Find answers to common questions about studying and immigrating to Canada.
Canadian Study permit is a document issued to international students who applied to study in Canada. This document grants legal authorization to the applicant to study in Canada with certain conditions. However, when applying for a permit, be aware of the requirements when submitting the application for study permit in order to avoid refusals due to incomplete submissions.
In order to obtain a Canadian study permit, a prospective foreign student must:
To apply for a study permit, you need an acceptance letter from a designated learning institution (DLI). A DLI is any school that can admit international students. All primary and secondary schools in Canada are DLIs. However, post-secondary institutions require approval from the provincial government to admit international students and be considered as DLI.
To avoid the stress of applying to a college that does not have a DLI status, you need to verify the DLI status of the school before applying. You can do this by:
There are essentially three reasons to choose a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) in Canada. They are as follows:
If you are planning to come to Canada for a post-secondary education, then you must ensure that the institution you are interested in is eligible to admit international students. Graduation from certain DLIs will also allow you to apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) after the completion of your study program.
If you change your study program within the same DLI, then there is no need to apply for a renewed or extended study permit. If you change post-secondary schools, the school you plan to change to must also be a DLI. Please check the DLI list and confirm your new school is a DLI before you commit to changing schools.
You must tell us each time you change post-secondary schools. Changing the post-secondary school on your account is a free service.
You don’t need to apply to change your study permit if you are changing schools.
Post-secondary studies include:
The following are the many factors that help you decide which city to consider for your studies.
There are a variety of options for international students with regards to accommodation. Foremost, it can be offered by the institution or DLI they are going with. The following are additional options available depending on the budget and preference of each student:
It’s very important to start your search early as a major part of your student journey will be decided as per your accommodation which will prioritize your comfort and safety in addition to your monthly expenditures on travel time, your schedule for attending classes and many other necessary activities such as grocery, shopping, recreation etc.
As of November 2022, students working in Canada will have fewer restrictions on working hours as announced by the Honorable Sean Fraser, Canada’s Minister for Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Students now can work up to 40 hours as compared to 20 hours, giving the international students a far better ability to support themselves while studying. This also massively affects the type of jobs and opportunities students can avail to supplement their income while studying.
You may be eligible to work in Canada while studying, if your study permit includes a condition that says you can work on or off campus. You must also meet all the other requirements. You can only start working in Canada when you start your study program. You can’t work before your studies begin.
If you’re able to work during your studies, it’ll say so in the conditions on your study permit.
If you’re eligible for off-campus work, you don’t need a work permit.
If you’re on an authorized leave from your studies, or you’re switching schools and you’re not studying, you can’t work off campus. You can only return to work once you’re back to studying.
| Accommodation | $7800 – $14,000 |
| Food | Min. of $3600 ($300/month) |
| Clothing | $1500 – $2000 |
| Local Transportation | $1440 ($120 per month for bus) |
| Miscellaneous | $1200 – $2400 |
| Books, Supplies and Instruments | $1000 |
| University Health Insurance Plan | $756 ($63/month approx.) |
| Total | $17,296 – $26,856 |
A rough estimate on the cost of living for an international student, living and studying in Canada for a whole year is depicted below over some common expenses every student is challenged with. The following grid is an approximation of a student’s cost of living in Canada each must take into consideration:
| Accommodation | $7800 – $14,000 |
| Food | Min. of $3600 ($300/month) |
| Clothing | $1500 – $2000 |
| Local Transportation | $1440 ($120 per month for bus) |
| Miscellaneous | $1200 – $2400 |
| Books, Supplies and Instruments | $1000 |
| University Health Insurance Plan | $756 ($63/month approx.) |
| Total | $17,296 – $26,856 |
Canada’s health care system varies from province to province. Foreign nationals planning to study in the country should familiarize themselves with the Canadian health care offered by their province of study. Some provinces do cover international students under provincial health insurance plans, but most require students to register for private health insurance plans.
Those in Canada without permanent resident or citizen status should expect to pay out-of-pocket for medical services unless they have private health insurance. In fact, many immigration programs require temporary residents to secure private health insurance for the duration of their stay in Canada. Temporary residents have several options for this:
Yes. You may bring your spouse, common-law partner, and dependent children.
The government of Canada, not to mention the university or college you are attending, prioritizes the mental and emotional stability of their students while studying in Canada. Consequently, you can have your spouse/common-law partner join you in Canada, as well as any dependent children. Your spouse/partner can apply for an open work permit, allowing him or her to come to Canada and work for any employer, while your children may also join you.
The Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) is an open work permit issued to foreign students who have graduated from a Designated Learning Institution (DLI).
It allows you to gain work experience in Canada and can help you become eligible for a variety of federal and provincial immigration programs (which sometimes require that candidates have qualifying Canadian work experience to become eligible for a given program).
The PGWP is valid for a period equivalent to the program of study you completed in Canada. Its duration can range from a minimum of 8 months to a maximum of 3 years depending on the length of the study program undertaken.
To be eligible for the SDS, you must:
Once you have been approved for a study permit, you must fulfil the following conditions established by the Canadian government:
Your study permit will become automatically invalid if you violate any of the conditions listed on your study permit.
Processing times depend on each visa office. Canada Visa’s Immigration Processing Times Tool contains more information.
Launched as a pilot in 2020 by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, the Nigeria Student Express aims to reduce the study permit processing times for eligible Nigerian students.
To be eligible for faster processing through the NSE, you must:
More international students are transitioning to become immigrants of Canada each year since many of Canada’s federal and provincial immigration programs reward international students with extra points and/or provide them with dedicated application streams. According to the most recent federal government statistics, over 50,000 international students become permanent residents each year.
Things that need to be looked into:
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© 2026 World Atlas Immigration Service Inc. All Rights Reserved