Maintaining your documentation

Have a study permit?

NEW: As of November 8, 2024, if you already have a valid study permit for another institution in Canada, you must obtain a new study permit by applying for an extension before starting your studies at UVic.

As of January 22, 2025, you will also require a provincial attestation letter (PAL) as part of your study permit extension application if you are changing institutions or levels of study (for example, moving from an undergraduate program to a graduate program).

If you meet certain criteria established by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), you may be eligible to start your studies at UVic while you await processing of your extension application.

If you have questions about your study permit, or about your eligibility to start or continue your studies at UVic, contact an ICS immigration practitioner.

Extend your study permit

We recommend that you apply to extend your study permit at least 4-6 months before it expires.

To begin the application process, log in to your IRCC secure account using GCKey or Sign-In Partner. If you do not already have an IRCC secure account, you will need to first create a new account.

Once you have logged in, scroll down to "Start an application" and select "Apply to come to Canada". Every application begins this way, even if you are already inside Canada.

Letter of Acceptance or Letter of Enrollment/Registration for your study permit extension application

IRCC requires students to submit a "Letter of Acceptance or Letter of Enrollment/Registration" as a supporting document for their study permit extension application. If you are a current UVic student and your letter of acceptance has expired, you should request a study permit information letter through Online Tools > Online Request Forms.

• please do not use a UVic Verification of Enrolment (VoE) for your study permit extension application, as the VoE does not include all the details required by IRCC
• if you notice any errors in your study permit information letter, please contact one of the following offices to request a corrected letter to include with your study permit extension application:

Undergraduate students
Student Support Services
250-721-8121
studentsupport@uvic.ca

Graduate students
Graduate Admissions and Records
250-472-4657
garo@uvic.ca

Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL)/Proof of Provincial Attestation Letter Exception

Depending on your situation, you may require a provincial attestation letter (PAL) with your study permit extension application.

Situations where you will require a PAL include:

• your current study permit is associated with a different institution, and you are now extending it to attend UVic
• you are extending your study permit for a different level of study than your current study permit, even if you have not changed schools (for example, you have moved from an undergraduate program to a graduate degree program at UVic)
  
  • please note: for the purpose of 2025 PAL requirements and exceptions, IRCC considers master's degrees and doctoral degrees to be at the same level of study. If you are moving from a master's to a PhD within the same institution, a PAL is not required.
• your study permit has expired and you are applying to restore your status in Canada

If you are extending your study pemit for the same institution and level of study as your current study permit, a PAL is not required. You can find a full list of PAL exceptions on the IRCC website

If your document checklist includes a space for "Proof of Provincial or Territorial Attestation Letter (PAL or TAL) Exception", you will need to explain the exception you meet and provide proof of how you meet it.

PAL exception letter of explanation

Refer to our PAL exception letter template when writing your explanation.

PAL exception supporting documents

If possible, you should also enclose one or more documents as evidence of how you meet the PAL exception you've identified in your letter. Merge your supporting document(s) with your letter of explanation and upload them together as one file.

We've provided a few examples below for your reference. Please note that this is not an exhaustive list.

If you meet a PAL exception because:	You can attach the following document(s)* with your explanation:
you applied for your current study permit (initial or extension) using your UVic letter of acceptance (LOA)	attach the UVic LOA that you included with your most recent study permit application or extension
you applied for your current study permit (initial or extension) using a study permit information letter from UVic	attach the UVic study permit information letter you included with your most recent study permit application or extension
you used the DLI transfer process in your IRCC secure account to notify IRCC that you were transferring to UVic prior to November 8, 2024	attach a screenshot of the confirmation message from your IRCC account, showing you successfully completed the online DLI transfer process
you are an exchange student at UVic	attach your UVic study permit information letter (we recommend highlighting the section of the letter that confirms you're an exchange student)

* If you no longer have access to these items, connect with an ICS immigration practitioner for advice on alternative supporting documents.

After you apply for a study permit extension

If your study permit expires while you have a study permit extension application in process, you can stay in Canada and continue studying (and working, if eligible) until IRCC makes a decision on your application. 

• during this time, you will have maintained status as long as you remain in Canada

If your study permit expires before you apply to extend it

If you are in Canada and your study permit expires before you submit an extension application, you will no longer have valid student status in Canada and you must stop studying immediately.

• what to do if your permit expires
• connect with us as soon as possible to assess your situation

Renew your other documents

After you have extended your study permit, you will also need to:

• renew your BC Medical Services Plan coverage
• renew your Social Insurance Number
• apply for a new temporary resident visa (if you need one to enter or re-enter Canada)

Update your study permit

You can only fix errors on your study permit that were made by Canadian immigration officials when your personal information was recorded.

• if you need to fix incorrect information, you must submit an application to amend your study permit
• this application can only be submitted by mail

If you need to change the conditions or update information on your study permit due to a change in your situation or your work eligibility, you will need to apply online.

Replace your study permit

To replace a lost, damaged or stolen temporary document that is still valid, you can submit a replacement application.

• the application must be submitted by mail
• there is a $30 (CAD) application fee, payable through IRCC's online payment tool
  • register for an Online Services account with IRCC if you don't already have one
• you must print a copy of the payment receipt to include in your application package

Study permit conditions

You need to meet a number of study permit conditions. If you don’t meet these conditions, you may lose your student status and study permit.

One of these conditions is demonstrating that you are actively pursing your studies. You can demonstrate this by enrolling full- or part-time during regular academic sessions. UVic's Academic calendar includes definitions of full-time studies for undergraduate students and graduate students.

Part-time vs. full-time studies

Although studying part time is not a violation of your study permit conditions, you must be enrolled full time to legally work on or off campus during your studies. Continuous full-time enrolment in all academic terms throughout your UVic program is also one of the eligibility requirements to apply for a post-graduation work permit after completing your studies.

For more information, see Working in Canada.

Experiential learning and work

Study permit holders in Canada may work on or off campus provided they meet certain eligibility requirements. For paid or unpaid work that forms part of your UVic program (such as a co-op, practicum, or internship), a work permit is also required. Experiential learning opportunities at UVic (such as community-engaged learning, or practica/internships that are part of an academic course) may also require work authorization if the activity meets IRCC's definition of work.

For more information, see Working in Canada.

IRCC compliance reporting

As a designated learning institution (DLI), UVic is legally required to report international students' enrolment status to IRCC twice a year. IRCC uses the information collected through the compliance reporting process to assess whether study permit holders are meeting their study permit conditions.