Study Permits

Review the list of required documents you need to apply for your study permit. Once you have these documents, you can apply for your study permit. Be sure you apply for your study permit before you travel to Canada.

Biometrics (fingerprints and a photo) are now required when you apply for a study permit if you are from Europe, the Middle East or Africa.

Be enrolled in a Designated Learning Institution – a school approved by a provincial or territorial government to host international students.

• Laurier's Designated Learning Institution number (DLI#) is O19395164307. Note: The DLI# starts with the letter O and not the number zero.

Proof of financial support and that you have the funds to pay for:

• Tuition fees.
• Living expenses for yourself and any family members.
• Return transportation for yourself and any family members. 

Proof of no criminal activity: Be a law-abiding citizen with no criminal record.

Proof of medical health: Be in good health and willing to complete a medical examination, if necessary.

Ensure the Canadian immigration office that you will leave Canada at the end of your authorized stay.

Learn more about the eligibility requirements for a study permit and your responsibilities while studying in Canada.

Study Permit Refusal

If your study permit application is rejected, IRCC will return all your documents and provide you with an explanation of why your application was rejected.

You can resubmit your study permit application, but you must address the reasons why it was rejected.

If you have questions about this process, the International Student Advisors at Laurier International might be able to help. Email us at laurierinternational@wlu.ca.

If you are 17 or under, you will need to provide additional documents as a minor studying in Canada. As well, your parents may need to fill out a Custodian Declaration (IMM 5646) form.

After You Apply

After you have submitted your application, if you need to give your biometrics you will receive a biometrics invitation letter from the Government of Canada. You will then make an appointment to get your biometrics taken and results will be submitted to the IRCC afterward.

Processing times for study applications will vary by country, but you can check the processing times online. If you are required to provide biometrics, the time you need to submit them is not included in the processing time.

Remember to check your MyCIC account periodically as this is where the IRCC will contact you if they require anything further to continue processing your application.

Once your application has been approved you will receive a Letter of Introduction. This is not your study permit. You will show this letter to the CBSA officer when you arrive at the Port of Entry and your study permit will be printed for you there. Make sure to look over your study permit for errors as soon as possible.

If you are from a country that requires an eTA, your letter of introduction will include information about your eTA and be linked to your passport.

If you are from a country that requires a visa, you will be given information on where to send your passport for the visa to be affixed into it.

For more detailed information on the process of applying for your study permit you can visit the IRCC website. 

Amendments to your study permit only apply to any errors made by IRCC when you were issued your documents. Error example: if you are eligible to work in Canada, but your study permit says you may not work or accept employment.

Go over your documents when you receive them to make sure the information is correct. If there are any errors in your personal information in your immigration documents, you must submit a request for an amendment when you arrive in Canada.

Changes in Contact Information

If your contact information has changed, you must contact the Government of Canada.

To extend your study permit, you must apply from within Canada.

• Apply online through your IRCC secure account. 
• In person at a Service Canada location.

Timelines

Be sure to apply to extend your study permit three months before your current study permit expires.

Supporting Documentation

Whether applying online or in person to extend your study permit, you must have the following supporting documents:

• Copy of a valid study permit
• Copy of your passport
• Passport-style digital photo (for online applications)
• Verification of enrolment for the next academic term (if available) or for your current term (applicable to current students only).
• Proof of means of financial support, which includes showing you have a minimum of $10,000 CAD per year, plus tuition. Proof may include a combination of:
  • A current official letter from your bank showing your account balance; or
  • An official letter stating a scholarship; or
  • A letter of financial support from a sponsor (such as a parent or friend); and
  • A current official letter from their bank showing they have money that meets the minimum requirement.

When you apply online to extend your study permit, be sure you are using the newest form. For online applications, log in through the IRCC website before starting your application.

Cost to Extend Study Permit

It will cost $150 CAD to extend your study permit.

Check the Processing Time

To ensure you will get your study permit renewed on time, be sure to check the processing times.

The information below explains the different areas of IRCC forms and definitions of terms.

UCI: This stands for unique client identifier, which is also knows as the client ID. It is an eight-digit number that appears on your study permit (and work permit, if you have one).

DLI: This stands for Designed Learning Institute. Laurier is a DLI and our DLI number is O19395164307 (Note: the number starts with the letter O and not the number zero). You may be asked by IRCC to provide this number when you apply for a permit or a visa.

Document number: This appears on official immigration documents, like study permits. It is usually printed in black with a letter (an F indicates a study permit) followed by a nine-digit number.

Duration of expected study: When filling in this section, write the current date in the “from” field, and write the expected completion date of your studies in the “to” field. You can add 90 days to the expected completion date, as you can remain in Canada for 90 days after completing your study. You are also able to apply for your post-graduation work permit during the 90 days after your studies are complete.

Employment section: If you don’t have a job, you can write “student” under Current Activity/Occupation.

Question 2(c) - Background Information: If you have applied for a study permit, a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or a work permit, you must report this to IRCC. Check the Yes box next to each document you have applied for, and list when you applied for each document in the box provided.