Study Permits, Work Permits and Visas
- International Student Advisors (ISA)
- Study Permit, Work Permit & Visas
IMPORTANT! International students are responsible for maintaining valid immigration documents and legal status in Canada throughout the duration of their program of studies. Students who are out-of-status cannot study or work in Canada.
What is a study permit? |
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When to apply to extend a study permit? | We recommend you apply for a study permit extension at least 3 months before the expiry date of your current study permit. |
Cost (subject to change) |
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Processing time (estimate) | Check IRCC processing times here |
Tips for applying |
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How to extend your study permit via the IRCC website
Complete the eligibility questionnaire in your IRCC account
Hint: From your IRCC account main page, under the ‘Start an application’ section, select the ‘Apply to come to Canada’ option. Next select ‘Visitor visa, study and/or work permit’ option. You can now begin the eligibility questionnaire.
Review the document checklist on your IRCC account and begin completing the application forms and gathering the required documents – the checklist will guide you
At this point, we recommend you register for an application preparation session (currently held via ZOOM). In this help session a member of the Niagara College international team will guide through the initial stages of your application process.
Hint: You will need Adobe Acrobat (free) to be able to open and edit the PDF application forms. You can download here – https://get.adobe.com/reader/.
If you encounter issues downloading and opening the PDF application forms, refer to this guide from IRCC.
A typical document checklist for a study permit extension application:
Note: The IRCC website produces a personalised document checklist for each applicant, this is based on the answers provided in the eligibility questionnaire.
Here are some hints to help you with common questions…
- Click on the (?) icon for more details about the application forms or required documents.
- For ‘Letter of Acceptance’ you should include the following for each situation:
a) If you are currently enrolled in a program, upload your current COE (Confirmation of Enrollment) letter.
b) If you are not yet enrolled in a program, upload your LOA (Letter of Acceptance) for your upcoming program.
c) If you are currently enrolled in a program AND starting a new program soon, upload both your current COE (Confirmation of Enrollment) letter AND your LOA (Letter of Acceptance) for the upcoming program [documents to be merged together as one PDF file]. - The application from (IMM5709) does not need to be printed or signed with a pen. It is a digital form to be completed on the computer and then validated via the ‘validate’ button in the PDF form.
- If you have one of the following IRCC forms on your checklist, you must complete, print and sign with a pen then scan/take a photo to upload a clear copy of the form:
a) Family information form (IMM5707)
b) Use of a family member representative for online applications (IMM5713) - If you require a Confirmation of work term letter (co-op letter), you can locate this in your LOA (Letter of Acceptance) or download from your MyNC Portal.
- We encourage all applicants to include a detailed letter to accompany their application. This letter is your opportunity to include any additional information that would not fit on the application form(s) and/or additional information the IRCC officer may need to know. Here are some examples of information you may wish to include in your letter:
a) Who you are: Name, UCI, current college/program name etc.
b) Include dates/details: When does your program end/start? What level is your program? etc.
c) Who is included in your applications: Is it only you, or are you including family? If yes, what permits are they applying for? e.g. open work permit, study permit etc.
d) Have you explained your financial support? Where are your funds? Who is paying for your studies? What proof did you include?
e) Employment details/history that do not fit on the IMM5709 (application form)
f) Any other relevant information that you think will help the officer make a decision on your application.
Your letter can be in MS word (.doc or .docx) or PDF (.pdf) format and does not need to be signed. Upload your letter to the ‘Client information’ space of the ‘Optional documents’ section.
Complete the application forms and gather the required supporting documents.
At this stage you will be ready to complete the application and we recommend you register for an application validation session.
In the validation session a member of the Niagara College International Student Advising team of certified immigration advisors can work with you to review your application and answer any final questions or concerns you may have.
Disclaimer: The information on this website is produced by the Niagara College team of RCIC (Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants) and RISIA (Regulated International Student Immigration Advisors). It is provided as a guide for Niagara College students and does not constitute or replace individualised advice provided by an RCIC, RISA or immigration lawyer. Applicants should always check the IRCC website to verify the latest information.
What is a Co-op work permit? |
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Who needs a co-op work permit? |
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Cost (subject to change) |
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Processing time (estimate) | Check IRCC processing times here |
Tips for applying |
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How to apply for a Co-op work permit
Complete the eligibility questionnaire in your IRCC account
Hint: From your IRCC account main page, under the ‘Start and application’ section, select the ‘Apply to come to Canada’ blue button. Next select ‘Visitor visa, study and/or work permit’ option. You can now begin the eligibility questionnaire.
Hint: For the question ‘What would you like to do in Canada?’ question, select ‘Work’. For the question ‘Do you have a written job offer?’ you may select ‘no’ – a job offer is not required for a co-op work permit application.
Review the document checklist on your IRCC account and begin completing the application forms and gathering the required documents – the checklist will guide you.
At this point, we recommend you register for an application preparation session (currently held via ZOOM). In this help session a member of the Niagara College international team will guide through the initial stages of your application process.
Hint: You will need Adobe Acrobat (free) to be able to open and edit the PDF application forms. You can download here – https://get.adobe.com/reader/.
If you encounter issues downloading and opening the PDF application forms, refer to this guide from IRCC.
Typical document checklist for a Co-op work permit application:
Note: The IRCC website produces a personalised document checklist for each applicant, this is based on the answers provided in the eligibility questionnaire. Here are some hints to help you with common questions…
- Click on the (?) icon for more details about the form or required documents.
- You can download your Confirmation of Work Term (co-op letter) from MyNC Portal.
- The application from (IMM5710) does not need to be printed or signed with a pen. It’s a digital form to be completed on the computer and then validated via the ‘validate’ button in the PDF form.
- If you have one of the following IRCC forms on your checklist, you must complete, print and sign with a pen then scan/take a photo to upload a clear copy of the form:
a) Family information form (IMM5707)
b) Use of a family member representative for online applications (IMM5713)
Complete the application forms and gather the required supporting documents.
At this stage you will be ready to complete the application and we recommend you register for an application validation session.
In the validation session a member of the Niagara College International Student Advisor team of certified immigration advisors can work with you to review your application and answer any final questions or concerns you may have.
What is a PGWP (Post Graduation Work Permit)? |
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When to apply for a PGWP? |
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Cost (subject to change) |
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Processing time (estimate) | Check IRCC processing times here |
Tips for applying |
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How to apply for a PGWP (Post Graduate Work Permit)
Complete the eligibility questionnaire in your IRCC account
Hint: From your IRCC account main page, under the ‘Start and application’ section, select the ‘Apply to come to Canada’ blue button. Next select ‘Visitor visa, study and/or work permit’ option. You can now begin the eligibility questionnaire.
Hint: For the question ‘What would you like to do in Canada?’ question, select ‘Work’.
For the question ‘Do you have a written job offer?’ you may select ‘no’ – a job offer is not required for a PGWP application.
Review the document checklist on your IRCC account and begin completing the application forms and gathering the required documents – the checklist will guide you.
At this point, we recommend you register for an application preparation session (currently held via ZOOM). In this help session a member of the Niagara College international team will guide through the initial stages of your application process.
Hint: You will need Adobe Acrobat (free) to be able to open and edit the PDF application forms. You can download here – https://get.adobe.com/reader/.
If you encounter issues downloading and opening the PDF application forms, refer to this guide from IRCC.
Typical document checklist for a PGWP application:
Note, the IRCC website produces a personalized document checklist for each applicant based on the answers provided in the eligibility questionnaire. Here are some hints to help you with common questions…
- Click on the (?) icon for more details about the form or required documents.
- The ‘completion of studies letter’ you should upload your COG (Confirmation of Graduation) letter. Note; if you have completed two programs, you would need to include both COG letters merged into one PDF document.
- The ‘recent education transcript’ you should upload a transcript. NOTE: Due to COVID-19 restrictions, PGWP may use the Unofficial COVID-19 grade report in lieu of their official transcript – for more information visit our website. NOTE: if you have completed two programs from Niagara College, both programs will show on the same transcript/grade report. If you have completed two programs with one from Niagara College and one from another school, you would need to include both transcripts/grade reports merged into one PDF document.
- The application from (IMM5710) does not need to be printed or signed with a pen. It’s a digital form to be completed on the computer and then validated via the ‘validate’ button in the PDF form.
- If you have any of the following forms, you need to print them and sign with a pen then scan/take a photo and upload a clear copy of the form:
a) Family information form (IMM5707)
b) Use of a family member representative for online applications (IMM5713) - We encourage all applicants to include a detailed letter to accompany their application. This letter is your opportunity to include any additional information that would not fit on the application form(s) and/or additional information you think the officer may need to know. Here are some examples of information you may wish to include in your letter:
â—‹ Who you are: Name, UCI, what college did you graduate from? What program did you study?
â—‹ Include dates/details: When did your program end/start? What level is your program? etc.
â—‹ Who is included in your applications: Is it only you, or are you including family? If yes, what permits are they applying for? e.g. open work permit, study permit etc.
○ Did you have any unscheduled breaks or anything else the officer may need more information about – this is your opportunity to explain.
â—‹ Employment details that do not fit on the IMM5710 (application form)
â—‹ Any other relevant information that you think will help the officer make a decision on your application.
Your letter can be in MS word (.doc or .docx) or PDF (.pdf) format and does not need to be signed. Upload your letter to the ‘Client information’ space of the ‘Optional documents’ section.
Complete the application forms and gather the required supporting documents.
At this stage you will be ready to complete the application and we recommend you register for an application validation session.
In the validation session a member of the Niagara College International Student Advisor team of certified immigration advisors can work with you to review your application and answer any final questions or concerns you may have.
TIP: For a summary of regulations about working during your final term, after receiving final grades and after graduating please refer to this “Working in your final term” guide.
Disclaimer: The information on this website is produced by the Niagara College team of RCIC (Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants) and RISIA (Regulated International Student Immigration Advisors). It is provided as a guide for Niagara College students and does not constitute or replace individualised advice provided by an RCIC, RISA or immigration lawyer. Applicants should always check the IRCC website to verify the latest information.
What is a TRV or eTA? |
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When to apply for a TRV or eTA? |
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Cost (subject to change) |
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Processing time (estimate) | Check IRCC processing times here |
Tips for applying |
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How to apply for TRV (Temporary Resident Visa)
Complete the eligibility questionnaire in your IRCC account.
Hint: From your IRCC account main page, under the ‘Start an application’ section, select the ‘Apply to come to Canada’ option. Next select ‘Visitor visa, study and/or work permit’ option. You can now begin the eligibility questionnaire.
Review the document checklist on your IRCC account and begin completing the application forms and gathering the required documents – the checklist will guide you.
At this point, we recommend you register for an application preparation session (currently held via ZOOM). In this help session a member of the Niagara College international team will guide through the initial stages of your application process.
Hint: You will need Adobe Acrobat (free) to be able to open and edit the PDF application forms. You can download here – https://get.adobe.com/reader/.
If you encounter issues downloading and opening the PDF application forms, refer to this guide from IRCC.
A typical document checklist for a TRV (Temporary Resident Visa) application:
Note: The IRCC website produces a bespoke document checklist for each applicant, this is based on the answers provided in the eligibility questionnaire. Here are some hints to help you with common questions…
- Click on the (?) icon for more details about the application forms or required documents.
- For ‘Letter of Acceptance’ you should include the following for each situation:
a) If you are currently enrolled in a program, upload your current COE (Confirmation of Enrollment) letter.
b) If you are not yet enrolled in a program, upload your LOA (Letter of Acceptance) for your upcoming program.
c) If you are currently enrolled in a program AND starting a new program soon, upload both your current COE (Confirmation of Enrollment) letter AND your LOA (Letter of Acceptance) for the upcoming program [documents to be merged together as one PDF file]. - The application from (IMM5257) does not need to be printed or signed with a pen. It’s a digital form to be completed on the computer and then validated via the ‘validate’ button in the PDF form.
- If you have one of the following IRCC forms on your checklist, you must complete, print and sign with a pen then scan/take a photo to upload a clear copy of the form:
a) Family information form (IMM5707)
b) Use of a family member representative for online applications (IMM5713) - If you require a Confirmation of work term letter (co-op letter), you can locate this in your LOA (Letter of Acceptance) or download from your MyNC Portal.
Complete the application forms and gather the required supporting documents.
At this stage you will be ready to complete the application and we recommend you register for an application validation session.
In the validation session a member of the Niagara College International Student Advisor team of certified immigration advisors can work with you to review your application and answer any final questions or concerns you may have.
Disclaimer: The information on this website is produced by the Niagara College team of RCIC (Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants) and RISIA (Regulated International Student Immigration Advisors). It is provided as a guide for Niagara College students and does not constitute or replace individualised advice provided by an RCIC, RISA or immigration lawyer. Applicants should always check the IRCC website to verify the latest information.