Maintained Status vs Out of Status
Maintained (previously called Implied) Status Out of Status
  1. If you are in Canada and you submit an application to extend your study permit (IMM 5709 form) before it expires:
    1. You are considered to have a maintained status,
    2. You can continue studying (and working) under maintained status until you receive a decision on your study permit extension application as long as you remain in Canada from the date your study permit expires.
  2. To obtain maintained status, you must submit an application to extend your stay in Canada as a student from inside Canada by 11:59:59 pm Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) on the date your study permit expires.

If you lose your student status, you are not authorized to study (or work) in Canada until you obtain a new study permit. There is no 90 day grace period.

You can lose your status as a student (i.e., you will be considered out of status) if you are in Canada and:

  1. You do not apply to extend your study permit before it expires.
  2. Your study permit extension application is refused after the expiry date of your previous study permit.
  3. Your study permit has not yet expired but you are no longer registered – e.g., you withdraw (or are withdrawn) from McGill, you are unable to register due to time limitation, etc.
    1. Your study permit becomes invalid on the day that you are no longer enrolled at the designated learning institution that is named on your permit (other than as a result of completing your studies).

If you lose your status, you may be able to apply to restore your student status.

  1. You must apply for restoration within 90 days of losing status. 
  2. You must be in Canada in order to be eligible to apply to restore your status. 
  3. If you leave Canada while the restoration application is processing, you will need to withdraw the application and submit an outside Canada study permit application instead.
  4. You are not authorized to continue to study (or work) while waiting for a decision on your application to restore your status as a student.
  5. See IRCC’s Restoration of temporary resident status for more information.

For both study permit extension and restoration applications, you must include a valid CAQ that covers the period you wish to extend your study permit for.

Contact ISS right away if:

  1. You have lost your status as a student, i.e. you are out of status.
  2. You are not enrolled for an academic term (gap term) - other than as a result of completing your studies. 
  3. You are considering dropping or withdrawing from all of your courses (or you already have).  
  4. You receive an “Intention of refusal” letter from Immigration Quebec while renewing your CAQ.
  5. You are concerned that you may not receive your new CAQ before your study permit expires.
  6. Your study permit application is refused.
  7. You are planning on travelling outside of Canada and:
    1. You currently have maintained status,
    2. You are currently out of status and have applied for restoration, or
    3. Your study permit will expire while you are outside of Canada.

Still have questions or concerns?

Contact International Student Services!

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Related Content:

Expired Immigration Documents
Renewing Immigration Documents
Restoring Status (IRCC)