Study Abroad With
TerraTern

No, to apply to Canada study permit, a Letter of Acceptance (LOA) by a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) is compulsory. Some of the major information that the LOA should cover is your complete name, including the legal name, name of the program, start and finish dates, your DLI number, and your tuition fees during the first year. Exemptions are extremely limited, such as family members with an already existing work or study permit, or programs under 6 months, which do not need a permit at all.

The time it takes to process also differs with the place of application. By the end of 2025, applicants in India can wait about 4 weeks, and in Canada, initial applications will take about 78 weeks. The standard provided by the official IRCC service is 60 days for overseas submissions and 120 days for in-Canada applications. The sooner the better, it is suggested that you apply before your program start date.

Yes! You, as an international student, have a valid study permit and therefore you are usually permitted up to 20 hours of work per week outside the university at off-campus times and on a full-time basis on planned vacations like summer or winter holidays. A work permit is not required if your study permit contains the work authorisation condition. Saying that, you should always verify your study permit terms to make sure that you are eligible.​

Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) is an open work permit permitting foreign graduates of Canadian-approved DLIs to acquire work experience in Canada after obtaining their degrees. Your program has to be a minimum of 8 months, and you have to apply within 180 days of official confirmation of completion of the program. Depending on the study program, the duration of the PGWP is not more than 3 years.

You are required to seek the extension (renewal) of your study permit at least 30 days before its expiry date, whilst still in Canada. By the end of 2025, the processing time of the study permit extensions is about 140 days, and, thus, it is essential to apply prior to that point. You will be required to provide evidence of enrolment, a full-fledged passport, and demonstrate that you still fit the requirements of your initial permit. In the event that your permit runs out as your renewal application is pending, you will be under implied status and may proceed with your studies.

Yes, you can usually switch up your program or institution without having to apply for a new study permit, as long as you are still enrolled in a DLI and still within the terms of your permit. Nevertheless, in case your study permit mentions a specific institution (this is frequent with older permits), then you might have to renew your permit. Inform IRCC about any significant changes in your study plans, always, so as to be able to stay within the permits.