Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, as long as you have a valid visa or eTA. It is imperative that you have it as this is your travel document. In addition, you must travel with your valid work or study permit because you will be asked for it when you re-enter Canada. Your permit is your legal status in the country, while the visa or eTA is your travel document. 

We highly recommend applying for the visa 5 to 6 months before the start of your classes. This is to avoid that due to embassy delays, your application is not processed on time and you miss the start of your classes. Please be aware that each embassy is different and they are usually very volatile with their processing times, in addition to having delays in their processes. 

If, for example, your classes start in September, then you should ALREADY be applying for the visa in April or May. That is, by April or May you should already have the LOA, the money needed for tuition and living expenses, plus other supporting documents necessary for your application.

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Your study permit is what authorizes you to work part-time. However, in order to do so, your study permit must stipulate a "Work off campus" condition. Please note that this work authorization is different from the CO-OP internship work permit.

-If you are allowed to enter Canada, the border services officer may allow you to stay for less or more than 6 months.

-If so, they will put the date you must leave in your passport. They may also give you a document.

-If you do not get a stamp in your passport, you can stay for 6 months from the day you entered Canada or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.

-If you need a stamp, you can ask a border services officer for one. If you arrive at an airport that uses primary inspection kiosks, ask the border services officer after you finish at the kiosk.

-If you wish to overstay your authorized stay, you must request an extension at least 30 days before the authorized end of your stay. If you are coming from a visa-exempt country (you used eTA to enter), you are still required to extend your stay as a visitor if you need to overstay your original authorized length of stay.

For 10 years, if you don't know if your biometrics are still valid you can check here: https://onlineservices-servicesenligne.cic.gc.ca/extapp/bioStatusQuery