Last Updated On 17 July 2024, 5:13 PM EDT (Toronto Time)

There are multiple options for international students in Canada to extend their stay after graduating from their initial study program.

With recent developments in Canadian immigration and competitiveness in obtaining permanent residency, students are now stressed out looking for ways to stay and extend their status legally in Canada.

Extending your stay in Canada as an international student is not difficult; it’s an achievable goal with the right information and pathway.

To provide more clarity, we enlist the most common and doable options for international students in Canada to extend their stay legally.

However, do keep in consideration your permanent residency options prior to choosing any one of these options to extend your stay.

1. Extend your student status

A student who has finished a one-year course may apply for a second course and extend their study permit.

Avoid claiming your post-graduation work permit (PGWP), to which you are entitled after graduating.

Rather, use the option of program stacking to increase your PGWP that you will eventually get after graduating from the second study program.

Keep in mind that you can only receive the postgraduate work permit once in a lifetime, so make the most of it.

Usually, a 1-year study program gets you a 1-year PGWP, but a 2-year study program gets you a 3-year PGWP.

Go for the Masters program, which will not only help you extend your stay in Canada but also get you more points for permanent residency through dedicated PNPs such as Ontario’s Masters Graduate stream or even in the Express Entry system.

Do take into account the new PGWP eligibility requirements that the Canadian Immigration Department has introduced as of May 15, 2024.

To extend your stay, you need to apply for a study permit extension based on the new study program offer letter at least 30 days before your existing study permit expires.

Remember to renew your social insurance number and health insurance with your valid (extended) study permit.

2. International Students already on a PGWP that is Expiring soon,

International students already on a PGWP that is expiring soon and not having enough points to meet the prevailing permanent residency scores can also extend their stay as students based on a new study program.

They can switch their status from PGWP back to international student.

Remember that such students cannot claim PGWP again after completing their second study program since they have already availed of it.

This time, choose the study program that can lead you to in-demand occupations for permanent residency or the one that can help you boost your existing score for permanent residency.

If you don’t want to return to student status, you can apply for a closed work permit, which calls for a job offer and a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from a Canadian employer.

However, this can be a difficult option since not every student can get a job offer, either by not finding a job matching their skill or by employers not being willing to support their immigration status.

Also, it can be quite an expensive option since there are a lot of employers who illegally charge a hefty price to give LMIA, which is even higher than the cost of a study program.

So it is better to spend your money going back to student status, which is usually half the cost of what employers are illegally charging for LMIAs right now.

3. Extend your stay as a Visitor

Apart from the above 2 options, international students can also extend their stay by applying for a visitor visa.

A visitor visa is given for 10 years or until the expiration of your passport, whichever occurs first, and lets you stay in Canada for up to 6 months at a time.

Visitors can extend their stay beyond the 6-month time limit by applying for an extension via the visitor record.

However, visitors are not allowed to work legally in Canada and if they work on cash, then such an experience cannot be counted towards any of the permanent residency programs.

Some visitors do apply and get a U.S. B1/B2 visa, exit Canada for 24 hours, and then return to stay for another 6 months without needing to apply for an extension.

This is a workaround to applying for an extension, but it is a legal way of living in Canada again for up to 6 months.

Whether through work permits, further education, or visiting, there are multiple pathways to help you continue your journey in Canada.

But this needs planning, keeping in mind your future permanent residency options.

Stay updated on the latest immigration news and updates with INC – Immigration News Canada.

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Kamal Deep Singh, RCIC

Kamal Deep Singh, RCIC (Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant) licensed by CICC (formerly known as ICCRC) with member number R708618. He brings extensive knowledge of immigration law and new changes to rapidly evolving IRCC.