Canada Study Permit News

The following temporary policy changes have been made to better accommodate eligible international students who have completed distance learning in or outside Canada.

Students can complete up to 50% of their studies online from outside Canada from September 2022 to August 2023. All the time spent studying online from outside Canada between spring 2020 and August 31, 2022, counts toward the length of a post-graduation work permit (PGWP). This applies even if students are completing two study programs.

Starting September 2023, all study time completed outside of Canada will be deducted from the length of your PGWP, all distance learning courses that a student completes outside Canada are excluded from the time that counts the length of the PGWP and 50% of a student’s courses must be completed in Canada and in person.

For students completing two study programs, they can finish 100% of their studies online if the programs were ongoing or started between March 2020 and summer 2022, and

• both study programs are with an eligible DLI and are completed within two years, and
• each program meets all PGWP eligibility requirements and is at least eight months long

The following time won’t count toward the length of a PGWP:

• time spent studying outside Canada after August 31, 2023
• time spent studying before you applied for a study permit

Note: The minimum length of time a PGWP should be issued for is 8 months.

To be eligible for the temporary policy changes to the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWPP), these students must either:

• have a study permit
• have been approved for a study permit
• submit a study permit application prior to beginning their program and eventually be approved

Upon arrival, Loyalist College staff will record permit expiry dates in our system for tracking purposes and to support students with upcoming permit dates. The College will not retain or withhold a student’s passport, study permit or similar documents under any circumstances.

Here’s What You Need To Know

After you apply for your study permit, any time spent studying online from outside Canada now counts toward the length of a Post-Graduate Work Permit (PGWP). Please see the IRCC’s Work in Canada after you graduate: who can apply web page.

For additional details, visit the IRCC’s International Students website.

Start Online

Begin your journey at Loyalist in four easy steps:

Step 1: Pay your fee deposit

Step 2: Apply for a study permit

Step 3: Upload your Canada Immigration documents (International Application Portal)

Step 4: Click ‘visa received’ on your offer (International Application Portal)

Student Direct Stream (SDS) is available in fourteen more countries:

• Antigua & Barbuda
• Brazil
• China
• Colombia
• Costa Rica
• India
• Morocco
• Pakistan
• Peru
• Philippines
• Senegal
• St. Vincent & the Grenadines
• Trinidad & Tobago
• Vietnam

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to have my study permit approved before travelling to Loyalist College?

Yes. You will not be able to start classes on campus without an approved  study permit. Please refer to the Travel to Canada web page.

Can I withdraw my application?

Students have until day ten of the semester to make any changes to their registration at Loyalist College. Please refer to the Academic Calendar. 

My study permit/visa is about to expire, what should I do?

IRCC recommends submitting applications online (paper application can delay the process). Processing time may be longer than usual; however, submitting an application before a study permit expires activates “Maintained Status” (previously called Implied Status) which allows students to continue studies and work under current study permit conditions until a decision is made. Students are encouraged to refer the IRCC Guide 5552 for help with online applications.

Will online courses affect my PGWP eligibility?

Students can complete up to 50% of their studies online from outside Canada from September 2022 to August 2023.  However, Starting September 2023, all study time completed outside of Canada will be deducted from the length of your PGWP, all distance learning courses that a student completes outside Canada are excluded from the time that counts the length of the PGWP and the length of the PGWP and 50% of a student’s courses must be completed in Canada and in person.

My co-op work permit says “not authorized to work for any employer other than stated”. What does it mean?

As a co-op student, your co-op work permit might say:

• you’re “not authorized to work for any employer other than stated”
• your school is your employer

This is to identify you as a co-op student. It means you can work for any employer that’s accepted by your school’s co-op program.

How do I apply for a co-op permit online?

Please follow the instructions on the IRCC web page here. Make sure you have a valid GCKey account to access the IRCC portal to submit your request.

How can I amend my study/work permit with IRCC?

It is important that your study permit has your information matching with your personal information on your passport. If there is spelling error you can request IRCC to correct them on your permit. Your work permit reflects exactly the name of your employer, your occupation and your working location (city) in Canada. If this information is incorrect during an inspection, it could result in the loss of your ability to work in Canada, and your employer could be fined. More information can be found here.

What does a full payment include?

2020/21 Fees

For a list of the many services, activities and items included within the ancillary fees, and the related policies, download the 2020 – 2021 Ancillary Fee Schedule for full-time students.

*Fees as stated are subject to change.
**Please note: Once finalized, tuition and fees for years two and three of a program will be reflected on a student’s myFees page in the myLoyalist portal.

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