Extending Your Study Permit From Inside Canada

The Study Permit

The study permit, issued by Immigration Canada, is a mandatory immigration document for all international students at McGill unless you benefit from a specific exemption (see Who can study without a permit). It authorizes you to study in Canada and grants you your immigration status as a student in Canada.

In order to study in Quebec, you must:

• Hold a valid study permit for the entire duration of your studies (if your study permit will expire before the end of your program, you must apply to renew it)
• Meet the conditions of your study permit for the duration of your studies

If your study permit will expire before you complete your program of studies, you must:

1. Apply to extend it even if you have only one semester left. You must have a valid study permit for the entire duration of your program.
2. Apply to extend it before it expires in order to benefit from maintained status. If you don't do this, you will lose your status as a student in Canada and you will not be authorized to resume studying or working until you obtain a new study permit.
3. Have a CAQ that is valid beyond the expiration date of your current study permit. A study permit is normally issued with an expiration date that matches your CAQ.
4. Have valid biometrics. Check the expiry date of your biometrics. Your new study permit cannot be issued beyond the expiry date of your biometrics.
5. Have a valid passport. Your new study permit cannot be issued past the expiry date of your passport. Ideally, your passport should be valid for the remainder of your studies.

Study Permit Conditions:

You must respect the conditions of your study permit during your studies. These conditions include:

• Being enrolled at a designated learning institute (DLI)
• Actively pursuing your studies
• Applying to extend your study permit to change post-secondary schools
• Applying to extend your study permit, change your status, or leave Canada before your study permit expires.
• Respecting any limits you may have on your ability to work in Canada

Co-op/Internship Work Permit:

If your program includes a mandatory co-op (or mandatory internship, stage, practicum, clinical, field experience, etc.), you must have a co-op work permit (CWP) in order to participate.

Programs that require you to have a valid CWP include, but are not limited to:

• Bachelor of Education
• Bachelor of Nursing
• Some Engineering programs – e.g. Mining Engineering Co-op

For more information, see our Co-op/Internship Work Permit webpage.

When to Apply

If you are inside of Canada:

• You must apply to renew your study permit before your current study permit expires – ideally, 6 months before your current study permit expires.
• Your ultimate deadline to submit your application is at 11:59pm Universal Coordinated Time (UCT) on the date your study permit expires. To avoid delays due to technical issues, do not wait until the last minute
• If your CAQ will expire before or on the same day as your study permit, you must apply to renew your CAQ first. Once your CAQ application has been approved, you can apply to renew your study permit.

Check the current estimated processing time for inside Canada study permit renewals (select Temporary residence (visiting, studying, working) > Study permit extension).

Contact ISS right away if your CAQ and study permit are about to expire and you do not have a new CAQ – e.g. CAQ renewal application is still processing OR you have not yet submitted your CAQ application

How to Apply

You can submit an inside Canada application to extend your study permit (IMM 5709 form) if you are physically present in Canada and you meet one of the following conditions:

• You have a valid study permit
• You have a valid work permit
• You are already in Canada as an exchange or visiting student
• You otherwise meet the conditions to apply for a study permit from inside Canada (see “Who may apply for a study permit from within Canada?”)

Step 1: Fill out the “Check your eligibility” questionnaire.

• To access the questionnaire, register for or log into your existing IRCC Secure Account. Scroll down to Start an Application and click on Apply to come to Canada. You should then be directed to the questionnaire.
• At the end of the questionnaire, you will be provided with your Document Checklist and a personal reference code (save this).

Sample Questions & Explanations (Check your eligibility questionnaire)

• How long are you planning to stay in Canada?
  • Answer “Temporarily – more than 6 months” even if you have only one semester of studies remaining.
• 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” if you will be studying at the same designated learning institution (DLI) and at the same level studies as your current study permit. For information on how to prove your exception, see our Study Permit FAQs > Provincial Attestation Letter
  • Answer “Yes, I have a provincial or territorial attestation letter” if you will be studying at a different DLI and/or at a different level of studies as your current study permit – e.g. you are moving from a Bachelor’s level of studies to a Master’s level of studies. Your new CAQ for your new level of studies will serve as your Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL).

• Do you also want to apply for a work permit?
  • Answer “Yes, I wish to apply for a CoOp Work Permit” only if you are in a program that has a mandatory co-op, internship, stage, field experience component.
• Have you had a medical exam performed by an IRCC authorized panel physician (doctor) within the last 12 months?
  • Answer “Yes” only if you have completed an immigration medical exam (IME) within the last 12 months.
• Do you fit into one of these categories (want to stay in Canada for more than 6 months and have lived in one or more designated countries or territories for more than six months in the past year or intend to work in one of the following jobs > health sciences worker, clinical laboratory worker, patient attendant in nursing or geriatric homes, medical student admitted to Canada to attend university, medical elective and physician on short term assignment, teacher of primary or secondary schools or other teachers of small children, domestics worker, someone who gives in-home care to children, the elderly and the disabled, day nursery worker?
  • Answer “Yes” if you have visited or lived in a country or territory that requires a medical exam for more than 6 consecutive months in the past year or if you wish to work in any of the listed jobs (or related jobs – e.g. babysitting).

Step 2: Complete the “Application to Change Conditions, Extend my Stay or Remain in Canada as a student (IMM 5709)”

The “Application to Change Conditions, Extend my Stay or Remain in Canada as a student (IMM 5709) is a PDF form that is included in the Document Checklist.

For instructions on how to download and complete the IMM 5709 form, see IRCC’s webpage.

If you are having trouble opening the IMM 5709 form, see IRCC’s Help Centre.

Step 3: Collect all of the supporting documents listed on your personalized "Document Checklist"

See our Required Documents section for more information about each required document.

Step 4: Pay the required fees and submit the application

The application processing fee is $150 CAD and must be paid online using a credit card. You may also be required to pay the Biometrics fee of $85 CAD.

Take a screenshot of the payment confirmation screen as proof of payment.

Step 5: Obtain your study permit approval and copy of the study permit in the mail

After your study permit extension application (SP-Ext) has been approved, you will receive an approval notice in your online account (SP-Ext Approval Letter).

Immigration Canada will mail your actual study permit to your Canadian mailing address. If you move, you must inform Immigration Canada of your change in address.

If you do not receive your study permit within 6-8 weeks of receiving your approval notice in your online account, contact Immigration Canada.

Step 6: Send a copy of your new study permit to McGill

After you receive your new study permit, submit a copy to McGill's Legal Documents.

Step 7: (If applicable) Renew your Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to re-enter Canada after a trip to another country.

• If you need a TRV, you must apply separately for your TRV after you have received your new study permit.
• If you need an eTA, it will be automatically issued and linked to your passport once your study permit extension application has been approved.
• U.S. citizens and U.S. permanent residents do not require a TRV or an eTA to enter Canada.

Required Documents

• Application to Change Conditions, Extend My Stay or Remain in Canada as a Student (IMM 5709) form – Complete and validate the form (bar codes will appear once the form is properly validated).

• Proof of Enrolment letter - You can generate this letter yourself on Minerva after you have registered for courses. Upload the Proof of Enrolment Letter in the “Letter of Acceptance” section. Do not upload your original Letter of Acceptance to McGill. If your study permit expires in the middle of a semester and registration is not yet open for future semesters, you can include a Proof of Enrolment Letter for your current semester (for more instructions, see our Study Permit FAQ’s > Current Students.

• A CAQ – Your CAQ must be valid past the date your current study permit expires. Your study permit is generally issued with an expiration date that matches your CAQ expiration date.
• A passport – Your passport must be valid past the date your current study permit expires. If your passport will expire before the expiration date of your CAQ, your study permit will be issued with an expiration date that matches your passport expiration date.
• (Only if applicable) Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) – You will need to include a PAL in your study permit renewal application if you have changed level of study or designated learning institute (DLI).
• (Only if applicable) Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) Proof of Exemption – You will need to include proof that you are exempt from needing a PAL in your study permit renewal application. Please see our Study Permit FAQ’s under Provincial Attestation Letter for more instructions.
• (Only if applicable) Co-Op Letter – Letter from your department or faculty confirming that you have a mandatory work component as part of your program. Upload the letter in the “Evidence of Work Requirement in Study” section.
• (Only if applicable) Proof of upfront medical exam - See Step 1 above for more information.
• (Only if applicable) An explanatory letter and other supporting documents in the “Client Information” section. This is necessary if, for example, you have lost your status and you are applying to restore it; you previously remained in Canada beyond your authorized stay; you previously studied and/or worked without authorization in Canada, etc.
• (Only if applicable) Biometrics - If you have not provided biometrics to Immigration Canada within the past 10 years, you should receive a Biometrics Instruction Letter BIL after you submit your study permit extension application. Immigration Canada must receive your biometrics in order to continue processing your application. (US citizens are exempt from needing to provide biometrics).
• Do not complete the IMM 5257 form (Temporary Resident Visa/Visitor Visa Application). If you require a TRV to enter Canada, you will need to apply for one separately after you obtain your new study permit.

Maintained Status

In order to benefit from maintained status (i.e., the ability to continue to study and work in Canada after the expiration of your study permit), you must:

• Submit a study permit extension application from inside Canada by or before the date your study permit expires. The ultimate deadline to submit your application is 11:59pm Universal Coordinated Time (UCT) on the date your study permit expires; and
• Remain in Canada from the date your study permit expires until you obtain a decision on your application. If you leave Canada while under maintained status, you will lose your authorizations to study/work until you obtain a new study permit.

If you leave Canada while you are under maintained status, your application will continue to process. However, you will lose your authorization to study and work in Canada until your study permit extension application has been approved. If you try to enter Canada without a valid study permit, you may be denied re-entry.

• Once your application is approved, your new study permit will be mailed to the Canadian address indicated in your application.
• To check estimated processing times, select Temporary residence (visiting, studying, working) > Study permit extension

If you are in Canada and you do not submit an application to extend your study permit before it expires, you will lose your student status (i.e., you will be out of status).

Out of Status/How to Restore

If you are in Canada and you do not apply to extend your study permit before it expires, you will lose your student status. You will no longer be authorized to study (or work) in Canada until you obtain a new study permit.

If you are out of status, you must either:

• Apply to restore your status from inside Canada within the 90 day deadline to apply for restoration or
• Leave Canada and apply for a new study permit from outside of Canada.

If you apply for restoration,

• You are NOT authorized to study (or work) while waiting for a decision on your restoration application. There is no “90 day grace period” after your study permit expires during which you may continue studying/working.

• A new study permit will be mailed to you after your application has been approved.
• You must remain in Canada while the application is processing. If you leave Canada while your restoration application is processing, you must withdraw your application and then submit an outside Canada study permit application (IMM 1294).

How to Apply to Restore

Step 1: Complete the online “Check your eligibility” questionnaire

• To access the questionnaire, login to your online account and select "Apply to Come to Canada”
• Answer “Yes” to the question that asks, “Do you want to apply to restore your status?”
• In the “Fees” section of your Document Checklist, you should see a study permit processing fee and a restoration of the status fee.

Step 2: Complete the IMM 5709 form

• See the “How to complete the IMM5709 Form” section above for basic instructions

Additional Instructions for your Restoration Application:

• Top of Form, #3: Check both “Apply for a study permit for the first time or extend my study permit” and “Restore my status as a student”.
• Personal Details, #7:
  • “Status” = select “Other”
  • “Other” = “Out of status”
  • “From” = the first day you were out of status (i.e., the day after your study permit expiration date)
  • “To” = the current date (i.e., date you complete and validate the form)
• Background Information, #2a, “Have you ever remained beyond the validity of your status, attended school without authorization or worked without authorization in Canada?”: You must answer “Yes” to this question and indicate “See explanations attached in the Client Information section”.

Step 3: Upload explanatory documents:

In the "Client Information" section of your Document Checklist, upload:

• An explanatory letter explaining the reason(s) why you lost your status – i.e., explain why you did not apply to extend your study permit before it expired. If you have studied and/or worked without authorization (or if you have the intention to do so) you must declare this and explain your reasons for doing so. Failure to disclose unauthorized studies or work can result in a 5 year exclusion order for misrepresentation.
• (If applicable) Supporting documents that help to explain why you are out of status, studied, and/or worked without authorization.

Study Permit FAQs

Visit our  Study Permit FAQs for more information.