In the Know: Managing your Immigration Documents

Does it feel like you're drowning in documents?

As a temporary resident in Canada, ensuring you apply for and maintain essential immigration documents is crucial. While managing these documents may not always be exciting—or easy—it is a vital aspect of your journey as an international student.

This article aims to help you understand the documents you currently have, ensure you meet their conditions and keep them up to date, and identify any additional documents you may need during your time in Canada.

Your travel document

Your primary travel document is likely your passport, issued by your country of citizenship. In some cases, other travel documents may be accepted when applying for temporary or permanent status or traveling to Canada. Please visit the IRCC website for the most up-to-date information about what’s considered acceptable travel document.

Please note that the following documents are currently considered unreliable and are not valid for travel to Canada:

• any passport issued by Somalia
• non-machine readable passports issued by the Czech Republic
• temporary passports issued by the Republic of South Africa
• provisional passports issued by Venezuela

If your passport will expire while you are in Canada, contact your country's nearest consular office for instructions and processing times. Keep in mind that Canadian immigration documents cannot be issued beyond the expiry date of your passport, so you must start your passport renewal process well before your passport expires to ensure you have enough time to extend your Canadian immigration documents.

Your Canadian immigration documents

 Canadian immigration documents are issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) or the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). The following information explains the differences between status documents and entry documents, and some tips for you to keep track of your required immigration documents in Canada.

Note: When your study permit application is approved outside Canada, you will receive a letter of introduction (also known as a port of entry letter) and either an entry visa or eTA if required. A letter of introduction is a study permit approval that will allow CBSA officers to issue a study permit when you arrive to Canada.

Status documents vs. Entry documents

Study permits, work permits, and visitor records are considered status documents for temporary residents in Canada. These documents grant temporary residents the authorization to study, work, or stay in Canada for a specified period. It is essential for you and your family members to always maintain valid status and comply with the conditions outlined in these documents while in Canada.

In addition to a status document, your re-entry requirements may depend on the type of passport you hold. If you and your family members plan to travel outside Canada and return during your studies, you may need a valid Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to re-enter Canada. Ensure these entry documents are valid every time you seek re-entry to Canada.

Study permit

When you are in Canada as an international student, a study permit is the most important status document that you must always have in your possession.

With very few exceptions, every international student who intends to study at UVic in a program that’s 6 months or more in duration requires a study permit.

As of November 8, 2024, you must be enrolled at the designated learning institution (DLI) named on your study permit. If another Canadian institution is named on your study permit, you must apply for a study permit extension and obtain your new study permit before starting your studies at UVic. As part of your application, you must include a letter explaining why you’re changing schools. For detailed information about this policy change and temporary exception for this policy , see Changing your school as a post-secondary student on the IRCC website. If you meet certain eligibility requirements, your study permit may also allow you to work in Canada.

Your study permit expiry date is listed on your document. If you want to continue studying at UVic beyond the expiry date listed on your study permit, you MUST apply to extend your study permit before it expires. If you don’t extend your study permit, you must leave Canada before your status expires.

Instructions for a study permit extension application are available on the IRCC website.

Note: Your BC Medical Services Plan coverage, Social Insurance Number, and other government documents will most likely be set to expire when your study permit expires. Start the process of extending your study permit at least four to six months before it expires to ensure you will have enough time to extend or renew your other documents. If there will be a gap in your MSP coverage due to study permit extension processing, you may be able to extend your existing BC MSP plan with a copy of your immigration extension application confirmation. Visit BC MSP’s website for detailed instructions for maintain status holder to temporarily extend BC MSP plan.

Work permit

If you want to participate in a co-op work term, internship, practicum, or any experiential learning that is an integral part of your program of study at UVic, you must apply for a co-op work permit.

If you want to stay in Canada and work after completing your degree program at UVic, you may be eligible to apply for a post-graduation work permit.

When you are eligible for or hold a study permit, your spouse or common-law partner may be eligible to apply for a spousal open work permit. To meet the eligibility requirements, you must be a study permit holder and prove that you have full-time enrolment when requesting a spousal open work permit and registered in eligible programs at the time of application.

Important Update: Starting January 21, 2025, only spouses of certain international students and foreign workers will be able to apply for a family OWP. Please refer to the IRCC website for the upcoming changes to open work permits for family members of temporary residents.

For information about the eligibility criteria to work in Canada as an international student, visit our Working in Canada page.

Visitor record

A visitor record is a status document that may be issued to temporary residents to extend or restrict your stay in Canada.

A visitor record may be issued by a CBSA officer at the port of entry, or by IRCC while you are inside Canada. It is not the same as a TRV (or visitor visa). Refer to the IRCC website for information about when a visitor record may be issued.

Generally, you do not need a visitor record when you have a study permit. However, if you need to take an authorized leave for more than 150 days during your regular academic sessions, you must either leave Canada or apply for a visitor record to be compliant with your study permit conditions during your leave to remain in Canada. You can’t work on or off campus during an authorized leave from your study program, even if your study permit says you’re allowed to work in Canada.

Refer to the IRCC website for detailed information about a leave from your studies and how to stay compliant with your study permit conditions during a leave from your studies.

Consult with an International Student Adviser if you have questions about how a leave of absence will impact your immigration status, work authorization, and/or eligibility for a post-graduation work permit.

Entry Documents (TRV or eTA)

In addition to your study permit, you may require an entry document such as a temporary resident visa (TRV) or electronic travel authorization (eTA) to enter Canada. The document you will need depends on:

• the type of travel document you will travel with;

• the country that issued your travel document;
• your nationality; and
• how you will travel to Canada.

Refer to the IRCC website to find out what entry document you may need to enter Canada. If you are a US citizen or a lawful permanent resident in the US, you may not need an entry document if you carry proper documentation when you enter Canada.

If you are an international student requiring a TRV or eTA to enter Canada, your TRV or eTA will be automatically issued to you after your study permit application is approved by a Canadian visa office overseas. You will not need to make a separate application for your entry document if you are applying for a study permit from outside Canada.

While you study in Canada, your do not need to always have a valid entry document (eTA and TRV) if you have a valid study permit. However, you must make sure to always have a valid entry document (if required) when you plan to travel outside Canada and return.

Temporary Resident Visa (TRV)

A temporary resident visa (TRV, also known as a visitor visa) is a counterfoil sticker attached to one of the pages in a passport. In most cases, your first TRV will expire at the same time as your study permit since it is issued automatically with your study permit approval from outside Canada. However, it’s important to remember that IRCC does not automatically issue you a TRV when you extend your study permit in Canada. If you need a new TRV, you must submit a separate application after your study permit extension is approved if you plan to leave and return to Canada.

To apply for a new TRV inside Canada, follow the instructions to make an application online.  

If you travel solely to the United States or St-Pierre and Miquelon and return to Canada with a valid study permit, and are from a TRV-required country, you may meet TRV exemption based on your purpose of entry to Canada under R190(3)(f).

Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)

An electronic travel authorization (eTA) is electronically linked to a passport and is required for citizens of some countries to enter Canada by air. An eTA is not a visitor visa. You don’t need an eTA if you require a TRV.

An eTA can be issued for up to 5 years or to the expiry date of your passport, whichever comes first. To check your eTA validity, use this tool on the IRCC website.

If you need a new eTA when you extend your study permit, your eTA will be automatically issued to the passport you use for your study permit extension.

If you renew or replace your passport, the eTA issued to your old passport will become invalid. You must apply for a new eTA using your new passport if you need one for travel.

If you need a new eTA, you can apply for one on the IRCC website.

Don't drown. Stay organized!

Your travel document and your Canadian immigration documents are only a few of the many important documents you must deal with during your stay in Canada. There are also documents related to health insurance, driving, being a tenant, working, income tax, banking, and the list goes on.

The International Student Advising team is available to help you understand what documents you have and why you have them. We can also help you understand what documents you need and how to get them. But, in the end you are responsible for obtaining correct documents, keeping them valid and always abiding by their terms and conditions.

Here is the best advice we can offer: Stay organized!

Students who are organized spend less time worrying about their documents and more time enjoying their international student experience.

Some tips for staying organized

1. Create a Document Checklist: Keep a detailed checklist of all your important documents to ensure you stay on top of what you have and what you might need.
2. Monitor Expiry Dates: Regularly check the expiry dates of your travel document (e.g., passport) and your Canadian immigration documents (e.g., study permit, work permit, temporary resident visa etc.).
3. Set Reminders: Use your phone or planner to set reminders well in advance to start your renewal process:
   • 9–12 months before your travel document expires.
   • 4–6 months before your Canadian status document expires.
4. Secure Your Originals: Store your original documents in a safe place when you don’t need to carry them with you.
5. Save Electronic Copies: Keep electronic copies of your documents in a secure, easily accessible location, such as a password-protected cloud storage service.

If you have questions about any of these topics, contact the International Centre for Students (ICS) via email (icsinfo@uvic.ca) or by phone (+1 250 721 6361) for advice, or attend our daily immigration drop-in hours to speak with an International Student Adviser.