Study Permit - FAQs

No. As your purpose to come to Canada is to study and not to visit, you must have a valid CAQ, a Port of Entry “Letter of Introduction” (the letter from Immigration Canada confirming that your study permit has been approved), and an electronic travel authorization (eTA). Your electronic travel authorization (eTA), will be automatically issued to you once your study permit application is approved. You can verify if you are TRV-exempt (eTA eligible) by referring to the IRCC webpage.

We do not recommend that you travel to Canada to gain admission as a student until you have all of the required immigration documents listed above. Exception: One term exchange students are exempt from requiring a CAQ and study permit.

Furthermore, in order to start your classes, you must have both (1) a valid CAQ and (2) a valid study permit. Your study permit document will be issued to you only once you present your Letter of Introduction to the border agent upon arrival in Canada.

NOTE: US citizens and permanent residents can apply for their study permit at the Port of Entry (POE) upon entering Canada but should have a valid CAQ when doing so.

If, despite the above, you decide to travel to Canada without the required immigration documents, your entry into Canada will be at the discretion of the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) Agent. As an incoming student, you must explain your intention to enter Canada as a student and show proof that you have applied for your study permit and that it is being processed. The following scenarios are then possible:

• You may be denied entry to Canada and have to return home immediately.
• You may be allowed to enter as a visitor. If you are admitted as a visitor, you will not be authorized to start your studies until you have received both your CAQ and your study permit. Once you obtain your Letter of Introduction (from Immigration Canada) via your online account, you will have to exit and re-enter Canada by flight (not at US/Canada land border) to have your actual study permit document issued.
• You may be allowed to enter Canada as a visitor, but your passport may be seized and you may be given a deadline by which you must present your Letter of Introduction at the border or depart Canada. Again, you will not be authorized to start your studies until you have received both your CAQ and your Study Permit. Once you obtain your Letter of Introduction (Immigration Canada) via your online account, you will have to exit and re-enter Canada by flight (not at US/Canada land border) to have your actual study permit document issued.

In general, we do not recommend that students miss more than one or two weeks of classes as a late start may negatively impact your academic record. Please see information about key academic dates including the course add/drop deadline and withdrawal deadlines (with/without refunds).

If it becomes increasingly evident that you will not be able to arrive within a reasonable amount of time after the start of class, you may decide to defer your admission to a future semester. You must make an official request for deferral before the deadline. 

Yes, international students must apply and be approved for a new study permit before* starting their studies at McGill. This includes international students who recently graduated from CEGEP in Canada and still hold a valid study permit.

*Please note, only international students in certain situations may be eligible to start their studies at their new institution while their study permit application is processing. Most students will not meet the criteria to study while their application is processing. For this reason, we encourage to you apply for your new study permit as soon as possible.

Visit the IRCC website for more details.

It depends.

In order to start studying at McGill with your high school study permit, you must do all of the following:

1. Apply for and obtain a CAQ for Bachelor level studies (premier cycle. Your CAQ will also act as your Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL).
2. Submit an application to extend your study permit from inside Canada and include your CAQ/PAL. You must do this:
   1. Before you start your program at McGill; and
   2. Before your high school study permit becomes invalid. Your high school study permit will become invalid 90 days after you complete your high school studies or on the date it expires, whichever date comes first.

You may continue to study at McGill after the expiry of your high school study permit, while waiting for the approval of your study permit renewal, as long as you have maintained status and remain in Canada.

Most study permit applicants from outside Canada will need to provide biometrics.

US citizens are exempt from the requirement to provide their biometrics when applying to come to Canada to study.

All other foreign nationals applying to extend their stay in Canada as a student must provide their biometrics unless they are exempt or have already provided their biometrics within the past ten years.

There is a fee of $85 CAD to have your biometrics collected.

If you are not exempt and have not provided your biometrics in the past 10 years, then you will be required to provide your biometrics when applying for your study permit and will receive a Biometrics Instructions Letter with more details from IRCC. Your study permit application cannot be finalized until IRCC receives your biometrics.

It depends.

You are required to have proof of valid immigration medical examination results when entering Canada if you have resided in a designated country or territory for more than 6 months within the past year, OR if you will work in a position in which public health must be protected, for example as:

• a medical student
• a student in a health sciences field who will have placements in health-care or home-care settings
• an education student who will have placements in primary or secondary schools

The requirement to have valid immigration examination results applies to ALL students, regardless if you are a returning student entering Canada with a valid study permit OR a new student entering Canada with a study permit approval letter (letter of introduction). If your medical exam will no longer be valid (i.e., the results are more than 12 months old) when you plan to enter Canada, you will need to complete another medical exam before travelling to Canada.

IRCC may contact you to inform you that your medical exam is no longer valid, but in some cases, you may not receive a correspondence letter from IRCC. Should this be the case then you must follow the instructions for upfront medicals and submit proof of having done your medical via the IRCC Web Form.

It is a student’s responsibility to ensure that they meet all the requirements to enter Canada. If you are unsure if you need to redo your medical exam, you should contact IRCC via their webform.

You can apply for your documents under either nationality, however there are certain advantages to applying under your French nationality for your CAQ and your US nationality for your study permit.

French citizens are exempt from the international tuition fee. Therefore, when applying for your immigration documents and providing proof of your financial capacity, you should include proof of your French citizenship in order to prove why you are exempt from the international tuition fee.

If you are a US citizen or US permanent resident, you can apply for your study permit directly at the port of entry (land or air border between Canada and the US) and therefore should apply for your study permit with your US passport or US permanent resident card.

While you may be applying under one nationality for your CAQ and another for your study permit, it is still recommended to include proof of your dual nationality in both applications for the reasons mentioned above.

If you are a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident, you may apply for your study permit online or at a port of entry (POE). Note the issuance of the study permit at the POE will be at the discretion of the border officer, see our study permit guide for a list of documents you should bring when applying at the POE.

NOTE: U.S. permanent residents applying for a study permit online or at a POE must provide biometrics. Those applying for their study permit at a POE will be able to provide their biometrics at the POE.

No. In order to apply for your study permit, you must have a valid passport. If you have not yet applied for your passport, you should do so immediately and request expedited processing of your passport.

IMPORTANT: The expiry of your study permit and temporary resident visa (TRV) or eTA is dependent on the expiry of your passport; these documents generally cannot be issued past the expiry of your passport.

Starting November 8, 2024, you must be enrolled in the designated learning institution (DLI) named on your study permit.

If you are currently outside of Canada and your study permit application has not yet been approved, you can submit your letter of admission from McGill and your CAQ approval letter via the IRCC Web form to inform Immigration Canada of the change. However, if your study permit application has already been approved, you must submit a new study permit application with your letter of admission from McGill and your CAQ approval letter. You must wait until your new study permit is approved before entering Canada to start your studies at McGill.

If you are currently inside of Canada with a valid study permit and you are attending another post-secondary institution (including CEGEP), you must apply and be approved for a new study permit before* starting your program at McGill.

*Please note, only international students in certain situations may be eligible to start their studies at their new institution while their study permit application is processing. Most students will not meet the criteria to study while their application is processing. For this reason, we encourage to you apply for your new study permit as soon as possible.

NOTE: If your CAQ was issued to you for a different institution before December 6^th 2024, you may still use it for your studies at McGill if the CAQ is for the same level of studies as your new program at McGill. For example, if your CAQ is for Université - premier cycle, you may use it to complete your undergraduate studies at McGill. If it is for Université - deuxième or troisième cycle, you may not use it for your undergraduate studies as these are for Master’s and Doctorate studies, respectively.

If your CAQ was issued to you for a different institution on or after December 6^th 2024, you may not use it for your studies at McGill, even if the CAQ is for the same level of studies as your program at McGill.

It depends.

Your study permit or Port of Introduction letter (i.e., your study permit approval letter) will remain valid until the date of its expiry. You will not need to apply for a new study permit and you can use your study permit approval letter to travel to Canada to begin your studies as long as you do so within the validity period indicated in the letter. Your actual study permit document will be issued to you at the Port of Entry upon arrival to Canada.

Your study permit is not level specific. You may therefore use it to begin your graduate level studies (within the same designated learning institution) for as long as it remains valid. You will have to renew it before it expires as you must have a valid study permit for the entire duration of your studies in Canada. 

IMPORTANT: Your CAQ is level specific, which means you will need a different CAQ for undergraduate, master and doctoral studies even if you have a valid study permit. You will therefore need to apply for and obtain a new CAQ before starting your graduate studies. When applying for your new CAQ, please follow the CAQ renewal guide as your application will be considered an extension and not a first CAQ application.

It depends where you are applying for your Study Permit:

• If you are applying for a Study Permit outside of Canada, your TRV is included in the same application and you are exempt from paying the TRV application fee. 
• If you are applying to renew your Study Permit inside Canada, you will have to wait to receive the new Study Permit before you apply for your new TRV.  Read the TRV application guide for instructions.

Applying to extend your study permit without your CAQ should only be done in exceptional circumstances. Students should apply for their new CAQ at least three months prior to the expiration of their study permit to ensure it is issued with ample time to submit their study permit extension application. That said, should you find yourself in a situation that requires you to apply to extend your study permit without yet having your CAQ, please read the below information carefully.

IMPORTANT: If you submit an application to extend your stay in Canada as a student without a valid CAQ, your application may be refused or rejected as incomplete*, as having a valid CAQ is a required document when applying for your study permit. The decision to keep your application open until you have submitted your CAQ will be at the discretion of the Immigration Agent processing your file. For this reason, we suggest that you wait as close to the expiry date of your study permit (i.e. 2-3 days before your study permit expires) to submit your application with proof of your CAQ.
*If your application is rejected as incomplete, it is as if the application was never submitted and you would not have maintained status after your study permit expires.

The deadline to submit an application to extend your study permit is 11:59pm Coordinated Universal Time (or UTC) on the last day of your study permit’s validity. For example, if your study permit is valid until August 31, 2025, you would have until 11:59pm (UTC) on August 31, 2025 to submit your study permit extension.

You must submit an application to extend your study permit using the IRCC secure account before your current study permit expires to maintain your status in Canada as a student. If you do not apply to extend your study permit from inside Canada before it expires, you will lose your status as a student and cannot study until you obtain a new study permit.

NOTE: If you lose your status as a student, you have 90 days from the day your study permit expired (or was refused, if applicable) to apply to restore your status as a student. Please see our Maintained Status vs Out Of Status information page for more details.

The following are the instructions you should follow in order to apply to extend your study permit if you have not yet obtained your CAQ, and which documents to include in lieu of your CAQ with your online application.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In the field requesting your new CAQ, upload a Cover Letter explaining when you applied for your CAQ, why you are applying without your CAQ and request that the Immigration Officer holds off on processing your study permit application until you have uploaded your new CAQ via the IRCC web form.
2. Your Cover Letter (Sample draft):

To whom it may concern,

I am a returning student at McGill University pursuing a degree in [PROGRAM]. As you can see from my attached documents, I applied for my new Certificat d’acceptation du Québec (CAQ) on [DATE] and it is currently being processed.

OPTIONAL: Include reasons why you have not yet obtained your CAQ.

Because I would like to ensure that I obtain maintained status, I am applying for a Study Permit without my new CAQ approval letter. As soon as I receive my CAQ approval letter, I will upload it via the IRCC Web Form. I am requesting that you allow my file to remain open until I submit my CAQ.

If you need to contact me, you can reach me at [YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS] and/or [YOUR PHONE NUMBER].

3. You also need to include a screenshot of your online application summary for a new CAQ that shows all of the relevant dates for your application including the date you applied, the date you paid and any other milestones such as the dates your documents were received by Immigration Quebec; and
4. CAQ - Document checklist; and
5. CAQ – Application Summary and Arrima Account Summary; and
6. Proof of payment for your new CAQ; and (if applicable);
7. If you have received an Intention to Refuse letter, you can include this as well.

All the above documents can be merged into one PDF and uploaded in the field for your CAQ.

Once you submit your study permit application, it will be pending until an officer opens the application.

What to do once your CAQ has been approved

As soon as your new CAQ has been approved, you must send your CAQ Approval Letter to Immigration Canada so that they may add it to your pending study permit application via the IRCC Web Form. You should not wait for Immigration Canada to request your CAQ as they do not always do so.

• If Immigration Canada sends a Request Letter asking for your new CAQ and you still do not have it, follow the instructions in that letter to request an extension to the deadline to provide your new CAQ.
• If Immigration Canada sends a Request Letter asking for your new CAQ and you have already submitted it via the IRCC Web Form, follow the instructions in the letter and submit your new CAQ again.

If your study permit application is refused, please book an appointment with an ISS advisor as soon as possible.

As of November 8^th 2024, if you withdraw from McGill, your study permit will automatically become invalid on the date you are no longer registered.

If you have not completed your program and do not register for a term of study, your study permit will become invalid as of the end date of your last registered term.

If you plan to re-enroll in a future term at McGill, you would need to apply and be approved for a new study permit before you can start your studies again. Because processing times can be long, it is therefore important to begin your new application as soon as you have been readmitted or have proof of your re-enrollment.

The Summer term is considered a university scheduled break for most undergraduate and some non-thesis students. Therefore these students will not lose their study permit validity if they are not enrolled in the Summer term. However, if you will not be returning to your studies in the Fall term following the Summer break, your study permit will be deemed invalid as of the end date of the previous Winter term.

Students who are taking a Leave of Absence (LOA) term are still considered to be enrolled at McGill and therefore their study permits will remain valid during their LOA term. Students who are enrolled for more than one consecutive Leave of Absence terms should reach out to our office.

If you are thinking of withdrawing or not enrolling for a future term, please contact our office as soon as possible for further assistance.

It depends.

US citizens are exempt from the requirement to provide their biometrics when applying to come to or extend their stay in Canada temporarily.

All other foreign nationals applying to extend their stay in Canada as a student must provide their biometrics unless they are exempt, or have already provided their biometrics within the past ten years. 

There is a fee of $85 CAD to have your biometrics collected.

If you are not exempt and have not provided your biometrics in the past 10 years, then you will be required to provide your biometrics when applying to extend your study permit from inside Canada and will receive a Biometrics Instructions Letter with instructions on how to do so from IRCC.

Your study permit extension application cannot be finalized until IRCC receives your biometrics.

See IRCC’s website for full details on who is required to provide their biometrics when applying to come to or extend their stay in Canada temporarily.

It depends.

You are required to have proof of valid immigration medical examination results when re-entering Canada if you have resided in a designated country or territory for more than 6 months within the past year.

The requirement to have valid immigration examination results applies to ALL students, regardless if you are a returning student re-entering Canada with a valid study permit OR a new student entering Canada with a study permit approval letter (letter of introduction). If your medical exam will no longer be valid (i.e., the results are more than 12 months old) when you plan to enter Canada, you will need to complete another medical exam before travelling to Canada.

IRCC may contact you to inform you that your medical exam is no longer valid, but in some cases, you may not receive a correspondence letter from IRCC. Should this be the case then you must follow the instructions for upfront medicals and submit proof of having done your medical via the IRCC Web Form.

It is a student’s responsibility to ensure that they meet all the requirements to enter Canada. If you are unsure if you need to redo your medical exam, you should contact IRCC via their webform.

You can apply for your documents under either nationality, however there are certain advantages to applying under your French nationality for your CAQ and your US nationality for your study permit.

French citizens are exempt from the international tuition fee. Therefore, when applying for your immigration documents and providing proof of your financial capacity, you should include proof of your French citizenship in order to prove why you are exempt from the international tuition fee.

If you are a US citizen or US permanent resident, you may be able to apply for your study permit directly at the port of entry (land or air border between Canada and the US) and therefore could apply for your study permit with your US passport or US permanent resident card. However, under new rules regarding applying for the study permit at the port of entry, international students already in Canada must submit their study permit applications online.

While you may be applying under one nationality for your CAQ and another for your study permit, it is still recommended to include proof of your dual nationality in both applications for the reasons mentioned above.

If you are a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident, you may be able apply for your study permit online or at a port of entry (POE). Note the issuance of the study permit at the POE will be at the discretion of the border officer, see our study permit guide for a list of documents you should bring when applying at the POE.

IMPORTANT: Under new rules regarding applying for the study permit at the port of entry, international students already in Canada must submit their study permit applications online.

NOTE: U.S. permanent residents applying for a study permit online or at a POE must provide biometrics. Those applying for their study permit at a POE will be able to provide their biometrics at the POE.

It depends.

If you leave Canada while your study permit extension application is processing, you may lose the right to study and work in Canada. You may also be denied entry to Canada.

Before making travel plans, see which example below applies to your situation:
 

1. You plan to return to Canada before your current study permit expires. You can re-enter Canada and resume your studies. You will benefit from maintained status from the date your study permit expires until a decision is made on your application as long as you remain in Canada. Under maintained status, you can continue to study and work as per the conditions of your previous study permit.
    
2. You plan to return to Canada after your study permit has expired – e.g. your study permit expired while you were in Canada or will expire while you are outside of Canada. You will not benefit from maintained status. If you had maintained status before leaving Canada, you will lose this status when you leave Canada. This means that:
   • You will not be authorized to study or work in Canada until your new study permit has been issued.
      
   • You may be denied entry to Canada. If you are allowed to enter Canada, you will not be authorized to study or work in Canada until your new study permit has been issued.
      

NOTE: Your study permit extension application will continue to process even if you leave Canada. Once your application has been approved, the actual study permit will be mailed to the Canadian address you included in your application form. If you require a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) based on your country of citizenship, you will have to apply for one separately, after your study permit has been approved. If you require an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), it will automatically be renewed with your study permit. See IRCC’s website for more information on entry requirements, including TRV and eTA exemptions.

If your immigration documents will expire while you are outside of Canada, you will need to apply for and obtain new ones before returning to Canada to resume your studies. Please see our CAQ Renewal Guide and our Study Permit Renewal Guide (under “Applying for Your Study Permit from Outside Canada”) for more detailed instructions.

You will also need to have a valid eTA or TRV to enter Canada, unless exempt. If you apply for your new study permit from outside of Canada, a new eTA or Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) will be automatically issued at the same time your study permit is approved.
 

Your CAQ will remain valid until its expiry date.

Your study permit will remain valid up until it’s expiry date or:

• 90 days from the date you receive official proof of completion of studies from McGill (see PGWP cheat sheet for more information) OR
• On the date in you are no longer enrolled at your university, besides due to completing your studies (see FAQ's above for more information).

Whichever comes first.

If you were outside of Canada and not enrolled at McGill during an academic term, you may need to be readmitted and apply for a new study permit before resuming your studies. Contact ISS for more information.

In order to enter Canada, you must have a valid CAQ, study permit and Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or eTA.

*Important: Please review our Travel FAQs page before making any plans to travel to Canada

You do not have to apply for a new Study Permit if you change programs within McGill and do not need to inform IRCC of the change in program or level of study. 

Visit the IRCC website for more details.

It depends where you are applying for your Study Permit:

• If you are applying for a Study Permit outside of Canada, your TRV is included in the same application and you are exempt from paying the TRV application fee. 
• If you are applying to renew your Study Permit inside Canada, you will have to wait to receive the new Study Permit before you apply for your new TRV.  Read the TRV application guide for instructions.

It depends. Effective June 27, 2023, IRCC implemented a new temporary public policy measure that allows eligible workers to study in Canada without a study permit. Immigration Quebec is also exempting these eligible workers from the requirement to hold a CAQ.

Who is eligible to benefit from this temporary public policy measure?
To be eligible to study at McGill without a CAQ or study permit under this temporary public policy, you must be authorized to work in Canada with either of the following:

• You hold a valid work permit (initial or extension) that was issued on or before June 7, 2023; or
• You hold a valid work permit (initial or extension) that you applied for on or before June 7, 2023; or
• You hold a letter authorizing you to work while we process your work permit extension application that was submitted on or before June 7, 2023

Who is not eligible to benefit from this temporary public policy measure?
Anyone who applied for their work permit (initial or extension) after June 7, 2023, is not eligible to benefit from this temporary public policy measure.

THINGS TO CONSIDER:

• If you elect to study at McGill without a study permit under this temporary public policy, you will not be eligible for the Post-Graduation Work Permit. You must have a study permit and study full-time to be eligible for the PGWP.
• If you elect to study at McGill without a CAQ and study permit under this temporary public policy, you are not required to be enrolled on a full-time basis. However, please note that departmental policies may still require full-time enrollment as a condition of your program.
• If you’re a worker who is studying full time and considering applying for Permanent Residency, your work experience will not count toward your eligibility for the Canada Experience Class or for gaining Canadian work experience points under the Express Entry’s Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).
• If you’re a worker who is studying full time and considering applying for Permanent Residency, your full-time studies will count toward the Federal Skilled Worker Program adaptability and Express Entry CRS points, but only if you study at a designated learning institution (DLI) that offers PGWP-eligible programs, which McGill is and does.

NOTE: This public policy is in effect until June 27, 2026 and may be revoked at any time, without prior notice. For more details, please visit the Immigration Canada and Immigration Quebec websites.

1. If you meet the eligibility requirements of this temporary policy and you have a valid work permit that you applied for on or before June 7, 2023, you can study without a CAQ and study permit until the earliest of the two following dates:

• the expiry date on your work permit; OR
• June 27, 2026 (the date IRCC’s temporary public policy expires)

2. If you meet the eligibility requirements of this temporary policy, and you had a work permit extension application in progress on June 7, 2023, you can study without a CAQ and study permit until the earliest of the three following dates:

• the expiry date on your approved work permit extension;
• the date your work permit extension application is refused (if applicable); OR
• June 27, 2026 (the date this temporary public policy expires)

You will need to apply for a CAQ and apply for a study permit if:

• Your courses, degree or program length will extend beyond the validity of your current work permit (to cover the period you will be studying after its expiry); or
• Your work permit extension application is refused.

Immigration Canada now requires most international students to obtain a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) to apply for their study permit.

In Quebec, the CAQ will also serve as the PAL. For your CAQ to act as your PAL, it must include the following line:

“This letter of attestation confirms that the applicant has a place in the Québec share of the distribution of study permit applications or that he or she has been exempted."

If you applied for your study permit before 8:30 a.m. ET on January 22, 2024, you do not require the above line on your CAQ.

If you are applying for your study permit after 8:30 a.m. ET January 22, 2024 and have a CAQ without the PAL line, you will need to request an updated CAQ attestation letter from Immigration Quebec via their webform (select “CAQ – Updated Letter of Attestation”) before applying for your study permit.

You can upload your CAQ in both the CAQ and PAL section of the study permit application.

EXEMPTIONS:

• You do not require a PAL if you’re applying for a study permit extension online from inside Canada (IMM 5709) for the same designated learning institution (DLI) and ­level of study as your current study permit. 
• As of January 1, 2026 incoming Masters and PhD students will be exempt from the PAL requirement. 
• All international students who are PAL-exempt still are required to obtain a CAQ. 

Yes, for now, all graduate students are required to provide a PAL for their study permit applications.

As of January 1, 2026 incoming Master's and PhD students will be exempt from the PAL requirement. They will, however, continue to require a CAQ.

NOTE: You do not require a PAL if you’re applying for a study permit extension online from inside Canada (IMM 5709) at the same designated learning institution (DLI) and ­level of study as your current study permit. All international students who are PAL-exempt still are required to obtain a CAQ.

If you are applying for the study permit using the outside of Canada application (IMM1294), you are required to provide a PAL. NOTE: As of January 1, 2026 incoming Masters and PhD students will be exempt from the PAL requirement.

If you are applying to renew your study permit from inside of Canada (IMM5709) but you do not qualify for an exception, you are required to provide a PAL. You are still required to have valid CAQ.

If you have a CAQ that is valid for longer than your current study permit but it does not include the PAL remark, you can request that your CAQ be re-issued with the PAL remark. You can request that your CAQ be reissued for free from Immigration Quebec via their webform (select “CAQ – Updated Letter of Attestation”) before applying for your study permit.

If you qualify for an exception to the PAL, you will be required to provide proof of your exception on your study permit application. If you do not provide proof of your PAL exception, your study permit could be refused.

• In the eligibility questionnaire, for the question, Do you have a provincial or territorial attestation letter or meet an exception from submitting a provincial or territorial attestation letter? ANSWER: Yes, I meet an exception from submitting a provincial or territorial attestation letter.
• Upload Proof of Provincial or Territorial Attestation Letter (PAL or TAL) Exception in your document checklist. 

For a complete list of exceptions to the PAL requirement, see Who doesn’t need a PAL.

EXAMPLE: You do not require a PAL if you’re applying for a study permit extension online from inside Canada (IMM 5709) at the same designated learning institution (DLI) and ­level of study as your current study permit.

As proof of this exception, you can upload as one pdf file:

• A cover letter explaining which exception you qualify for and how you qualify for it. For example:

To whom it may concern,

I am exempt from the PAL requirement as I am applying to extend my study permit from inside Canada in order to continue my studies at the same designated learning institution (McGill University) and at the same level of study (indicate Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD) as my current study permit.

• Proof of Enrolment Letter confirming that you are still enrolled at the same level of study and DLI as your current study permit. *NOTE: Your study permit should indicate “McGill” or “Designated Learning Inst-QC” for the DLI.
• Recent Official Transcripts 
• Copy of your current study permit

IMPORTANT: All international students who are PAL-exempt still are required to have a valid CAQ.