The country welcomes more than 200,000 students from foreign jurisdictions every year. A study permit allows foreign nationals to study at an approved Canadian educational institution throughout the duration of their specified course or program.
To apply for a Canada Student Visa (study permit), students must first enroll and be accepted to study at a Canadian educational institution. You must have received an acceptance letter from the designated institution which you plan to attend before you submit your application for a Canada student visa. In case a student is a citizen of a country required to obtain Temporary Resident Visa or ETA to gain entry to Canada, the student must secure a Temporary Resident Visa or ETA. A student from countries exempted from getting a visitor visa does not require a Temporary Resident Visa.

Additionally, you must meet the following requirements for a Canada student visa:

• You must prove that you have enough money to pay for your:
i. tuition fees
ii. living expenses for yourself and any family members who come with you to Canada and
iii. return transportation for yourself and any family members who come with you to Canada.
• You must be a law-abiding citizen with no criminal record and not be a risk to the security of Canada. You may have to provide a police certificate.
• You must be in good health and willing to complete a medical examination, if necessary.
• You must satisfy an immigration officer that you will leave Canada at the end of your authorized stay.

You do not require a study permit if:

• attending preschool
• completing a distance learning program
• 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
• You wish to study in a short-term course or program:
• You do not need a study permit if you plan to take a course or program in Canada that lasts six months or less. You must complete the course or program within the period authorized for your stay in Canada.
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.
• You are a family member of a Foreign representatives to Canada:
If you are a family member or staff member of a foreign representative to Canada accredited by Global Affairs Canada (GAC), you may not need a permit to study in Canada. You should contact your embassy in Canada. Your embassy can contact the Office of Protocol at GAC to find out whether you need a study permit.
• You are a family member of foreign armed forces:
If you are a member of a foreign armed force under the Visiting Forces Act, you do not need a permit to study in Canada. If your family members, including minor children, want to study in Canada, they must meet the requirements.
• You are a foreign national who is a Registered Indian in Canada:
If you are a citizen of another country who has Registered Indian status in Canada, you do not need a permit to study in Canada.

If you want to extend your stay in Canada as a student, you must complete the application to do so. Check the expiry date on your study permit, and make sure you apply before that date. You should apply for renewal at least 30 days before your current permit expires.

If you decide to change programs or school / institution, you must complete an application to change the conditions of you study permit.

You may apply to restore your status as a student within 90 days of losing it. You may only apply if you have continued to meet the requirements under which you were allowed to enter and stay in Canada and you have met all the conditions imposed on your permit.

After you apply to restore your status, you may stay in Canada until a decision is made on your application, but you are not allowed to study until your status has been restored.

There is no guarantee that your application to restore your status will be accepted. On your application, you must provide full details of all the facts and circumstances that caused you to lose your status.

Students enrolled in a full-time program may work part time on-campus or off-campus without a work permit. Certain conditions apply, depending on the location of work, and type of program the student is enrolled in.

• Bringing Family to Canada:
You may bring your spouse, common-law partner, and dependent children to Canada to be with you while you study. Your spouse or common-law partner will receive an Open Work Permit for the duration of your studies. The open work permit will allow your spouse or partner to work for any employer within Canada.
• Spouse/Common-law partner Open Work Permit:
Spouses/Common-law Partners of International students studying in Canada are eligible to apply for an Open Work Permitwhich allows them to work for any employer in Canada in any job. The duration of the work permit will be the same as the spouse's study permit (visa).

GIMVS can assist you with your spouse's Open Work Permit application process

ATLANTIC IMMIGRATION PILOT

ATLANTIC INTERNATIONAL GRADUATE PROGRAM
Applicable provinces:
• New Brunswick
• Newfoundland and Labrador
• Nova Scotia
• Prince Edward Island
• INTERNATIONAL GRADUATES

You must have:
• A minimum 2 years degree, diploma, certificate, or trade or apprenticeship credential from a recognized publicly-funded institution in an Atlantic province
• Been a full-time student in Canada for at least two years
• Graduated in the last 12 months when you apply
• Lived in one of the Atlantic provinces for at least 16 months in the last 2 years before you graduated
• Had the visa or permit needed to work, study or train in Canada

• English or French second language courses for more than half of the program, or
• Distance learning undertaken for more than half the length of the program.
You can't apply if you had a scholarship or fellowship requiring you to return to your home country after you graduate.
Contact us for professional guidance.