While you study

While you’re studying in Canada as an international student, you must meet the conditions of your study permit and keep your profile information updated in your online account. If your study program is ending soon, you also need to know how long you can stay in Canada and what to do if you plan to stay longer.

On this page

• Updating your profile information
• Changing the conditions of your study permit
• How long your study permit is valid
• Staying in Canada after you graduate

Updating your profile information

If information in your profile changes, you must update it in your online account.

You may need to update your profile if you

• need to update documents or your contact information

Changing schools

Before you change your school, you must meet all the conditions of your study permit. This means you must be

• enrolled at a designated learning institution (DLI) and
• actively studying at that DLI

You need to follow our instructions if you are changing schools at the post-secondary level.

In addition, if you are in a co-op program and are changing to a co-op program at a different school, you must apply for a new co-op work permit.

If you were accepted to a new DLI for the Winter or Spring 2025 semester (starting from January 1, 2025 to May 1, 2025)

You can start studying at your new DLI if you

• have been accepted to a DLI for the Winter or Spring 2025 semester (starting from January 1, 2025 to May 1, 2025), and
• have applied for a study permit extension, and
• have a study permit that remains valid and that doesn’t have the DLI name printed on it, and
• meet all your existing study permit conditions

If you meet these criteria, you may start attending the new DLI you wanted to transfer to while your study permit extension is being processed.

If your DLI loses its designated status

If the DLI you’re studying at loses its designated status

• you can keep studying until your current study permit expires
• you won’t be able to extend your permit unless the institution has been re-designated by its province or territory
• you will not be able to apply for a study permit extension to begin a new program at a de-designated institution
• you can apply for a study permit extension to change DLIs
  • As long as you are in one of the eligible situations, you are allowed to begin studying at your new DLI right after you apply, rather than wait for your study permit extension to be approved.

If your DLI is placed on the suspension list

If the DLI you’re studying at is placed on the suspension list

• you can keep studying until your current study permit expires
• you will be able to extend your study permit to complete your current program, if necessary
• you will not be able to apply for a study permit extension to begin a new program at a suspended DLI
• you can apply for a study permit extension to change DLIs
  • As long as you are in one of the eligible situations, you are allowed to begin studying at your new DLI right after you apply, rather than wait for your study permit extension to be approved.

Learn more about changing schools.

Updating your contact information or documents

Contact information

You must keep the contact information on your study permit up to date. If your contact information changes, use our web form to update it.

Medical exams

If you plan to leave Canada while you’re studying, you’ll need a new immigration medical exam (IME) to return if

• you’re from a country that requires a valid IME to enter Canada and
• your IME has expired or will expire while you’re outside of Canada

Find out if you need an IME to return to Canada as an international student.

Changing the conditions of your study permit

If you want to change a condition on your study permit, you must apply.

Find more information about your study permit conditions.

How long your study permit is valid

A study permit is usually valid for the length of your study program, plus an extra 90 days. The 90 days let you either

• prepare to leave Canada or
• apply to extend your stay

The amount of time you can stay in Canada after you’ve completed your studies depends on whether

• you’re taking prerequisite courses
• your study permit will expire before you finish your studies
• you’ll finish your studies before your study permit expires

If you’re taking prerequisite courses

If your school asks you to take courses before they accept you into the main program (you have conditional acceptance), your study permit will be valid for the length of those courses plus 1 year.

When you get accepted into the main program, you must apply to extend your stay as a student.

If your study permit will expire before you finish your studies

If your study permit will expire before you finish your courses, you must apply to extend your stay as a student.

If you don’t, you’ll need to stop studying and leave Canada.

If you’ll finish your studies before your study permit expires

If you finish your studies early, your study permit will stop being valid 90 days after you complete your studies, no matter what day is printed on the study permit.

Your studies are officially completed on the date your school first notifies you by any of the following:

• completion letter
• transcript
• degree or diploma

You must provide proof of the date your school notifies you or the date you get your degree, diploma or certificate. If you don’t have proof, we’ll use the earliest issue date on the document. We may confirm this date with your school.

Staying in Canada after you graduate

You may be able to work temporarily or live permanently in Canada after you graduate.