Study Permit Extension: How to extend or restore your status?

International students apply for a study permit extension within Canada to continue studying. This extension allows students to extend their current permit and stay beyond their original study permit expiration date. The expiry date is in the top right corner of your permit, which is usually the course duration plus 90 days. Since this expiry date tells you when you must stop studying and leave Canada, it allows students to either leave or extend their stay legally in Canada. The study permit (including extension) fee is $150, and the processing time is 71 days.  

Prospective students must note that ‘study permit’ and ‘student visa’ are two different terms and cannot be used interchangeably. A Study Permit allows students to study at Designated Learning Institutions (DLI) in Canada. The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issues the Study Permit along with a visitor visa or an electronic travel authorization (eTA), but it does not issue a Student Visa. This blog is exclusively to help you how to apply for a study permit extension, including detailed information about when to apply, fees, processing time, etc. 

Table of Contents

• How to apply to extend your Study Permit from within Canada?
• When to extend your study permit?
• Study permit extension checklist
• Study permit extension fee
• Study Permit extension processing time
• What to do if your permit has expired?
• FAQ

How to apply to extend your Study Permit from within Canada?

As discussed, a study permit is not a visa. A Study Permit is the authority to stay in the country and study in the DLI’s (Designated Learning Institutions)  in Canada. The study permit can be extended by applying online. Now, let us see the step-by-step process on how to apply online to extend your study permit from within Canada. 

Step 1: First, you sign up for a CIC account on the Government of Canada website through GCKey or Sign-in partner. Fill in your details and then track the status of your application.
Step 2: Keep the electronic copies of the documents ready and have a valid credit or debit card.
Step 3: Make sure your documents are in English or French language. 
Step 4: Before filling out the form, read the instruction guide to have clarity about the process. 
Step 5: While applying online, one needs to answer certain questions, based on which document checklist is prepared. 
Step 6: After giving all the details at the end of the process, students need to pay fees and complete the process.

If you apply for the study permit extension online, the major advantages include no courier charges, fewer chances of making errors, getting your application status directly in the account, and finally, your application is processed quickly.

However, if one wishes to apply offline/paper, similar procedures can be followed, and mail the documents according to the province you belong to. The criteria to apply on paper are given below:

• You are disabled and cannot apply online 
• Due to a barrier, you cannot apply online, or apply online is unreliable

When to extend your study permit?

You should extend the study permit, at least 30 days before it expires, provided you wish to continue studying in Canada.  Consider the following things before applying:

• Make sure your passport doesn't expire while extending your study permit.
• As long as you stay in Canada, you can continue to study under the same conditions if you apply before your permit expires. 
• If you finish your studies earlier than expected, then the study permit will expire either on the date marked on the permit or on 90 days after completing your studies.

Now you know how to apply and when to apply for a study permit extension. Let's move on to the checklist. 

Study Permit Extension Checklist

Here's a general checklist of items you might need for a study permit extension. If you are providing more documents in a section, combine them into a PDF format before uploading, with a max size of 4MB per file.

• Make sure the documents are in English or French. If your documents are in other languages, then it should be translated into either English or French with an affidavit from the person who completed the translation. 
• Letter of Enrollment  (listed as ‘Letter of Acceptance’ on your MyCIC checklist) - This will give an idea of the remaining time needed to complete the studies and to know about the studies.
• An official bank statement that includes the Canadian Bank’s name and address, followed by your name and address as Proof of Funds is needed to confirm that you can manage your studies and living expenses in Canada for a year. You must show at least $10,000 Canadian Dollars (CAD) (INR 6,13,153), plus an additional $4,000 (₹ 2,45,261) for a spouse/partner, and/or $3,000 (1,83,946 in Indian Rupees) for each additional dependent family member (e.g., baby/child).
• Scanned copy of your passport. This should include the page with the name, Date of Birth (DOB), passport number, and expiry date. Also produce a copy of pages in your passport that has stamps, visas, or markings from either Canada or other countries.
• Latest two photographs of the applicant. It should be taken within 6 months and may be either in black or white in color. Your photo should be neither frowning nor smiling and with your mouth closed.

Here are a few other additional documents that you might need based on specific circumstances.

• Letter of Explanation
• Medical Examination
• Family Information form
• Schedule 1: Application for Temporary Residence [IMM5257B] form
• Biometrics

Download the Study Permit Extension Checklist PDF

Study Permit Extension Fee 

Let us see the fee details for the study permit extension.

If you have applied before the permit expires:

Study permit (including extensions)	CAD $150 (INR 9,223.48)
If Biometrics are added	CAD $85 (INR 5227)

If you have applied after the permit has expired:

To restore your status as a student	CAD $200 (INR 12,299.07)
To get a new study permit	CAD $150 (INR 9,223.48)
Total	CAD $350 (Rs. 21,522.45/-)

Note: You can submit the application only after paying the study permit extension fees.

Study Permit Extension Processing Time 

The study permit extension processing time is 71 days. This processing time is the time taken by the Canadian Consulate to process the extension application. The processing time starts at the time when the consulate receives your completed application and ends when the results are declared.

What to do if your study permit has expired?

If your study permit expired less than 90 days ago, you must apply for a new study permit and restore your status as a temporary resident in Canada. Until then, you are allowed to stay but cannot continue studying. Similarly, students must wait until their status is restored and a new permit has been issued. 

If your study permit has expired more than 90 days ago, you are required to leave Canada immediately. Then, apply for a study permit from outside the country. 

Concluding Remarks

Based on the above information, it’s clear that if you want to keep studying, you can extend your study permit from within Canada. Surprisingly, many Indian students apply for a study permit extension online. On the other hand, when your study permit expires, you should leave Canada. There are chances that your study permit extension application might get rejected or refused. So there are 2 options to do if the study permit extension is refused. They are:

1. You may appeal the refusal.
2. Apply a new form addressing the reason(s) for rejection.

All the above information provided is verified by experts. However, this is not a legal document and the information might change without notice. So always refer to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for the up-to-date information.

FAQs

1. How can I extend my stay as a student?

If you wish to extend your stay as a student in Canada, you must apply 30 days or two months prior to the study permit expiry date. You can apply online or offline with all relevant papers and documents attached.

2. What happens if the permit has expired and awaiting the result of my extension application?

You can continue to stay in Canada if you have applied for an extension before expiry and awaiting results. You are a temporary resident and continue to live and study in Canada as you have maintained the status.

3. What happens if I haven't applied for an extension after my study permit expiry?

In this case, you have lost your status in Canada and no longer can stay in the country. You have 90 days to apply to restore your status and extend your permit. There’s a CAN$ 200 fee to restore your status, as well as a CAN$ 150 fee for the new study permit.

4. How long does it take for a study permit extension?

Generally, a study permit extension takes approximately 71 days (two and a half months). Processing time indicates how long it takes to process the study permit extension application. In exceptional cases, processing times for a Study Permit extension may vary between 40 days if online and 80 days if on paper.

5. How do I extend my study permit from outside Canada?

To extend your study permit from outside Canada, it is required to apply for a new permit similar to when you first applied for a study permit. 
Step 1: Log in to the IRCC online account. 
Step 2: Click on “Apply to come to Canada”.
Step 3: Fill out the online application form and gather supporting documentation.
Step 4: Pay the application fee
Step 5: Submit the application

6. What are the criteria for submitting the Proof of Funds for Study Permit Extension?

The proof of funds is proof that there are enough funds to support your studies and living expenses for a year in Canada. You must have at least $10,000 Canadian Dollars (CAD), plus an additional $4,000 for a spouse/partner, and/or $3,000 for each additional dependent family member (e.g., child).

1. An official signed bank statement with the $10,000 CAD account. 
2. A letter from your parents stating that they are related to you and an assurance that they will financially support you. Also need to provide an official bank statement of your parents, issued by their bank and signed. 
3. A letter from your sponsor or employer stating your relationship and the amount that they will provide you.

7. What if my study permit extension got rejected/refused?

There are two things to do if your study permit is refused or rejected by the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRRC). They are:

1. If all your documents are proper, but were wrongly or unfairly declined, then you can re-appeal the decision. 
2. If the grounds for refusal are legit, then you can submit a new application.