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How To Extend A Study Permit In Canada?

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If you’re studying in Canada and want to stay a little longer, then you must extend your study permit. A study permit will determine when you start and stop your education in Canada, so it’s important that you look at the top right corner of your permit to see when it expires. 90 days before it expires, you have two options: choose to leave Canada or to extend your stay in Canada because you still have a course or degree to complete. Due to the COVID 19, you might have to apply for the extension due to the unexpected circumstances such as finishing your studies later than you expected. 

But if you’re not affected by COVID 19 and you want to extend your stay in Canada and you’re no longer studying then you can first, shift to a work permit if you are finished with your education and are eligible. Secondly, you can always apply to change your status and stay longer as a visitor. Thirdly, you can leave Canada. 

In this article we look at how to extend a study permit in Canada. 

How To Extend A Study Permit In Canada

Quick Tips

  • Make sure your passport doesn’t expire at the same time. You can’t extend your study permit beyond your passport’s expiry date.
  • You have to apply to extend your study permit at least 30 days or preferably 3 months before your current permit expires. 
  • If you wait until there are only 30 days left, you may have problems renewing it, because the processing takes time and delays have to be accounted for. 
  • The cost is: $150.00 CAD and $85.00 CAD for biometrics, if applicable. 
  • Learn how to apply,
  • Learn when to apply,
  • Learn about the processing terms.

Learn when to apply for an extension: 

  • Apply before your permit expires and you can stay in Canada under the same conditions as your current study permit. This is very important if you’re finishing your studies later than you expected due to COVID. 
  • Your study permit will expire on the date marked on the permit or 90 days after the day you complete your studies, whichever comes first. The 90 days will begin on the date you get the first notification from your school (such as an email, letter, transcript, etc.) that you completed your program or the date you get your degree, certificate or diploma. 
  • You should also apply to extend your study permit if you plan to travel outside of Canada and your permit will expire while you’re travelling. You don’t want to get stuck in an area, unable to come back, because the permit expired. 

My permit has expired, what do I do?

You have lost your student status if you’re still in Canada and

  • the expiry date of your permit passed before you applied
    • for a new study permit
    • for a work permit, or
    • to stay in Canada as a visitor
  • you didn’t respect the conditions of your permit

In some cases, you may apply to restore your status as a student. To apply, you must

  • submit your application within 90 days of losing your status
  • keep meeting the requirements for your stay
  • have met all the conditions listed on your permit, and
  • pay your fees
    • restoration fee 
    • study permit

Learn how to apply for an extension:

There are two ways to apply: Online and Paper. Before you apply to extend your study permit, make sure your school is on the designated learning institution list (DLI). If your school is no longer on the DLI list, you can keep studying until your current permit expires. When you need to extend your study permit, you’ll need to enroll at a DLI. 

The recommended mode of application is the IRCC website, which is the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada website. 

Online Application: 

How applying online helps you: 

  • No courier fees or mail delivery time— get your application instantly.
  • Your application may be processed more quickly.
  • It helps you make sure your application is complete before you submit it.
  • You can quickly submit more documents online (if a request comes suddenly).
  • You get updates on the status of your application directly in your online account.

Step 1: things you need

To apply online, you’ll need:

  • a scanner or camera to create electronic copies of your documents, and
  • a valid credit or debit card. 

Step 2: read the instruction guide

Even if you apply online, you should read the instruction guide before you complete your application. The guide explains how to complete each field on the form.

Step 3: prepare for the answers for the online tool

Before you can upload your forms, you must answer some questions. The answers help to create a personalized document checklist for you.

Step 4: know the fees you have to pay

In most cases, your fees will include processing fees for you and anyone you include on your application. Pay your fees at the end of your application.

Biometrics fee

If you have to give your biometrics (fingerprints and photo), you need to pay the biometrics fee when you submit your application. If you don’t, there may be delays.

Due to COVID 19, all biometrics appointments in Canada and the United States (application support centers) are cancelled until further notice. You’ll have to make a new appointment at a Service Canada office or a United States (US) application support center (ASC) once they start collecting biometrics again. Walk-in biometrics collection is not available at any Service Canada office or ASC. Check the ASC page for updates on closures.

Some visa application centres (VACs) are temporarily closed. If you have a biometrics appointment scheduled at a VAC, check the VAC website before you go. You don’t have to give your biometrics until the biometrics collection site closest to you reopens. Once your local biometrics collection site reopens, make an appointment to give your biometrics as soon as possible.

Ensure to follow all the steps to give your biometrics.

Step 5: create your online account or sign in

You need an account to apply online. You can use your account to:

  • pay your fees
  • submit your application
  • check your status

Paper Application:

You can submit a paper application if either:

  • you can’t apply online because of a disability
  • there’s a problem with the online application

Learn about the processing terms:

Due to the impacts of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the IRCC cannot: 

  • process applications normally
  • provide accurate processing times

They are prioritizing applications from

  • Canadians returning to Canada
  • vulnerable people
  • people who perform or support essential services

If you have an application in progress

  • check the status of your application online
  • make sure your contact information and your application details are up to date

If you want to apply to come to Canada

  • find out about travel restrictions and how to apply.

Study permit extension tips: 

The processing time (109 days for both online and paper) tells you how long it took the IRCC to process the complete applications in the past. Your application may be delayed or returned if it’s not complete. Your processing time starts the day they receive your complete application and ends when they make a decision. 

If it’s been longer than the time shown above since you applied, check your application status. If you don’t see an update, use the contact us page. 

How are processing times calculated?

A processing time starts the day IRCC receives a complete application and ends when they make a decision based on the info you sent.  If you apply by mail, the time starts when your application arrives in the mailroom. If you apply online or in-person, it starts when you submit your application.

For some permanent resident applicants who haven’t applied yet, processing times are projected:

  • Processing times are measured based on the current number of applications waiting to be processed and how quickly it can be done.

For other applicants, processing times are historical:

  • Processing times are measured based on how long it took to process 80% of applications in the past.

This info on how to extend a study permit in Canada may change. As this isn’t an official page for information, the subject we have written about can change, please check the IRCC website to get all the links and online tools needed to extend your stay. Goodluck. 

How can I check if my application has been received?

If we begin to process your application, we’ll send you an acknowledgement of receipt letter or email with an application number.

We don’t send an acknowledgement of receipt until we have opened your application and checked that it’s complete. There may be a delay between the date we receive your application and the date we open it.

Your application will be returned to you if:

  • it’s incomplete
  • fees are missing or
  • it’s received after a program is paused, closed or a cap is reached

Tips to track your application

If you mail your application

Use a courier service that requires a signature when delivered. This gives you a delivery confirmation and allows you to track your package.

For some paper applications, you can get detailed application status and your messages online. You can do this by linking an application to an online account.

If you apply at a Visa Application Centre

VACs offer tracking services that tell you when your application has been received at our offices.

If you apply online

You’ll see a confirmation page after you submit your application. You’ll also receive an email asking you to check your account. A confirmation message with a confirmation number will be in your account. Keep your confirmation number for your records. Please note that it may take a few hours for you to receive an email from IRCC after you’ve submitted your application.

Why are there differences in processing times among regions and offices?

Visa offices face different challenges operating in different countries and regions, and even in different offices within the same region.

We may move applications between our offices to make sure they are processed as efficiently as possible. Your application may not be processed at the office closest to where you live or where you submitted your application.

Processing times may vary based on:

  • the type of application submitted
  • if the application is complete
  • how quickly we process applications we’ve already received
  • how easily we can verify your information
  • how long you take to respond to any request or concerns
  • other factors

What happens after I send in my application?

The IRCC will:

  • review your application to make sure it’s complete
  • once you pay the biometrics fee, send you a letter that tells you how to give your biometrics (if applicable)
  • receive and review your biometrics after you gave them at a collection point (if applicable)
  • decide if you’re allowed to come to or stay in Canada (we could do a background check)
  • decide if you’re eligible to apply to study in Canada
  • tell you how to get a medical exam (if you need one)
  • decide if you need to go to an interview
  • tell you of the decision we make on your application
  • If you applied online, they can contact you through your account.
  • If you applied on paper, they will contact you using the information you gave us.

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