ISS is available virtually and in-person Mondays-Fridays during business hours.
Do I need a CAQ and Study Permit?听
Depending on the length of your studies at 平特五不中, you may or may not need to apply for a Certificat d鈥檃cceptation du Qu茅bec (CAQ) and Study Permit.
If you will be studying at 平特五不中 for more than 6 months (e.g. a two-term exchange), you must apply for both a CAQ and a Study Permit. See our CAQ and Study Permit application guides for guidance on how to apply for these documents.
If you will be studying at 平特五不中 for 6 months or less (e.g. one-term exchange), you do not require a CAQ or Study Permit. However, you may choose to apply for these documents as a Study Permit may be beneficial to you depending on your plans.
2-term exchange (studies more than 6 months)
If you will be studying at 平特五不中 for more than 6 months (e.g. a two-term exchange), you require a CAQ and Study Permit. See our CAQ and Study Permit application guides for guidance on how to apply for these documents.
One-term exchange Without听 a CAQ or Study Permit (studies of 6 months or less)
If you will be studying at 平特五不中 for听6 months or less听(别.驳.听one-term exchange), you do not need to have a CAQ and Study Permit. These documents are听optional.
However, there are BENEFITS听of holding a CAQ and Study Permit:
- You will be able to work on-campus
- If you decide to听extend your exchange from one-term to two-terms,听or if you decide to听continue your degree at 平特五不中听(i.e., transfer to 平特五不中), you will have a better chance of starting your next term on time as you will be able to benefit from听听when extending your Study Permit. This means that you will be able to continue studying and working as per the conditions of your previous Study Permit, while you await a decision on your application听as long as听you applied for the extension before the expiry of your Study Permit听and听you remain in Canada while your application is being processed.
*NOTE:听If you decide to extend your stay in Canada and you do not already have a Study Permit, you will not benefit from听尘补颈苍迟补颈苍别诲听蝉迟补迟耻蝉. This means that you may not continue studying after the expiration of your authorized stay while you await a decision on your Study Permit application.
Further more,听Depending on your country of citizenship, you may need a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or eTA to enter Canada.
If you are a one-term exchange student听and听you have decided not to apply for a CAQ and Study Permit听and听you require a TRV to enter Canada:
- 听with Immigration Canada.
- Once you are signed in, select 鈥淰isitor visa, study and/or work permit鈥 to continue.
- Complete the听and record your personal reference code (this code is generated for you after you complete the online questionnaire).
- Answer 鈥淭emporarily 鈥 less than 6 months鈥 to the question听How long are you planning to stay in Canada?
- Once you have entered your personal reference code, follow the instructions to complete your application.
- Complete, validate, save, and upload the听Application for Visitor Visa (Temporary Resident Visa)听form (IMM 5257, in PDF format)
- Answer 鈥淪hort-term studies鈥 to the question听Purpose of my visit听(Details of Visit to Canada)
- Upload supporting documents. You will be asked to upload a list of supporting documents based on the answers you provided to the online questionnaire.
- Click on the "?"听if you need more details about the supporting documents in question.
- You will be prompted to upload a 鈥淟etter of Acceptance鈥澨and听an 鈥淚nvitation Letter鈥. Since 平特五不中 does听not provide an Invitation Letter, you can either:
- Upload your 鈥淥ffer of Admission鈥 letter from 平特五不中 two times 鈥 i.e., in both the section for 鈥淟etter of Acceptance鈥澨and听in the section for 鈥淚nvitation Letter鈥,听OR
- Upload your 鈥淥ffer of Admission鈥 letter from 平特五不中 in the 鈥淟etter of Acceptance鈥 section听and听upload a听cover letter听in the 鈥淚nvitation Letter鈥 section. Your听cover letter听should explain that 平特五不中 does not provide Invitation Letters and that the Offer of Admission letter is the only official letter that 平特五不中 provides to its students.
8. After you submit your payment, you will receive a confirmation notice from Immigration Canada confirming that your application was submitted.
9. Once your application is approved, Immigration Canada will let you know how and where to submit your passport so that the TRV (counterfoil) can be affixed to your passport.
One-Term Exchange With CAQ, Study Permit & TRV/ETA
While not required, you听may听decide to apply for a CAQ and Study Permit to participate in a听one-term exchange听at 平特五不中.
听To apply for your CAQ & Study Permit:
1听
When you are submitting your supporting documents to Immigration Quebec via the Arrima portal, include a cover letter, include a听cover letter (a)听indicating that although you will be studying at 平特五不中 for less than 6 months, you are applying for a CAQ and Study Permit and听(b)听explaining your reasons(s) for doing so 鈥 e.g. in case you wish to extend your studies at 平特五不中 for another semester and/or in order to work on campus during your studies.
Once you have your CAQ approval letter, you may apply for your Study Permit.
2听
- Answer听鈥渟tudy鈥澨to the question,听What would you like to do in Canada?
- Answer听鈥淭emporarily 鈥 less than 6 months鈥 for the question,听How long are you planning to stay in Canada?
- Answer听鈥淵es鈥澨to the question,听If your current study program lasts for 6 months or less, but you wish to continue your studies after completing this program, you鈥檒l need to apply for a study permit. Do you want to apply for a study permit?
Visit the Visitor Visa page听to determine whether you need to apply for a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or eTA.
Proof of financial capacity & how to prepare for your arrival
Regardless of the length of your studies, you should be able to demonstrate that you have sufficient funds to cover your tuition fees and living expenses for the duration of your stay in Canada.
Applications for CAQs, Study Permits, and Temporary Resident Visas (TRVs) require proof of financial capacity. While you do not need to provide financial proof when applying for an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), you may be asked to demonstrate financial capacity when you enter Canada.
It is always a good idea to travel with proof that you have enough funds to cover your tuition and living expenses for the duration of your stay in Canada in the event that you are asked by a border officer to demonstrate that you can support yourself financially for the duration of your stay in Canada 鈥 i.e., proof that you are capable of paying tuition (if applicable) and living expenses.听听
Please see and our Clearing Customs page听for how to prepare for your arrival in Canada.
Living Expenses
Quebec expects students to have approximately 听for living expenses for one year. You can calculate your living expenses based on when you plan to enter and exit Canada. For example, it is recommended that one-term exchange students demonstrate financial capacity to cover at least 6 months of living expenses.
Examples of Proof of Financial Capacity:
We recommend students include:
- A recent bank letter, on bank letterhead, indicating the total balance in the account(s) of the person(s) funding their studies; AND/OR
- 3 to 4 most recent bank statements of the person(s) funding their studies
- A letter from the person(s) funding their studies indicating that they will be paying for the cost of the student鈥檚 exchange at 平特五不中
Additional examples of proof of funds can be found on the 听and the .
- Proof that you are not required to pay tuition fees to 平特五不中 (this information may be included in your Offer of Admission letter from 平特五不中 and/or in a letter from your home university.
- Proof that you听have already paid tuition to your home university (if applicable)
- Proof that you have paid fees for student residence (if applicable)
Can I work during my exchange?
If you entered Canada as a visitor (i.e., you do not have a Study Permit), you are not authorized to work during your studies as a visitor.
If you entered Canada as a student and obtained a Study Permit upon entry, you are authorized to and as long as you are registered full-time.听
*IMPORTANT* An activity may be considered 鈥渨ork鈥 even if it is unpaid. You can read more about what constitutes work on the and the .
Can I stay in Canada after my exchange ends to travel?
You may remain in Canada to travel after your exchange ends:
- If you entered as a visitor, you are still within the period authorized for your stay and:
- Your passport was not stamped upon arrival, you may remain in Canada as a visitor for 6 months from your entry date. If you wish to stay longer, you must by or before the 6 months is up.
- Your passport was stamped upon arrival and the border officer entered an end date, you must leave Canada or extend your stay by or before the end date written in your passport.
- If you have a Study Permit and it is still valid.
*Your Study Permit becomes invalid 90 days after you complete your studies or the expiry date, whichever comes first. If you wish to stay longer, you must by or before the expiration of your Study Permit.
Can I stay in Canada and work after my exchange ends?
If you wish to stay in Canada and work after your exchange ends, you must apply for and obtain the appropriate work permit.
If you have a Study Permit, you may work on-campus听and听off-campus as long as you are registered as a full-time student. You must stop working on-campus and听off-campus as soon as you are no longer registered full-time. For example, if you were registered full-time for the Winter term, you must stop working when that term ends.
Citizens of certain countries may be able to work in Canada via:
- International Experience Canada (IEC). You can read more about the program on the .
- SWAP Working Holidays. You can read more about the program on the .
*IMPORTANT* An activity may be considered 鈥渨ork鈥 even if it is unpaid. You can read more about what constitutes work on the and the .