondary school, college, university, or another program—with very few exceptions (see below). Only foreign nationals who can demonstrate that they will be attending a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) will be granted Canadian study permits.

What is a designated educational establishment?
A DLI (designated learning institution) is a Canadian educational establishment that has been granted permission to accept international students into its educational programs. Canada’s primary and secondary schools are all DLIs and welcome international students. However, you must consult the Canadian government’s list of DLIs prior to applying because not all postsecondary educational institutions are DLIs.

How long does a permit to study last?
At the time of application, a study permit will be valid for the duration of the program. The student must apply for an extension of the study permit if the program changes or if the student switches to a program with a longer duration. Regardless of the date stated on the permit, a student’s study permit will expire 90 days after they finish their studies. The foreign national must either leave Canada or apply to extend their stay in Canada before the study permit runs out. A lot of students choose to apply for a Post-Graduate Work Permit, which allows recent graduates to stay in Canada and work if it is granted.

When an international student arrives in Canada, what are the requirements?
With a study permit, a foreign national studying in Canada must meet the following requirements:

Always be enrolled in a DLI, work toward finishing a program, and follow the conditions on their study permit. If they no longer meet the requirements, they must stop studying and leave Canada when their permit expires. Any permit that allows a foreign national to be in Canada may be violated, putting future applications for immigration to Canada in jeopardy.

How do I obtain a permit to study? Do eligibility requirements exist?
You must have a valid acceptance letter from a DLI in Canada before you can get a study permit to study in Canada. Additionally, you must satisfy the following eligibility requirements:

Document for Travel: Possess a valid passport or other legal travel document. Have enough money: Show that you have enough money to fulfill the following requirements:
In accordance with the DLI, pay the student fees for your first year of study.
Cover the student’s and the family members’ first year of living in Canada’s expenses completely.
Provide the student and any family members who are traveling with them from Canada to their home country with transportation.
The principal applicant, the spousal applicant, a family member, or a close friend should have access to liquid funds in the account.
Medical Exam: The majority of the time, when a visa officer receives a study permit application, they will ask the student and any family members who are accompanying them to take a medical exam.
Criminal History After receiving a study permit application, a visa officer may request police clearance certificates to ensure that the applicant does not pose a security threat to Canada.
Exceptions: A number of common circumstances exist in which a foreign national does not require a study permit to study in Canada.

First, if the course of study is less than six months long. A person can finish the course in this situation if they have the legal right to enter Canada, usually through a visitor or tourist visa. However, the student must apply to extend their stay in Canada if the course is part of a longer program or if the program will take longer than six months to complete.

Second, minor children who are refugees or claimants for refugee status in Canada or whose parents are refugees or claimants for refugee status do not need a permit to study in Canada. Additionally, minor children can attend pre-school, primary school, or secondary school without requiring a study permit if their parents have legal permission to work or study in Canada.

Can I work while I study in Canada?
If you have a permit to study, you can work part-time without having to apply for a work permit separately. You must also ensure that you have a valid Social Insurance Number (SIN) in order to find part-time work. However, your right to work also ends when you stop attending the full-time course or your study permit expires.

Can I transfer programs or institutions with my study permit?
If their study permit does not specify this information, students are not required to apply for a new permit if they change their field of study or change educational institutions within Canada. Before the student can enroll in a new course or school, the information on the study permit that specifies the institution or field of study must be updated. Any international student wishing to change institutions in Quebec must first apply for a new CAQ.

The study permit must be modified if a student moves up in level of education, such as from primary school to high school or from high school to university.

Can my loved ones accompany me?
A person who is a full-time student and has a valid permit to study can travel to Canada with their spouse and children. If the spouse gets a permit to study or a spousal open work permit, they can work or study. To attend pre-school, primary, or secondary school, accompanying minor children do not need a study permit; however, any children attending a post-secondary educational institution must apply for a study permit.

A visa officer will look at a study permit application to see if the applicant shows that they intend to leave Canada when their permit runs out. The officer will deny the study permit if they believe that this condition is not met. If a person applies with their spouse and children, it may appear to the officer that the applicant intends to relocate permanently to Canada and will not leave the country when the permit expires.

Is it possible to apply for a study permit within Canada?
With the exception of those listed below, who are eligible to apply for a permit from within Canada, all foreign nationals must obtain the study permit prior to entering Canada:

Minor children Exchange students Holding a valid temporary resident permit for at least six months Spouse or common law partner residing in Canada who has applied for PR under Family Class Sponsorship Holding a valid study permit seeking an extension or a family member of such a permit holder Family members/private staff of accredited foreign representatives
Absolutely! The holder of the permit is required to present a valid passport, a valid study permit, and a travel document allowing re-entry to Canada (either a travel visa or an electronic travel authorization, depending on the citizenship country). Permission to re-enter may be denied in the event that any of these conditions are not met.

What are my options for staying in Canada after I graduate?
Under the Post-Graduate Work Permit program, the majority of foreign graduates (international students) from any of Canada’s Designated Learning Institutions are eligible to apply for an open work permit. However, graduates of some DLI programs are not eligible to apply for a Post-Graduate Work Permit. Make sure you find out if the course you’re taking qualifies you. Through the Express Entry – Canadian Experience Class program, a foreign national’s eligibility to obtain Canadian permanent residency will increase as they gain work experience in Canada.

Students who have completed one level of education can apply for a program and a study permit for a subsequent level. A student applying to a university, for instance.

A person may be able to apply directly for permanent residence through the Express Entry – Federal Skilled Worker program, Provincial Nomination Programs, or another legitimate immigration program, depending on their credentials.