Apply Online to Extend your Study Permit

It is essential to keep the expiry date of your study permit in mind or posted in your phone or other device that is easily accessible. Your study permit is your temporary resident status document in Canada, and it is essential that it be kept valid at all times throughout the duration of your studies.

We recommend that you submit your study permit extension application around 3 - 4 months prior to your current permit's expiry date, if possible. In an ideal situation, we want you to receive a decision on your application before your current permit expires - that way, if your application is refused, you would have time to apply again before your current permit expires. If your study permit expires before you submit an application to extend, or your application to extend is refused after your study permit expires, you need to apply for restoration of your student status in Canada (see Restoration of Status below) .

Sometimes it is not possible to apply the recommended 3 months in advance.  In order to continue studying, you must submit your application to extend your study permit prior to the expiry date of your current permit (see Maintained Status below).

In some cases, we recommend applying earlier than the 3 months, but only if there is a valid reason that you can explain in a Letter of Explanation that will accompany your application.  One example of a valid reason is that you have travel plans in the future, and you must apply early to ensure sufficient processing time for both an application to extend your study permit, and an application for a new temporary resident visa (TRV). If you have questions about whether you should apply early for your study permit extension, please discuss the situation with your international student advisors.

Note: If you are also a holder of a co-op work permit, this permit can be renewed as part of your study permit extension application (see Co-op Work Permit below).

In most circumstances, you will use the IRCC online application system to extend your study permit. The online application can be tracked, and you will receive regular updates as to the approval process and status of the application.

Important Note: Although in Alberta we use Mountain Standard Time (MST), IRCC uses Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) around the world to ensure that time is equal for all. UTC is 7 hours ahead of MST. For example, if it is 11:00am MST it will be 6:00pm UTC. 

Therefore, receipt dates and times do not depend on time zones; all applications must be submitted before midnight UTC on the date the applicant’s status expires. 

If you submit your study permit extension application after midnight UTC on the date of expiry, please contact the International Student Advisors to discuss your situation. 

You’ll need the following documentation for the study permit extension application:

1) Verification of Enrolment for International Students

• Request by emailing the Registrar’s Office at regoffice@uleth.ca from your uLethbridge email. 
• Be sure to include your ID number and let them know you need the document to extend your study permit.
• Warning: The Verification of Enrolment which you can print from the Bridge is not sufficient for the study permit extension.

2) Proof of Financial Support (include whichever documents apply)

• This should include your own bank statements (4 months)
• Pay stubs if you are currently working.
• A letter of support from anyone helping to pay your expenses, plus their own bank statements and/or pay stubs
• Funding schedule and/or scholarships
• Note: Combine all of these documents, save as one PDF document and include a cover page if including multiple documents in this section.

3) A scan or clear photos of your passport

• This should include the biodata page, as well as any other pages with markings, stamps or visas. 
• If you have recently received a new passport, include both your new passport (first) and your old passport, both clearly labelled.
• Note: All pages/photos will need to be compiled and saved as one PDF document. 

4) A digital photo​

• Must show full front view of head, face in the middle and include the top of the shoulders, neutral expression
• Image size: At least 420 by 540 pixels

5) IMM 5709 - Application to Change Conditions, Extend my Stay or Remain in Canada as a Student

• The application form can be downloaded from your document checklist once you have followed the steps to log in to your IRCC online account.

6) IMM 5707 - Family Information form (if applicable)

• Note: you are only required to submit this form if it is listed in your Document Checklist in your IRCC account, therefore not all applicants will be required to submit this form. If this form is listed as one of the required documents in your application checklist, you will need to fill out this form, print it, sign it by hand, scan the signed copy and then upload the scanned copy to your IRCC account.

Normally, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will issue a study permit with an expiry date 90 days past the estimated completion date for your program.

However, IRCC will not issue any document past the expiry of your passport.  This means that if your passport expires sooner than 90 days past the estimated completion date for your program, the expiry of your new study permit will be limited to match that of your passport (or earlier). 

Depending on your passport expiry, it may be either required or recommended that you renew your passport prior to applying to extend your study permit.  If you have questions about your personal timeline, please contact the international student advisors.

Important Note: If your current passport and study permit expire at the same time, and for any reason you expect that you will not obtain your new passport before the expiry of your study permit, reach out to the international student advisors for advice as early as possible.  It is crucial that you speak with you advisors before the expiry of your documents.

Most international students have both a study permit, and an entry document.  The study permit is your status document, and it allows you to live in Canada, and to study and work according to the regulations and conditions of your permit until its expiry date.

All international students, except for citizens of the United States, require an entry document  You entry document allows you to re-enter Canada if you leave the country. There are two types of entry documents, and they are based on citizenship:

• A temporary resident visa (TRV) is a sticker in your passport, which usually has the same expiry as your study permit
• An electronic travel authorization (eTA) is linked eletronically to the passport you used in your study permit application.  You can find your eTA information on your original Letter of Introduction or the confirmation of approval of any subsequent application to extend your stay in Canada.  An eTA is usually valid for 5 years, or until the expiry of the passport to which it is linked, whichever date comes first.

Renewing your Temporary Resident Visa

When you apply for a study permit extension from within Canada, a new TRV is not issued automatically.  The TRV is not required for you to remain in Canada; it is required for re-entry if you leave Canada.  You must first apply to extend your study permit.  Then, once your study permit application has been approved, you can apply for a new TRV.  Because of this, it is very important to plan ahead if you have any travel plans outside of Canada.

Note: Once you have followed the steps below and generated an online application in your account, you will notice an optional document which is labelled "IMM5257 Schedule 1: Application for a Temporary Resident Visa" - the name of this document can cause confusion for students. This is not an application for a TRV - this document is required for all students who answer "Yes" to questions 3 - 6 in the Background Information section of IMM5709.

Electronic Travel Authorization

If you're from a country that requires an electronic travel authorization (eTA), a new eTA will automatically be issued to you if your application to extend your study permit is approved, and the new information will be provided by IRCC.

eTAs are required only for air travel to Canada. 

Note: If you are a citizen of Brazil, you may be eligible for an eTA for air travel to Canada. However, you would still require a TRV for other entry to Canada, such as through a land border crossing. Talk to your international student advisors for more information.

It is possible that your current permit may expire before you receive a decision from IRCC on your application to extend your study permit.  If you submit your study permit extension application before your current study permit expires, you will benefit from maintained status. This means that you can continue studying and working according to the conditions of your current study permit until IRCC makes a decision on your extension application.

If you leave Canada and return after the expiry date of your permit, but before a decision is made on your application, you lose your maintained status. You must wait for a positive decision on your application to begin studying and working again.

If your application to extend your study permit is refused, your maintained status ends. You must stop studying and working immediately. Contact your international student advisors immediately for further advice on your next steps.

Study Permit Hold

If you have a study permit hold that is preventing you from registering in classes, or other activities such as obtaining transcripts, please provide the International Centre with proof of your application to extend your study permit, and we will remove your hold.

If your study permit has expired and you did not submit an application to extend your study permit before the expiry date, you are without any status in Canada. This means that you must stop studying and working immediately. You will need to restore your status in Canada as a student and you are not authorized to resume studying and working until your restoration application is approved by IRCC.  

On the IMM 5709 application form, you will need to select both the “initial study permit or extension of study permit” as well as the “restoration of temporary resident status” boxes. In addition to indicating your loss of status on the application form, you will also need to write a detailed letter of explanation outlining why or how you lost your status why you stayed in Canada beyond what was permitted. There is no guarantee that IRCC will approve this application.

The cost of this application will be the $150 to extend and $200 to restore for a total of $350. 

Restoration is always a last resort. Please take care of your study permit, follow the conditions listed and ensure you put a note in your calendar to remind you of the expiry date. Keeping track of this information is your responsibility.

You can apply for a co-op work permit, or extend your current co-op work permit in the same application as your study permit extension. There is no cost for the co-op work permit application.

When completing the questionnaire to get your document checklist, you will indicate that you also wish to apply for a co-op work permit.  You will require a co-op letter that will be uploaded into your document checklist. 

You may need to complete an immigration medical exam to apply for the co-op work permit if you are a student in one of the following programs: Nursing, Education, Addictions Counselling or any other job in which public health must be protected.

Create an online account through IRCC if you haven't already or if you account has expired. We recommend creating a GCKey. If you haven't already created an account, click the "Register" button at the bottom of the page and create a username, password, and security questions.

• Once logged in to your account, under “Start an application” near the bottom of the page, click “Apply to come to Canada”
   
• Under “I do not have a Personal Reference Code”, click “Visitor, study and/or work permit”
   
• Complete the questionnaire indicating that you would like to continue your studies in Canada. Make sure you indicate your country of residence is "Canada".
  • If completed correctly, the questionnaire should indicate that you are eligible to apply for a "Study Permit (in Canada)". Select that option and click “Continue” until you arrive at your document checklist.

IMM5709 Application to change conditions, extend my stay, or remain in Canada as a Student

In the document checklist, click on “Application to Change Conditions, Extend my Stay or Remain in Canada as a Student (IMM5709)” to download the form.  When you click on this link, you may see "Please Wait..." message on a white page.  From here, use the download button in your browser to download the PDF document.  If you do not have Adobe Reader, follow the instructions on the "Please Wait..." page to download it now.  Use Adobe Reader to open the IMM5709e file.

Use the Instruction Guide 5552 to help you complete the IMM5709 application form.

Here are some important tips for completing the IMM 5709 application:

• UCI stands for “Unique Client Identifier” and is also known as Client ID. It is an eight or ten-digit number found on your study permit. On the application form, enter your UCI number without spaces or dashes. 
   
• Personal details 
  • Select “Student” as current status in Canada.
  • Enter the “from” date as your study permit issue date and enter the “to” date as your study permit expiry date. You will find both dates on your study permit. 
     
• Language: A language test from a designated testing agency is not required for this application
   
• National Identification Card: Has your country of citizenship issued you an identification card? Select "Yes" or "No". 
  Note: A National ID is not the same as your passport or driver's licence. 
   
• Coming into Canada:
  • #1: Enter the date of your first (original) entry into Canada and the port-of-entry you entered through.
  • #3: Have you left Canada for a visit home or taken a trip elsewhere while you were studying? Enter the date of your most recent entry into Canada and the port of entry you entered through.
    Note: You only need to answer #3 if your most recent entry to Canada is different than your original entry.
  • #4: Your study permit document number beings with “F " and typically can be found on the upper right-hand corner of your study permit.
     
• Details of intended study in Canada:
  • #2: The University of Lethbridge's DLI (Designated Learning Institution) number for both the Lethbridge and Calgary campus is O18776949622 (the first letter is capital O and not zero)
  • #3 Duration of expected study
    • ​Enter the "from" date as the date you are submitting the application (i.e., today’s date)   Note: this date must be greater than or equal to *today's date*
    • Enter the "to" date as the estimated completion date found on your Verification of Enrollment letter from the Registrar’s office.
  • #4 Cost of my studies 
    • Tuition: Enter the cost of your total tuition and related fees for the next academic year 
    • Room and Board: Enter your estimated living expenses for the next academic year
  • #5 Funds available for my stay 
    • Enter the total amount of money you have available to support yourself while you are studying in Canadian Dollars (CAD)  
      Note: The amount of money you enter into this field needs to be supported by the documentation you are including as your proof of finances. This amount should be equal or greater to the sum of your tuition and living expenses you entered in the "Cost of my studies" section. 
       
• Education: Complete this section only if you have previously completed post-secondary studies.
   
• Employment: Enter the details of any paid employment from the past 10 years, whether part-time or full-time, inside or outside of Canada.
  • If you have no employment history, enter “Student” as your current activity, the "University of Lethbridge" as your employer, and include details of when you started and stopped studying in this section.
  • If you have more employment history than will fit on the space provided on the IMM 5709 form, please add the additional employment information on a separate Word document and upload this document in the Client Information section of your document checklist. 
     
• Signature: an electronic signature will occur prior to payment so no physical signature is necessary for IMM 5709. DO NOT print and scan this form.
   
• Validate & Upload: When you have completed the application form, click the blue “Validate” button at the end of the form. If you have made mistakes or missed any fields, these sections will be highlighted red and you will need to complete these areas prior to attempting to validate again. Once you have successfully validated, a page of black bar codes will be generated as the final page of the document. Save the validated form on your computer and then upload this form in the IRCC account.

IMM5707 or IMM5645 Family Information form

• If you are required to fill out the Family Information form, it will appear in your document checklist and will need to be completed as part of the application.
   
• In the document checklist, click on the Family Information form” to download it. When you click on this link, you may see "Please Wait..." message on a white page.  From here, use the download button in your browser to download the PDF document. If you do not have Adobe Reader, follow the instructions on the "Please Wait..." page to download it now.  Use Adobe Reader to open the Family Information PDF file.
   
• Complete this form on a computer, then print it off and sign it by hand. Once it's been signed, scan the completed form and then uploaded the signed version to your document checklist. Note: Family information forms must be signed in BLACK ink. 
   

Upload your supporting documents:

• International Student Verification of Enrollment
  • Warning: The “Verification of Enrollment” document from the Bridge is not sufficient for this application. Providing the incorrect enrolment document may result in the refusal of your study permit application.
  • Indicate that you are an international student and need this document for a study permit extension
  • Request the document at the Registrar’s Office (SU140) or by emailing: regoffice@uleth.ca
  • Upload the International Student Verification of Enrollment Letter in the space labelled "Letter of Acceptance/Proof of next term's enrollment" 
     
• Proof of Means of Financial Support (Include all that apply)
  • 4 months of bank statements from you and/or anyone helping pay your tuition Funding schedule (for graduate students) Scholarship letter Pay stubs Letter of sponsorship in English from any person paying for your tuition and/or living expenses, along with their financial documents such as bank statements, pay stubs or a letter of employment
  • Any documents not in English or French should be accompanied by a translation
  • All pages/images must be consolidated into one file
     
• Passport
  • Scan the biographical page of your passport, as well as all pages with stamps or visas
  • If you have a new passport, you should scan both your new passport, and the previous passport. The new passport should appear first in the document, with each page clearly labelled to indicate whether it belongs to the new passport or the old passport.
  • All images must be consolidated into one file
     
• Digital photo
  • Colour photo; Image size at least 420 x 540 pixels. Frame size must be at least 35mm X 45mm. 
  • Must show full front view of head, face in the middle and include the top of the shoulders against a white backdrop. 
  • Note: This photo does not need to be an official passport photo.
     
• Proof of Medical Exam (if required)
   

Optional Documents:

• Client Information
  • Use this space to upload a letter of explanation if your situation is unusual or if you have an additional page listing your work experience
  • You can also use this space to upload additional Employment information from the past ten years that did not fit in the IMM5709 form

After uploading the completed application form(s) and all supporting documents, you will click “Continue” at the bottom of the page. On the next page you will provide your electronic signature by typing in your full name as it appears on your passport. Once you’ve signed, you will be taken to the payment page.  

• The fee for the Study Permit extension is $150 CAD (additional fees may apply if a restoration of status is also required). Payment will be made by credit card.
   
• Take screenshots of any confirmation numbers regarding payment and application submission. If you need to leave the application and return at any time, your application will be saved in your GCKey account for 60 days from the time that you first complete the questionnaire to create the application.
   
• You will be able to follow the processing of your application via your GCKey account.  If IRCC requests any additional documents for your application, you will upload and submit them them via your online GCKey account. You must provide any documents requested by the deadline given by IRCC, or your application will be refused. If your email has a strong junk mail filter, consider logging in to your GCKey account at least once a week to check for messages.

If your application to extend your stay in Canada as a student is approved, IRCC will notify you with a message in your GCKey account. They will mail your student permit to the mailing address that you specified on your IMM5709. 

• Check processing times: Select "Temporary residence" > "Study permit extension"
   
• Once you receive your new study permit, you should:
  • Send a copy of the renewed study permit once approved to: international.advice@uleth.ca
  • Extend your Alberta Health Care at a registry office and show your new health card to the Health Centre
  • Extend your Social Insurance Number at a Service Canada location or online.
     
• Apply for a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) if necessary
   
• If you do not receive your study permit within the posted processing times, notify IRCC using the webform.
   
• If your application to to extend your stay in Canada as a student is refused, please contact us immediately for advice.