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Expired Immigration Documents

How can I tell when my documents expire?

CAQ

See the expiry date indicated on your CAQ document.

A CAQ is usually valid for 4 years for undergraduates and PhD students, and 1 to 2 years for Masters students (depending on the length of their program).

Study Permit

Your study permit will become invalid 90 days after you have completed your study program or on the date it expires, whichever date comes first.

Your program is considered complete when you receive written notification of program completion (for example, a transcript or an official letter) from your institution or once you obtain your degree, diploma or certificate. 

Work Permit

Co-op work permits usually expire on the same date as the Study Permit to which they refer.

If you apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit, the expiry date will depend on the length of your program of studies. 

If your spouse obtains an Open Work Permit (OWP) based on your Study Permit, their OWP will expire at the same time as your Study Permit.
 

Entry Visa (TRV)

Your Visitor Visa (or TRV) is usually issued for the same duration as your Study Permit. 

If you get a new passport while your TRV is still valid, the TRV in your old passport remains valid - you will simply have to travel with both passports.

If your status changes from student to worker, you can continue to use the TRV that was issued to you while you were a student, as long as it has not yet expired. 

eTA


International Students who are TRV-Exempt and who fly to or transit through Canada (except those traveling by land/sea) require an eTA. This does not apply to citizens of the United States.

If you renew your Study Permit or Work Permit inside of Canada on or after May 1, 2017, Immigration Canada will automatically issue you an eTA when your permit is approved.   

If you get a new passport then you will need to apply for a new eTA.  This is because the eTA is electronically linked to the passport that you use to fly to Canada.   Please see the IRCC website for details on how to apply. 

Concerned about expired immigration documents?

 Here are the 3 most common scenarios:

Your Study Permit has expired - you applied before it expired - but you have not yet received your new permit


The following information is taken directly from the How Can I Extend My Stay as a Student page of the IRCC website:

If your study permit expires after you have submitted your application for an extension but before you receive a decision on your application, you can stay in Canada under what’s called maintained status. That means that you can legally remain in Canada until IRCC decides on your new permit application. If you applied for another study permit, you must:

  1. stay in Canada and
  2. meet the conditions of your original study permit (and student work permit, if applicable)

Your Study Permit has expired and you’re applying after the expiry date

Biometrics requirement expanded to inside Canada applications: you must submit biometrics in order to extend or apply for an immigration document from inside Canada – e.g. study permit, work permit, visitor record, and temporary resident visa (TRV/Visitor Visa/Entry Visa). See the ISS News Section and Immigration Canada’s website for more information. U.S. citizens are currently exempt from having to provide biometrics. For a full list of exemptions, see Immigration Canada’s website.


The following information is taken directly from the Extend Your Study Permit page of the IRCC website:

In some cases, you may apply to restore your status as a student within 90 days of losing it. You may only apply if you have continued to meet the requirements under which you were allowed to enter and stay in Canada and you have met all the conditions imposed on your permit.

After you apply to restore your status, you may stay in Canada until a decision is made on your application but you are not allowed to study or work until your status has been restored.

There is no guarantee that your application to restore your status will be accepted. On your application, you must provide full details of all the facts and circumstances that caused you to lose your status.

In addition to a fee for renewing your study permit, there is also a fee for restoring your status. The fee is required for each family member who has lost status. To find out about application fees, go to Pay my application fees.

An officer will evaluate your request for restoration of status and will process an application for a study permit. Citizenship and Immigration Canada will advise you of any further action to be taken.

Please note that – based on McGill students’ experiences – we’ve noted that the processing time for a restoration of status can be anywhere from 6 weeks to 6 months.

Your Temporary Resident Visa (TRV or Entry Visa) has expired and you plan to travel


If you are a citizen of a country that requires a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV, or Entry Visa) to enter Canada, and your TRV has expired, you can simply apply for a new visa.  You can travel to the US only and back into Canada without a new TRV so long as you have a valid Study Permit or Work Permit.

If you have expired immigration documents and your situation does not correspond to any of the above, please contact us for assistance.

In addition to the information above, please also review ISS' FAQs page.

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