New to UBC
Tips on communicating with IRCC
Extending your study permit
IMMIGRATION UPDATES
As of Jan 22, 2024, new study permit applications require a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) from the province of British Columbia. A process is expected to be in place by Mar 31, 2024. Some students are exempt from the PAL, such as Master’s and PhD students, visiting and exchange students, as well as work permit holders.
If you have received an offer to attend UBC and are not exempt from the PAL, you should not apply for a study permit until the process for getting an attestation letter has been determined since your application will be returned. However, you can start to prepare your study permit application, such as gathering required documents and writing a study plan. We will update this page when more information becomes available. See IRCC’s page for the latest updates.
If you are a current student, your study permit validity and study permit extension application from inside Canada will not be impacted.
As of January 1, 2024, the minimum cost-of-living financial requirement has increased from $10,000 to $20,635 for 2024, For new study permit applications, you will need to show proof of funds for the cost-of-living financial requirement plus your first year of tuition fees and travel costs. The cost-of-living amount will be adjusted each year based on Statistics Canada’s low-income cut-off.
Get timely updates on immigration, work eligibility, and health insurance for international students.
If you’re planning to study in Canada past your study permit’s expiry date, you must extend it before it expires.
Increase to proof of funds requirement
As of January 1, 2024, the minimum cost-of-living financial requirement will increase from $10,000 to $20,635 for 2024, in addition to tuition fees for the first year and travel costs. The cost-of-living amount will be adjusted each year based on Statistics Canada’s low-income cut-off.
Get timely updates on immigration, work eligibility, and health insurance for international students.
When should I apply?
It’s recommended that you apply 3 to 4 months before your current study permit expires.
To maintain status in Canada, you must submit your application before 11:59 pm Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), not local time, on the day your study permit expires, or change or extend your status within 90 days after your letter of completion becomes available if you’ve finished your program—whichever comes first.
Important: you can only extend your study permit if you are in Canada
How to extend your study permit?
Visit our tutorial for step-by-step instructions, a list of required documents, and other important info that will help you complete your application.
Tutorial: Extend your study permit from within Canada
Before submitting your application
If you will travel after applying or are outside of Canada
If your permit expires after IRCC receives your application
If you and your family members’ immigration documents (e.g. study permit, or work permit, visitor record, etc.) expires after Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has received your application to extend your current documents, you will still be considered a temporary resident of Canada until a decision about your application is made. This is known as “maintained status” (formerly ‘implied status’).
It is very important that you submit your application online before 11:59pm Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), not midnight your local time, the day your status expires to have maintained status.
With maintained status, you may continue studying (and working, if eligible) under the same conditions as long as you remain in Canada. You must take action on your health insurance and request a temporary extension of your Medical Services Plan.
You cannot resume studies or work until you have received your new study permit.
See travelling outside Canada for more information and contact International Student Advising for support.
If your study permit expires and you haven’t applied for an extension
If your permit expires before Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) receives your extension application, you will be “out of status”.
You must stop studying and working immediately.
- You are not authorized to attend classes or work while you are out of status.
You must apply for restoration within 90 days of having lost your status.
See an International Student Advisor in Global Engagement Office (UNC 227).
- You have 90 days from the day you went out of status to apply for restoration.
- An International Student Advisor should review your application before you submit it.
Get a new study permit. You have two options, both of which are expensive and will disrupt your studies:
Option one:
- You can apply to restore your immigration status.
- If you have not applied to extend your study permit and it expired more than 90 days ago, you will have to apply outside Canada for a new study permit. You may also be barred from applying for another study permit for up to six months.
If you will travel after applying or are outside of Canada
See our FAQ on the differences between applying for a study permit from inside or outside of Canada.
Be sure to review our Travelling to Canada Guide before making travel plans.
International Student Guide
Find everything you need to know about life as an international student at UBC’s Okanagan Campus
If you still have questions
International Student Advisors are available to help.
The information on this page may change
The immigration information on this page has been reviewed and endorsed by Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) or Regulated International Student Immigration Advisors (RISIAs) in compliance with the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and Regulations. However, this is not a legal document and information may change without notice. Always refer to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for the most up-to-date information.
