You are requested to visit the Government of Canada Department of Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Website, to understand the processes for obtaining a study permit.
Renewing your study permit or transferring to The Royal Alberta College from out-of-province
You must renew your study permit if it will expire within the next three months. Students are responsible for their own study permit, visa and passport validity.
There are two options to apply for a study permit extension:
- Online (application processing time is shorter and it is a one-step process)
- Paper (application processing time is longer and application fee must be paid online)
The following are the steps to take to extend your study permit:
Online - Study Permit Extension
- Create a MyCIC account on the IRCC (formerly CIC) website. Write down your username, password and your security questions and keep them safe.
- Answer the questions and choose “Study Permit extension”
- Fill out the application form and upload the required documents. You do not have to sign the electronic form; include the date and validate it. Please make sure that your documents are of good quality and that the file does not exceed 4KB.
- Pay the $150 CAD fee and submit your application.
- You will receive two auto-emails. Please read both and follow up.
Paper - Study Permit extension
- Visit the IRCC website (formerly CIC) and download the application package
- Complete and print out the application form and sign it. Attach required documents as per the Checklist
- Read the Guide and pay the $150 CAD fee online. Print out the receipt and attach it to your application.
- Before sending your Application package make a photocopy or scan it entirely.
- Send your Application package to Vegreville, Alberta through Canada Post Express mail. Remember to write down, or take a photo of the tracking number on the Express mail envelope.
*It is highly recommended to apply online. Start the application process three months before your study permit expiry date. Do not apply earlier than three months as it may lead to the refusal of your application. However, if you have serious reasons to apply earlier than three to four months, please provide an Explanation letter in your application package.
As per current Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) guidelines, international students graduating from licensed programs at a private career college in Alberta are not eligible for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP).
You will need the following supporting documents
- UCI (Unique Client Identifier) – the 8 or 10 digit number (xxxx-xxxx or xx-xxxx-xxxx) on your Study Permit. Omit the dash in between the digits when entering onto your application form.
- The Royal Alberta College Designated Learning Institution (DLI) number (INSERT HERE) starts with the Letter “O” not the number “zero”. (DELETE IF NEEDED)
- Letter of Enrollment from The Royal Alberta College (fill in the blue letter request form in B255 Reception, allow one week for pick up) along with your “Unofficial Transcript” from your Student Record. Scan both documents in one pdf file.
- Scan your passport photo, visa and stamped pages upon your entry to Canada and merge them as one pdf file. Please note that the file should not exceed 4KB. If you need to reduce the size of your file, scan in black and white or compress it.
- Proof of financial means: bank statements for you and/or your parents, if they are funding your education, or sponsoring agency letter.
- Digital photo, click here to read the specifications.
- Your credit card to pay the fee. Depending on your financial institution, you can pay the fee online using your credit card.
NOTE: It is important to apply at least one month early because the processing time may take a few months. Please check the current estimates of processing times of applications.
*If you do not receive your new Study Permit within the posted processing time you have a few options for contacting IRCC (formerly CIC):
- Help Centre search for answers online
- Call Centre toll-free number: 1-888-242-2100
- Case Specific Enquiry
After You Apply
Implied Status - What is it?
We have explained that study permits, work permits, and visitor records (usually given to students’ family members) are status documents. If an International student applied for an extension of his/her study permit but the permit expired before an extension was granted, the student can continue to study in Canada under the original study permit conditions until an Immigration Officer makes a decision on the application to renew. This waiting period is called “implied status”. You will lose this status if you leave Canada while still waiting for the decision on your application to renew.
Restoration - What is it?
Contrary to implied status, if an International student has allowed his/her study permit, work permit and visitor record (usually given to students’ family members) to expire without applying to renew that status before it expires, the student becomes “out of status”. Student and family members lose their legal status in Canada and may be subject to enforcement action (deportation).
An Alberta College International student must stop his/her studies and meet the Alberta College Immigration Advisor (of the student’s choosing) and receive immigration advice and assistance. In such situations, International students have a 90 days period to apply to restore their student status. The student may not continue to study or work until their application for restoration is approved. Restoration of status is not permitted at the port of entry (flag polling). Students must pay a $200 CAD Restoration fee and a $150 CAD study permit application fee. Students may not be eligible for a tuition fee refund.
The content of this page is not a substitute for legal immigration advice. It is for information purposes only and can change without notice. Please refer to the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada(IRCC) website for up-to-date information.
Rejection or Refusal of study permit extension
International students require assistance from the Immigration Consultant at Alberta College if they are not sure how to apply for and extend their status (Study Permit) and re-entry (Temporary Resident Visa TRV) immigration documents. It is important to remember that a Study Permit extension requires students to comply with two conditions:
- being a full time /part time student (Note: part time students will not be authorized to work)
- being in good academic standing and continuously enrolled at Alberta College and actively pursue their program of studies.
If a student has made a mistake on his/her application, attached incorrect documents or scanned files exceeding 4KB, the student’s application may be rejected. When the Immigration Officer notifies the student of their error or incorrect documents, and the student fails to provide the correct documents, the result is rejection. The student loses their status.
If the Immigration Officer reviews the application and makes a decision to refuse the application, the refusal letter may request that the student leave Canada.
In both situations, the International Student was in status (including waiting time –implied status) until refusal (rejection) and lost the status from the date the decision was made by the Immigration Officer. Students have 90 days from the date of the refusal letter to apply for Restoration of their status. The fee for an Application for Restoration is $200 CAD in addition to the Study Permit fee of $150 CAD. While awaiting restoration the student must stop their studies at The Royal Alberta College, as they have no legal status in Canada.
Information for International Students on the need to notify IRCC of transfer
If you have transferred from another college in another Province in Canada, then you must read the following links:
English (Canada) 
Français du Canada