UBC definitions for immigration purposes

UBC’s enrolment definitions for immigration purposes clarify when international students are in active pursuit of studies, and when you are eligible to work on- and off-campus or post-graduation.

During your studies at UBC, there may be different definitions for different purposes, such as academic, tax, funding/financial aid, etc. The definitions below are for immigration purposes.

“Regular academic session”
“Scheduled breaks”
“Full time”
“Part-time”
“Authorized leave”
“Deferred enrolment”
“Academic suspension”
“No show”
“Not started”

Importance of enrolment status

Having a study permit comes with certain responsibilities; that is, to actively pursue studies and make reasonable progress towards completing your program.

Your enrolment status impacts whether you can:

• remain in Canada as a student
• work in Canada
• remain eligible for a post-graduation work permit

Twice a year (or more) UBC is required to report on your enrolment status to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) based on the definitions below.

If you are enrolled while you are outside of Canada

Studies completed outside of Canada might not count towards the length of your Post-Graduation Work Permit or count towards completing 50% of your program in Canada, even if you are full-time for immigration purposes (see below). Examples include being abroad on exchange, on an international co-op/practicum/internship or other work required for your program, conducting research abroad, or taking online classes from outside of Canada. See the PGWP page for details.

Four-letter codes that define your student status for immigration purposes

The record of your enrolment status is on Workday, which is accessed by UBC staff. If you are unclear about your student status for immigration purposes, you can confirm with graduate studies staff, academic advisors or your Enrolment Services Advisor to see what is on record in Workday. The following definitions include the 4-letter code that is on your record as your enrolment status in Workday.

“Regular academic session”

UBC has two academic sessions per year that are divided into two terms:

• Winter Session: Term 1 (September – December) and Term 2 (January – April)
• Summer Session: Term 1 (May – June) and Term 2 (July – August)

This definition for immigration purposes describes the academic sessions during which you are expected to be engaging in full-time or part-time studies at UBC to be ‘actively pursuing studies’:

Undergraduate, Diploma (other than the Diploma in Accounting), Certificate, Juris Doctor, exchange, VIRS, visiting students, and unclassified students:

You must be enrolled:

• Winter Session (Winter Terms 1 and 2)
• Summer Session is a scheduled break and courses are optional

Graduate students and students in the Diploma in Accounting Program:

You must be enrolled throughout the year:

• Winter Session (Winter Terms 1 and 2), and
• Summer Session (Summer Terms 1 and 2)

“Scheduled Break”

This definition is for immigration purposes to denote students who are not required to be enrolled during program breaks. Students are considered to be ‘actively pursuing studies’ while on a scheduled break. Dates are based on the UBC Vancouver and Okanagan Calendar.

Scheduled breaks include

Exception: If your academic program has start and end dates which differ from those specified in the applicable academic calendar, the program dates will apply.

Graduate and DAP students in summer: Students in graduate programs or the Diploma in Accounting Program (DAP) in summer are deemed to be on an academic summer session, not a scheduled break.

Working during a scheduled break

You might be eligible to work full-time on- or off-campus during a scheduled break [1].

Registered, eligible, or continuing students in UBC degree, diploma, or certificate programs are considered to be eligible to work while on a “scheduled break” if:

• You were full-time for immigration purposes in the term before the break
• Your degree has not been conferred
• You will resume full-time studies in the term following the break

If you meet the above requirements

You are permitted to work full-time on- or off-campus during a scheduled break for a total of 180 days per calendar year, but not more than 150 consecutive days.

If you do not meet the above requirements

You are not eligible to work during a scheduled break. For further clarification, exchange, VIRS, visiting students, and unclassified students are not eligible to work during schedule breaks.

Undergraduate students, diploma, and certificate students on a scheduled break who do not meet the above requirements (for example, you will take a gap in studies or will be enrolled part-time before or after the summer session, or Summer Session is your final academic term) may only work during the Summer Session if enrolled in a full-time course load in the Summer Session. If enrolled full-time, you are limited to working up to 20 hours a week off-campus and unlimited hours on campus during the Summer Session, and can work during the scheduled breaks between summer and winter sessions. If you are enrolled in a part-time course load in the Summer Session, you are not eligible to work on- or off-campus, and cannot work during the scheduled breaks between summer and winter sessions.

[1] Work refers to work that is authorized by a study permit. Students who also hold work permits may be able to work supplemental days/hours in addition to work authorized by study permits.

“Full-time”

This definition is for immigration purposes to denote students who are actively pursuing studies and who may be eligible to work on- or off-campus or post-graduation [1]. Full-time status is the minimum requirement to work on- or off-campus or post-graduation. Students with full-time status can start work on the first day of the term as per the UBC Vancouver or UBC Okanagan academic calendar. You must stop work on the last day of the posted final exam period according to the academic calendar.

• Students who meet the “full-time” definition in summer and are not eligible for a scheduled break during the Summer Session will be deemed full-time from May 1 to August 31.
• Courses spanning two terms are counted as half the credit value per term (e.g. a six-credit course counts as three credits in Term 1 and three credits in Term 2).
• If you are enrolled while you are outside of Canada, your studies might not count towards the length of the Post Graduation Work Permit or count towards completing 50% of your program in Canada.

[1] Work refers to work that is authorized by a study permit. Students who also hold work permits may be able to work additional days/hours in addition to work authorized by study permits.

UBC students are considered by UBC to be “full-time for immigration purposes” if meeting any one of the following definitions:

Graduate students (enrolled in a UBC graduate program)
Undergraduate and post-baccalaureate students, and diploma students
Visiting International Research Students and Visiting Research Exchange Students
Students with academic accommodations
Outbound exchange students
Co-op students
UBC Okanagan English Foundation Program students
Graduating students

Graduate students (enrolled in a UBC graduate program)

• Registered (“IN-PROGRESS” on Workday), or
• Continuing (“IN-PROGRESS” on Workday)

Undergraduate and post-baccalaureate students, diploma, and other students

This category also includes Diploma in Accounting (“DAPP” on Workday), Juris Doctor (“JD” on Workday), Unclassified (“UNCL” on Workday), Access Studies (“ACES” on Workday), Exchange (“EXCH” on Workday), and Visiting (“VISI” on Workday) students.

Students taking graduate-level courses but not enrolled in a UBC graduate program fall into this category, including graduate exchange students.

Note: studies outside of Canada might not count towards the length of the Post-Graduation Work Permit or count towards completing 50% of your program in Canada.

WINTER TERM 1 OR 2:

• Registered (“IN-PROGRESS” on Workday) in nine or more credits per winter term

​SUMMER (MAY TO AUGUST):

• Registered (“IN-PROGRESS” on Workday) for nine or more credits, and
• Do not meet the definition of “scheduled break”

FINAL ACADEMIC TERM:

• Registered (“IN-PROGRESS” on Workday) in any number of credits in the “final” term – “final” as determined by your academic advising office before program completion
• If a final course spans two terms (e.g. six credits), each term may be determined to be a final term.
• If final coursework is taken during the Summer Session (May to August), you can be registered for any number of credits during this period. Your full-time status continues until your letter of completion is available.

Visiting International Research Students and Visiting Research Exchange Students

Visiting International Research Students (VIRS or VIRO) and Visiting Research Exchange Students are considered by UBC to be “full-time for immigration purposes” if you are registered (“IN-PROGRESS” on Workday). Please check with Go Global if you think this applies to you.

Students with academic accommodations

Students with academic accommodations are considered to be “full time for immigration purposes” if you are registered in the minimum number of credits for your reduced course load accommodation as determined by the Centre for Accessibility (Vancouver), or the Disability Resource Centre (Okanagan) in line with Disability Accommodation Policy 73.

Outbound exchange students

UBC students away on exchange term(s) abroad are considered “full-time for immigration purposes” if you are registered (“IN-PROGRESS” on Workday).

Note: studies outside of Canada might not count towards the length of the Post-Graduation Work Permit or count towards completing 50% of your program in Canada.

Co-op students

UBC students on a co-op work term are considered by UBC to be “full-time for immigration purposes” if you are registered (“IN-PROGRESS” on Workday).

Note: if you are completing your co-op outside of Canada, studies outside of Canada might not count towards the length of the Post-Graduation Work Permit or count towards completing 50% of your program in Canada.

UBC Okanagan English Foundation Program students

UBC students enrolled in the UBC Okanagan English Foundation Program are considered by UBC to be “full-time for immigration purposes”.

Graduating students

UBC students who completed program requirements and whose program completion letter is not yet available are considered by UBC to be “full-time for immigration purposes”.

“Part-time”

UBC students are considered by UBC to be “part-time for immigration purposes” if they are:

• Registered (“IN-PROGRESS” on Workday), and
• Do not meet the “full-time” or “scheduled break” definition

No minimum number of credits is required to have “part-time” status.

Part-time students are considered actively pursuing studies but cannot work on- or off-campus [1].

Part-time studies (except during a final term) also impact eligibility for the Post-Graduation Work Permit.

Note: studies outside of Canada might not count towards the length of the Post-Graduation Work Permit or count towards completing 50% of your program in Canada.

[1]  Work refers to work which is authorized by a study permit. Students who also hold work permits may be able to work additional days/hours in addition to work authorized by their study permits.

“Authorized leave”

UBC students are considered to be on an “authorized leave for immigration purposes” in a given term if you meet one of the following:

• You are on leave (“Leave of Absence” on Workday)
• You have been issued a leave letter under the International Undergraduate Leave Procedure, which begin in 2021/22 Winter Session

This status is available to graduate students only.

Some authorized leaves can be considered ‘actively pursuing studies’, see the taking time away from studies page.

“Deferred enrolment”

UBC students are considered by UBC to have “deferred enrolment” if:

• The Letter of Acceptance was issued, and
• The offer was not revoked, and
• UBC allows your start date to be delayed to a subsequent term/session:
  • because UBC postponed the program of study, or
  • you initiated a delay

Deferred enrolment is determined by Admissions, the Faculty, or program.

“Academic suspension”

UBC students are considered to be on “academic suspension for immigration purposes” when they are suspended due to poor academic performance or violation of the institution’s policies. The student is allowed to return after the period of suspension.

“No show”

UBC students are considered to be “no-shows for immigration purposes” if:

• The Letter of Acceptance was issued, and
• Your offer was not revoked, and
• The Add/Drop date for first term has passed, and
• Enrolment was not deferred, and
• You never registered or enrolled in the current program of study at UBC

“Not started”

This status applies to students who are enrolled in a program of studies that begins the following semester. They have not yet started their studies.

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.