In most cases, you must apply for a study permit before coming to Canada. Please ensure that you have a current Letter of Acceptance from Algoma University before you begin the application process. You can apply for the study permit at a Canadian visa office in your home country or online. Please click here for detailed information on how to apply.

For the most accurate information on application processing times please click here.

Algoma University policy dictates that a student cannot start their studies unless they have an approved study permit or Passport Request (PPR) from IRCC.

Although there is no specific range of dates for arriving in Canada, arriving 3-4 weeks prior to your first day of class is considered reasonable. 

Please ensure that all of your travel documents are valid and that you are fully registered for courses before you purchase a ticket to Canada.

Unless specified otherwise on your study permit,

• Those who wish to apply for a Post-Graduate Work Permit should be registered full-time (i.e. 12 credits or more) during each regular study semester. 
• Those who are not interested in applying for a Post-Graduate Work Permit may enroll in full-time or part-time studies.

As per the IRCC, if your courses were moved online due to the pandemic, the time you spend studying online from within Canada until August 31, 2023, still counts toward the length of your PGWP. 

However, the IRCC does not mention or provide clear guidelines about students’ own decisions to choose online courses. 

Algoma University’s online courses do not fit the criteria of being “moved online due to the pandemic.” As such, the continued and official advice from the Algoma University Immigration team is to take all courses on-campus, whenever and wherever possible. While this policy is not enforced, choosing not to follow this policy will be at each student’s own risk and discretion.

Please refer to p.35 of the  Academic Calendar for details about your own scheduled break timings.

For Project Management students, Scheduled Breaks are mandatory. 

For students in all other programs, Scheduled Breaks are not mandatory (though strongly recommended).

Scheduled Breaks cannot be moved, changed, or rescheduled to any other semester.

You may work off campus if you:

• Are a full time student
• Enrolled in a degree/diploma/certificate program that is longer than 6 months,
• Have a valid study permit with work authorization listed
• Have started studying
• Have a Social Insurance Number (SIN).

Provided that you are eligible to work as per your Study Permit conditions, you may start working on the first day of class for the semester you are registered as a full-time student.

During regular school terms/semesters, you can work up to 20 hours per week. You can work more than one job to make up these hours as long as you continue to meet the conditions of your study permit.  If you are on a Scheduled break and were enrolled in full-time studies before the break and enrolled in full-time studies after the break you can work full-time.  

Who can work more than 20 hours per week off campus?

From November 15, 2022, until December 31, 2023, you can work more than 20 hours per week off campus while class is in session if you:

• are a study permit holder and are studying at a DLI full-time (or part-time during your final academic session), or
• have been approved for a study permit but haven’t arrived in Canada yet

In addition, you must meet all these requirements:

• You must ensure IRCC received your application for a study permit (including extensions) on or before October 7, 2022.
• You must have off-campus work authorization on your study permit.
• You must be either in Canada or coming to Canada by December 31, 2023.

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/work/work-off-campus.html

You will submit a Study Permit Extension application yourself, online.

For guidance, please contact your assigned immigration advisor via the Student Portal. Please note that your immigration advisor may answer any questions you may have about the process, but will not complete or submit the document on your behalf. 

If you need a professional to prepare and submit the application on your behalf, you will need to hire a licensed immigration consultant (RCIC) or an immigration lawyer in good professional standing, outside the university. They will usually charge a fee for their services.

Please start the study permit renewal process 60 – 90 days prior to the expiration date of the permit.

Please refer to the  Application for a Study Permit Extension Guide for more information.

Social Insurance Numbers are usually issued at the border along with your Study Permit if your Study Permit conditions allow you to work. 

If a Social Insurance Number has not been issued to you at the border, you may apply for one at a Service Canada Office in your local area. 

You can also apply online by visiting Service Canada.

Documents required:

1. A valid primary document to prove your identity and legal status in Canada. 
   • A Work Permit issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
   • A Study Permit issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
2. A valid secondary document to confirm your identity 
   • A passport (Canadian or foreign)
   • A provincial or territorial ID card or driver’s license
   • Any other government-issued ID

Your Study Permit must always be valid in order for you to continue studying. Please stop studying immediately, and apply for Restoration of Status right away. You may not study or work until you receive the new, valid Study Permit. The grades you hold in your classes with be lost as a result of allowing your Study Permit to expire.

Your Study Permit must be valid at the time of your PGWP application. 

Your PGWP application will need a copy of either a Verification of Program Completion (VPC) or a final transcript with all the final grades for your program. Such documents will be made available roughly 3-4 weeks after the last day of the final exam period, which doesn’t give you enough time to apply for a PGWP with your current Study Permit. As such, you may need to apply for a Study Permit Extension.

As this is a tricky and time-sensitive process, please schedule an appointment with your Immigration Advisor ASAP.

You can only apply for a Post-Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) after you complete your program(s) of study. Those who are eligible and interested should apply within 180 days of completing their last program of study.

You will submit a Post-Graduate Work Permit application yourself, online.

For guidance, please contact your assigned immigration advisor via the Student Portal. Please note that your immigration advisor may answer any questions you may have about the process, but will not complete or submit the document on your behalf. 

If you need a professional to prepare and submit the application on your behalf, you will need to hire a licensed immigration consultant (RCIC) or an immigration lawyer in good professional standing, outside the university. They will usually charge a fee for their services.

Please note that those who are eligible and interested should apply within 180 days of completing their last program of study.  

Please refer to the  Application for a Post Graduate Work Permit Guide for more information.

From the university, you will need:

• Verification of Program Completion (VPC) and/or;
• Official Transcript (with all final grades)

Orders for both documents can be placed through your Student Portal.

While the actual length of your own Post-Graduate Work Permit is never guaranteed, those who successfully graduate from our programs are eligible for the following lengths of Post-Graduate Work Permits:

• 1-year Graduate Certificate programs = 1 year
• 2-year Graduate Certificate programs = 3 years 
• Bachelor’s Degree programs = 3 years

Please note that your PGWP eligibility may change depending on additional programs you have completed BEFORE our programs or those that you will complete after our programs. Please consult your immigration advisor if you have questions about your academic history and PGWP eligibility.