Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): International students

Travel exemptions and restrictions for international students

You need to be eligible to travel to Canada at this time if

• you want to come to Canada to study
• you’re returning to Canada as an international student
• you’re coming to Canada as a family member or support person for an international student

You can find this out by

• answering a few questions to find out if you can travel
• reading the travel restrictions and exemptions for international students

Apply for a study permit

Apply online

If you’re applying for a study permit, you should apply online, whether you’re outside of Canada or already in Canada.

When you apply, you should submit

• the letter of acceptance issued to you by the designated learning institution (DLI) you’ll be attending
• as many of the documents needed for a complete application as possible
• a letter of explanation for any documents that are missing due to COVID-19

If you can’t apply online because of a disability or because there’s a problem with the online application, you can apply on paper.

Problem with the online application

You may not be able to apply for your study permit online. For example, if you currently have visitor status in Canada and your spouse or common-law partner is a NOC C or D worker, you may need to submit your application on paper.

If you plan to study in Quebec, you must provide a valid Quebec Acceptance Certificate or proof that you applied for one.

Applying at the port of entry

In general, you should not apply for a study permit at a Canadian port of entry. You should apply online for a study permit before you travel to Canada.

Only certain people can apply at the port of entry at this time. You may be able to apply at the port of entry if you’re a

• U.S. citizen
• lawful permanent resident of the U.S.
• resident of Greenland
• resident of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon

If you meet one of these requirements, you must have all the documents required to apply for a study permit with you when you arrive at the border. The border services officer who greets you will determine if you’re eligible to enter Canada as a student.

Complying with your study permit conditions

If your in-class courses are temporarily moved to an online-only format or suspended completely because of COVID-19, you’re still complying with your study permit conditions if you

• stay enrolled in your DLI, and
• participate in your studies online, if your DLI offers them

Letter of support for future applications

If, on a future application, an officer asks you for more information about your time studying in Canada, your DLI should provide you with a letter of support to explain how your studies were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you want to stay in Canada longer

You must apply online to extend your stay in Canada.

If your study permit is going to expire soon

If you’re a student, you have 3 options:

1. You may be able to extend your study permit, if you want to continue studying.
2. You may be eligible to apply for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) or a work permit, if you completed your study program.
3. You can apply to change your status to visitor.

You must submit an application for 1 of these options before your study permit expires, or you may need to leave Canada.

If your study permit has expired

If your study permit expires before you apply to extend it, you’ve lost your status as a student in Canada. You may be able to restore your status.

If you’re a visitor who needs a study permit

You can apply online for a study permit if you’re already in Canada as a visitor.

When you apply, you must follow the instructions for applying from outside of Canada. We’ll process your application in the same amount of time as though you’d applied from your home country, outside of Canada.

You can’t start studying until you receive your study permit.

Studying in Quebec

If you want to study in Quebec for longer than 6 months, you must apply for a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ).

When you apply for a study permit to study in Quebec, you’ll need to show us that you’ve applied for a CAQ. To do this, you can submit either

• your official CAQ document (preferred)
• proof that you applied for a new CAQ if you don’t have the approved CAQ when you submit your study permit application
  • If you get your official CAQ after you submit your study permit application, you can submit your CAQ by using your online account or our web form.

Working as a student

As of September 1, 2020, to work in Canada as a student, you must

• be a full-time student
• be enrolled at a DLI
• meet all on-campus and off-campus work eligibility requirements

Co-op work permits

During the COVID-19 outbreak, many international students are studying online from abroad. If your school and employer agree, you can either

• accept a Canadian work placement and begin working remotely from your home country
• work for a company in your home country

If you’re working outside Canada, you can work while we process your study permit and co-op work permit applications.

How to apply for a co-op work permit

How your post-graduation work permit (PGWP) eligibility is affected

If you’re inside Canada

You’re still eligible for the PGWP if

• your in-person classes in Canada have been moved to an online-only format and you are taking your classes online because of COVID-19, or
• you had to put your studies on hold, or study part-time, during the winter, spring or summer 2020 semesters because of COVID-19

As of the fall 2020 semester, you must be studying full-time to be eligible.

If you’re outside of Canada

Find out about the eligibility requirements for students completing their studies online from outside Canada.