Before you can apply for a Study Permit, you must have been accepted at a recognized school, university or college in Canada.
TO BE ELIGIBLE TO STUDY IN CANADA
- You must have been accepted by a school, college, university or other educational institution in Canada.
- You must prove that you have enough money to pay for your:
- Tuition fees
- Living expenses for yourself and any family members who come with you to Canada, and
- Return transportation for yourself and any family members who come with you to Canada.
- You must be a law-abiding citizen with no criminal record and not be a risk to the security of Canada. You may have to provide a police certificate.
- You must be in good health and willing to complete a medical examination, if necessary.
- You must satisfy a visa officer that you will leave Canada when you have completed your studies.
Exceptions
In some cases, you do not require a Study Permit to go to school in Canada.
If you wish to study in a short-term course or program
You do not need a Study Permit if you plan to take a course or program in Canada that lasts six months or less. You must complete the course or program within the period authorized for your stay in Canada.
Even if you do not need a Study Permit, it is a good idea to apply for a permit before you come to Canada. If you decide that you want to continue your studies in another program after you complete your short-term course or program, you must apply through a Canadian visa office outside Canada for a Study Permit if you do not already have one.
Foreign representatives to Canada
If you are a family member or staff member of a foreign representative to Canada accredited by Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, you may not need a permit to study in Canada. You should contact your embassy in Canada. Your embassy can contact the Office of Protocol at Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada to find out whether you need a Study Permit.
Members of foreign armed forces
If you are a member of a foreign armed force under the Visiting Forces Act, you do not need a permit to study in Canada. If your family members, including minor children, want to study in Canada, they must meet the requirements.
TEMPORARY STATUS: TEMPORARY RESIDENT (VISITOR) VISAS
If you plan to visit Canada, you must:
- Have a valid travel document, such as a passport
- Be in good health
- Convince a visa officer that you have ties, such as a job, home and family, that will take you back to your country of origin
- Convince a visa officer that you will leave Canada at the end of your visit, and
- Have enough money for your stay. The amount of money you will need can vary with the circumstances of the visit, how long you will stay and whether you will stay in a hotel or with friends or relatives. For more information, ask the Canadian visa office in your country or region.
You may also need:
- A Temporary Resident Visa, depending on your citizenship.
- A medical examination, and
- A letter of invitation from a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada who lives in Canada.
Inadmissibility
Some people are inadmissible-they are not allowed to come to Canada. Several things can make you inadmissible, including involvement in criminal activity, in human rights violations or in organized crime. You can also be inadmissible for security, health or financial reasons.
Criminal Inadmissibility
If you have committed or been convicted of a criminal offence, you may not be allowed to enter Canada.
Criminal offences include both minor and serious offences, such as theft, assault, manslaughter, dangerous driving and driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. For a complete list of criminal offences in Canada, consult the Canadian Criminal Code.
If you were convicted of a crime when you were under the age of 18, you can probably still enter Canada.
TEMPORARY STATUS: WORK PERMITS
If you want to work in Canada, you must understand the following important information:
- Your employer helps determine if you are eligible. Your employer may need to submit a Labor Market Impact Assessment (“LMIA”) application for approval from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). A favorable LMIA decision confirms that the employer could not find a Canadian citizen or permanent resident to hire for the job, despite advertising the position at a competitive salary, thus requiring hiring a foreign worker.
- In most cases, one first needs a favorable LMIA decision before applying for a Work Permit.
- To work in Canada, you must meet the general requirements for entering the country and for staying here, in addition to those for getting a Work Permit. This means you may need a Temporary Resident (Visitor) Visa.
- A Work Permit does not allow you to live in Canada permanently. To live here permanently, you must submit an Application for Permanent Residence which is ultimately approved.
- If you want your spouse or common-law partner and your dependent children to come with you to Canada while you are working in Canada, they can apply for temporary status in Canada at the same time you apply for a Work Permit.
Eligibility to apply from outside Canada
To apply for a Work Permit from outside Canada, you must submit the following documents:
- A job offer from a Canadian employer
- A completed Application, that shows that you meet the requirements of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and its Regulations, and
- Written confirmation from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) that the employer can hire a foreign worker to fill the job. This confirmation is called a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment.
- In most cases, it is up to your employer to get that written confirmation. In some cases, you do not need a Labor Market Impact Assessment.
You must also do the following:
- Satisfy a visa officer that you will leave Canada at the end of your Work Permit.
- Show that you have enough money to support yourself and your family while you are in Canada.
- Respect the law and have no criminal record. You may have to provide a police clearance certificate.
- Show that you are not a risk to the security of Canada.
- Be in good health. You may have to have a medical examination.
Eligibility to apply as you enter Canada
You can apply for a Work Permit as you enter Canada, but only if you meet the following requirements:
- You are from the United States, Greenland or Saint-Pierre et Miquelon.
- You do not need a medical examination (or you already have a medical certificate).
- You do not need a temporary resident visa to visit Canada and your job does not need a Labor Market Impact Assessment from ESDC.
- You hold a Labor Market Impact Assessment from ESDC.