Study in Canada
Canada Study Permits: Requirements, Extensions & What Comes After
A study permit is permission to study at a designated learning institution in Canada. For many people it is also the first step in a much longer sequence — study, then work, then permanent residence — and the choices made at this stage constrain every stage that follows.
- Reviewed by Harshmeet Pal Singh, RCIC · CICC R708583
- Last reviewed: 2026-09-19
The 30-second answer
What do I need for a Canadian study permit?
A letter of acceptance from a designated learning institution, proof that you can pay tuition and support yourself and any accompanying family members, identity documents, and in most cases a provincial or territorial attestation letter. You must also satisfy the officer that you will leave Canada at the end of your authorised stay, and be admissible on medical, criminal and security grounds. Study permit intake has been capped in recent years, so requirements should be checked against current IRCC guidance rather than older advice.
What you need, in practice
- Letter of acceptance from a designated learning institution
- Provincial or territorial attestation letter, where one is required for your situation
- Proof of financial capacity — tuition, living costs and return travel, for you and anyone coming with you
- Identity and civil documents, including passport and photographs
- Language test results, where your institution or your application route requires them
- Medical examination, where required by your country of residence or intended activity
- A statement of purpose explaining why this program, at this institution, at this point in your life
Intake caps, attestation letters, financial thresholds, work-hour limits and PGWP eligibility have all changed in recent years — several of them more than once. Advice from a friend who applied two years ago, or from a recruitment agent paid by commission, is not a reliable basis for an application. Check current IRCC guidance.
Why study permits are refused
These are the grounds that appear most often on study permit refusal letters.
- Purpose of visit / intention to leave. The officer is not satisfied the applicant will depart at the end of studies. The most common single ground.
- The program does not make sense. A proposed course unrelated to previous education or career, or a step down in level, without an explanation the officer finds convincing.
- Financial evidence. Funds that appeared recently, funds held by someone else, or funds that do not cover the full cost once living expenses are counted.
- Ties to the home country. Particularly where close family are already in Canada.
- Previous refusals or immigration history that is not addressed.
If you have been refused, see refusals and complex cases before reapplying.
RCIC Insight
Students are sold programs, not pathways. A recruiter earns their commission when you enrol, and has no stake in whether that program leads to a Post-Graduation Work Permit three years later. Before you accept an offer, confirm two things: that the institution's program supports a PGWP, and that the field of study meets the requirement that will apply to you. That single check has saved clients years.
Harshmeet Pal Singh, RCIC · CICC licence R708583
Extending, and what happens if you do not
Apply to extend from inside Canada before your current permit expires, with proof of continued enrolment and continued financial capacity. Applying before expiry generally lets you keep studying under your existing conditions while a decision is pending.
If the permit has already expired you have lost status. An application to restore temporary resident status must generally be made within 90 days of losing status, and the person must have continued to meet the conditions of the status they are restoring. See restoration of status.
After you graduate
The Post-Graduation Work Permit is the bridge from studying to working, and from there to permanent residence. It has strict eligibility conditions, a 180-day application deadline, and it can only be issued once in a lifetime.
Government fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Study permit, including extensions | CAD $150 |
| Restore status as a student All-in; includes the study permit fee | CAD $396.25 |
| Biometrics, per person | CAD $85 |
Frequently asked questions
Why are Canadian study permits refused?
Most often because the officer is not satisfied the applicant will leave at the end of their studies, because the proposed program does not make sense against the applicant's education and career history, or because the financial evidence does not establish that tuition and living costs can be met.
Unexplained large deposits, a program unrelated to previous study or work, and a vague statement of purpose are the usual contributors. Each can be addressed — but before applying, not after.
Can I work while studying in Canada?
Many study permit holders may work on or off campus without a separate work permit, subject to conditions including limits on hours during academic sessions.
These conditions have changed more than once in recent years, and the conditions that apply to you are printed on your own permit. Read it rather than relying on what another student tells you — working beyond what your permit allows is unauthorised work, and it affects far more than the current permit.
How do I extend my study permit?
Apply online from inside Canada before your current permit expires, with proof of continued enrolment and continued financial capacity. Applying before expiry generally lets you keep studying while a decision is pending.
If it has already expired, you have lost status and must apply to restore it, generally within 90 days. See restoration of status.
Can my spouse come with me and work?
Eligibility for spousal and family open work permits has been narrowed. Availability now depends on the principal applicant's status, occupation and program, so it must be assessed case by case.
In short: do not assume a spousal open work permit will be available because it was for someone else. Check it against your specific program and level before you make family plans around it. See work permits.
Does studying in Canada lead to permanent residence?
Not automatically, and it is important to be clear about that. Studying creates the opportunity to build Canadian work experience, which is what most permanent residence programs actually value.
The sequence that works is: an eligible program, a PGWP, skilled work in an occupation that counts, then Express Entry or a provincial nomination. Each step has its own requirements, and a failure at any one of them stops the sequence.
Plan your studies with the whole pathway in mind
Tell us what you intend to study and where you are now, and receive your free Canada Immigration Roadmap covering the permit, the PGWP consequences and what comes after.