Immigration

Most international students will require a visa to stay in Canada. However, if you are from a visa-exempt country, you will need an electronic Travel Authorization instead. If you are unsure about which rule applies to you, click here.

If your visa is expiring or has already expired, you must apply to renew if before you travel.

TRV Renewal Handout (PDF)

TRV Renewal Application Guide (PDF)

All students who are studying in Canada for more than six months are required to have a valid study permit for the duration of their program.

Study Permit Extension Handout (PDF)

Study Permit Extension Application Guide (PDF)

Online Form for letter requests 

Students may be allowed to work on and off campus part-time for up to 20 hours per week or full-time during semester breaks.

Definitions

• • On Campus
    “On campus” is defined as employment facilities within the boundaries of the campus.  Students are only allowed to work on the campus of the educational institution at which they are registered in full-time studies. To know more, please visit IRCC’s webpage.
  • Off Campus
    Students can work off-campus provided that:
    – They hold a study permit that authorizes them to work on and off campus
    – They are enrolled full-time in a post-secondary program that leads to a degree (ie. Associate Degree)
    – They have started studying
    – Have a Social Insurance Number (SIN)
  • Part-time / Full-time Status
    A student is considered to have a full-time academic status if s/he is registered in at least three courses or a minimum of 9 credits in one of the College’s academic programs, or a student registered in the ESL program taking at least 25 hours a week of instruction.
    
    A student is considered to be part-time if s/he registers in less than 9 credits.
    
    Students must stop working off campus as soon as their full-time status becomes part-time during a regular academic session (for instance, a student may begin a regular academic session on a full-time basis and become part-time during the same session as they drop courses). In this case, they are no longer authorized to undertake off-campus work.
    
    Students who have maintained full-time status for the duration of their program of study, and who only require a part-time course load in their final academic session in order to complete their program of study, may work off campus up to 20 hours per week during their final academic session.
  • Semester Break
    One semester in Columbia College typically lasts 14 weeks. Semester break is defined as the time between the last day of final exams until one day prior to the first day of classes of the next semester.

Amendment and Changing Conditions on Study Permit

• Amendment and Changing Conditions Handout (PDF)
• Online Form for letter requests 

Inviting Friends & Family Handout

Columbia College operates in a tri-semester system. We do not have a scheduled Summer break. Students, however, may apply for an Authorized Leave for a semester if they meet the criteria. 

• Authorized Leave
  There are a few cases where you may be able to take a leave of up to a maximum of 150 days from your program of studies and still be considered to be actively pursuing your studies.
  
  It counts as authorized leave if:
  • medical reasons or pregnancy
  • family emergency
  • death or serious illness of a family member
    
    You cannot work on or off campus during an authorized leave from your study program, even if your study permit says you’re allowed to work in Canada.
    
    To apply for Authorized Leave, please email Student Services with the reason(s) for your request and any relevant supporting documents.

Students are required to remain enrolled and make “reasonably and timely” progress towards completing their program. Designated Learning Institutions (DLI) will be making regular reports to IRCC on students’ enrollment and progress. Students who are not enrolled or not considered to be making progress could be removed from Canada.

• DLI Reporting
  International students are only allowed to attend DLIs. Students who switch from one DLI to another are required to notify IRCC of this change. Notification is made through your MyCIC account with instructions here.

• Canadian immigration documents and permits
  If your study permit or work permit are lost or stolen, you must request a replacement from IRCC, following the instructions on the IRCC website. There is a $30 processing fee for replacing a document.
  
  You may continue studying and/or working while your documents are being replaced. You should not leave Canada until you have received your replacement document. 
• Passports or any national documents from your home country
  If your passport is lost or stolen, you must replace it immediately. Contact your home country’s Consulate/Embassy/High Commission in Vancouver to know how you can replace your passport. You will need to have your new passport before you can apply for any new Canadian immigration documents.