Study permit

Study permit is an authorization to legally study in Canada for a given amount of time.

A study permit is an authorization to legally study in Canada for a given amount of time. Anybody planning to study in Canada for a period longer than 6 months needs to obtain a study permit.

In order to be eligible for a study permit, you must satisfy the following requirements:


  • You must have been accepted by a Designated learning institution (DLS) in Canada;

  • You must have the ability to pay for your tuition fees, living expenses and return flight ticket;
  • You must be admissible to Canada;
  • You must intend to leave Canada at the end of your authorized stay.

Please do not hesitate to contact us for more information. 

8 important facts about studying in Canada:

  1. To apply for a study permit, international students need a letter of acceptance from a Designated Learning Intuition (DLI). Please follow this link to view the list of these institutions: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/study/study-institutions-list.asp.
  2. Study permit automatically authorize its holder to work up to 20 hours per week during academic year and full-time during academic breaks, provided he/she: Has a valid study permit; is a full-time student enrolled at a DLI at the post-secondary level; is studying in an academic, vocational or professional training program leading to a degree, diploma or certificate; is enrolled in a program that is at least six months in duration.
  3. All schools must submit regular reports on the academic enrollment status of their international students to IRCC. Students who do not comply with their study permit conditions can be subject to a removal order.
  4. If the official length of your program of study is at least eight months, you may be eligible to apply for a Post-Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) upon completion of your studies. PGWP is an open work permit that authorizes you to work for any employer. If your program is at least eight months but less than two years, you may be eligible for a PGWP valid for no longer than then length of your program. If your program is two years or more, you may be eligible for a PGWP valid for a maximum of 3 years.
  5. Spouses and common-law partners of full-time students enrolled in an academic, vocational or trade program at an eligible post-secondary institution (all public schools and selected private schools) may apply for an open work permit valid for the length of the partner’s study program.
  6. Spouses and common-law partners of PGWP holders are eligible to apply for an open work permit If the principal applicant is employed in an occupation that falls within an NOC skill level 0, A or B.
  7. Students enrolled at an institution that does not appear on the DLI list and students taking solely ESL classes are not eligible for any of the above.
  8. If the official length of your program of study is less than 6 months, you do not need to apply for a study permit.

If you are considering applying for permanent residence, it is necessary to choose your study program wisely. For increasing your chances in getting permanent residency in Canada, we recommend you:

  • register for a program of longer duration than one year;
  • stay away from poor-quality private institutions;
  • enroll at a recognized public institution.

Following these steps will open your door to both Canadian permanent residence and to the Canadian labour market.

BC PNP’s list of eligible BC post-secondary institutions:

Acsenda School of Management
Alexander College
British Columbia Institute of Technology
Camosun College
Capilano University
College of New Caledonia
College of the Rockies
Columbia College
Corpus Christi College
Douglas College
Fairleigh Dickinson University
Justice Institute of BC
Kwantlen Polytechnic University
Langara College
Nicola Valley Institute of Technology
North Island College
Northern Lights College
Northwest Community College
Okanagan College
Royal Roads University
Selkirk College
Simon Fraser University
Thompson Rivers University
Thompson Rivers University, Open Learning
Trinity Western University
University Canada West
University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia – Okanagan
University of Northern B.C.
University of the Fraser Valley
University of Victoria
Vancouver Community College
Vancouver Island University

AINP’ list of eligible AB post-secondary institutions:

Public institutions:

Alberta College of Art and Design
Athabasca University
Bow Valley College
Grande Prairie Regional College
Keyano College
Lakeland College
Lethbridge College
Grant MacEwan University
Medicine Hat College
Mount Royal University
Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT)
NorQuest College
Northern Lakes College
Olds College
Portage College
Red Deer College
Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT Polytechnic)
The Banff Centre
University of Alberta
University of Calgary
University of Lethbridge

Private institutions:

Ambrose University College
Canadian University College
Concordia University College of Alberta
The King’s University College
St. Mary’s University College