How to Extend Student Visa in Canada?

Are you worried about your student visa expiring soon? Are you looking out for options and methods to follow to extend your student visa in Canada? Here is all you need to know about extending your student visa in Canada.

Canada is known for having some of the top universities and colleges globally. For instance, the University of Toronto in Canada attracts most international students for study purposes. The University provides quality education for students to build a better future. With academic distinction, internationally acknowledged degrees, research possibilities; scholarships; reasonable tuition costs, Canada offers a profound lifestyle for students.

However, quality education comes with responsibilities for international students. One of the very significant responsibilities of studying overseas is maintaining a student visa. Applying for a student visa and extending the duration is not tricky in Canada. If you are in Canada, you are in the right country.

Table of Contents

1. What Is Student Visa?

A student visa is a document that a government provides for international students who want to study overseas. With the help of a student visa, students are allowed to study at designated learning institutions (DLIs) in Canada.

However, there is a difference between student permits and visas. A student permit allows you to study in Canada. But, along with a student visa, you need a visitor visa which allows you to reside in Canada temporarily.

2. Important Things to Consider for Those International Students Studying in Canada Who Want to Extend Their Student Visa:

1. When to apply for extending student visa?

Students concerned about the expiry of their student visas should count the days. If you still have 30 days more for the expiration of your visa that you are all set to extend it.

It is always suggested that international students apply for the extension of visas one month from the date of expiry. However, it is also advisable to take proper concern by applying the extending process taking a few days more than 30 days.

The second suggestion is essential because you require a valid study permit to continue your Social Insurance Number (SIN) or health insurance. If you pause until there are solely 30 days left, you may have issues reviving these because your study permit will be expiring.

2. How to apply?

Now that you know when to apply for the student visa extension get some information about how to apply for it. Due to the pandemic, the regular process for the student visa extension might not be possible, but the process through an online medium is functional.

Usually, students can apply for student visas through an online portal. However, if students have limitations like disabilities to use the online platform to extend the visa, in-person applications could also be submitted. Suppose there is some error in filling up the application for an extension of visa through an online platform. In that case, the paper documentation process is also available for international students in Canada.

3. What Are the Benefits of Extending Visas Through an Online Platform?

First, applying for a student visa through an online medium helps students do it from anywhere, anytime. Moreover, the online platform makes it easier for students to understand the process, as the next option is already modeled.

Other benefits of applying through an online medium:

No Deliverer Fees or Mail Delivery Time: If students apply through an online portal, they are free from paying any fees for courier services. In a way, students can save time and money through the online application format.
Quick processing application: If you apply in-person and in the documentation process, the process ahead might take some time because employees are stuck with numerous applications. In such a scenario, applying through an online portal helps quickly generate the application process.
Proof reading and Confirmation: Before you submit your application form, you can review your form. This helps make any final changes that you have missed or mistakenly added. However, if you apply in documents, you have to fill up the entire document in case of any error.
Submit extra documents: The portal might ask for additional documents when you submit your documents for a student visa. In such a scenario, you can quickly upload documents from your device. However, the in-person documentation process might not allow you to access your additional documents if you somehow miss carrying any.
Get Updates: Another profitable thing about having an online portal account is that you can check the update of your application form online. This online portal medium for application submission will help students plan out their requirements.

4. Essential Things to Hold for Applying Online

Being a student who wants to apply for an extension of a student visa, kindly consider keeping the following things in place.

Have a scanner or camera to make electronic copies of your documents
You must hold a valid debit or credit card to make a payment towards completing the student visa application form.

5. Things to Consider for Online Application

The online application format is simple but holds specific steps to follow. Such as, you have to answer some queries before moving ahead with the application process. Kindly read the instructions before making any payments for the form.

Now, if you want to extend your visa after you graduate, options are available. Students can apply for a work permit after completing their education in Canada.

A student permit is a function until your program continues, and after that, the permit expires. Therefore, you can choose to apply for a work permit to extend your stay in Canada.

The student permit usually remains valid until your program, but the permit provides 90 days extra, so all you need to do is if you wish to stay back in Canada.

6. What Is a Work Permit?

A work permit is a valid document provided by the government of Canada for any foreign individual to work in the land. There are two types of work permits:

An unrestricted permit allows foreign individuals to work in any location in Canada.
A restricted permit is bound to a particular location and occupation. It doesn’t allow you to work anywhere you wish in the land.

Therefore, applying for an unrestricted permit is more suitable because you can work in any region in Canada without any restrictions for occupation.

Moreover, there is an option for an open work permit and a close work permit in Canada. An open work permit in Canada helps international individuals and graduate students to work at any location and is not bound to any particular employer. On the other hand, a close work permit strictly allows you to work for specified employers.

Applying for an extension for a student visa in Canada includes the criteria mentioned above to follow. You can choose the online mode for application to get your extension done in Canada at ease.