International Students: Immigration and Health Insurance FAQ

The information on this page is based on information available at the time of publishing.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and other government departments are constantly revising their policies. Links for the most current information have been provided for each question; however, updates may be published elsewhere.

• See IRCC’s website for the most up-to-date information.
• You can also review program delivery instructions for officers.

If you are planning to travel to Canada

If you’re an international student planning to come to UBC, there are important steps to follow before you plan your travels.

Frequently Asked Questions

Immigration applications

• What if I can’t travel to Canada by the start of term?
• I need to provide biometrics. How does this impact my application?
• I need to complete my medical exam. How does this impact my application?

Study permits

• My study permit will expire soon but my program is not finished. What should I do?
• I received a request from IRCC to provide another document for my application. What should I do?
• If I drop to part-time studies or take a break, how will this impact me?

Work permits and working in Canada

• Can I work or be paid for a scholarship, award, teaching, or research assistantship, if I am outside of Canada?
• I want to apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). What are my options?

Academic and financial supports

• I am experiencing financial distress. Can UBC help?
• Will I be able to access course materials if they are not permitted in my home country? 
• I will be studying online from outside of Canada. Can I opt out of the U-Pass, health insurance and other student fees?

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

Immigration applications

What if I can’t travel to Canada by the start of term?

You may be experiencing delays with your study permit or Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) application, or you may have other reasons why you are unable to travel to Canada at this time.

The processing times posted on the IRCC website are estimates where some applications may be processed faster, and others may take longer than the published processing time. They are updated weekly and are based on how long it took to process 80% of previously submitted applications in the past 8 or 16 weeks. They do not include the time it takes to complete your medical exam (if you did not include it with your application) or provide biometrics. They also do not include the time it takes to submit your passport to the visa office to get the Temporary Resident Visa inserted when your application is approved, if you need one. You can also check your application status.

Unfortunately, there is no option to get rushed processing, and International Student Advising is not able to influence processing times or contact IRCC on your behalf. If your application is past the published processing time, you can send a webform to request an update and request rushed processing to begin your program without delay. If you have not reviewed our initial study permit tutorial, please have a look to see if there is anything you might have missed and provide any missing documents at the same time.

You should not travel to Canada before you’ve received your Letter of Introduction (study permit approval letter), even if you have a valid Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) or Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) to travel as a visitor (unless your program is less than 6 months). You may experience difficulties travelling without a study permit or an approval letter, or may not be allowed to enter Canada.

Before making any non-refundable travel plans or arrangements, carefully review the Travelling to Canada Guide.

If you are inside Canada, you cannot begin studies until you have obtained a physical copy of your UBC study permit (an approval is not sufficient) and you cannot work in Canada until you meet all requirements. If you are transferring from a Canadian high school or post-secondary institution to UBC, check important considerations, as your situation may be different. You must also ensure that you always have valid status in Canada. Contact International Student Advising for support.

Registration

Contact an Academic Advisor from your faculty or your graduate program staff to ask about your potential options, such as if it’s possible to arrive late, study online, start the following term, or defer. If you are an exchange student or a Visiting International Research Student (VIRS), contact Go Global. 

Check the term start date and the add/drop deadline, which is the last day to withdraw from a course without a “withdrawal” standing on your transcript and to be eligible for a tuition refund. For most students starting in September 2025, the term starts on Sep 2, 2025, and the last day to add/drop Winter Session Term 1 (Sep to Dec 2025) courses is Sep 15, 2025. Confirm your program start date and last day to withdraw with your faculty or graduate department.

Health insurance

If you are a new international student and withdraw before the add/drop deadline, your iMED fees will be automatically removed from your UBC tuition account and your iMED coverage will be cancelled. If you re-enroll in the future, your iMED fees will be added again and your coverage dates will be adjusted to your new start date. 

If you are a new undergraduate student and withdraw from Winter Term 1 courses, but remain enrolled in Winter Term 2, your iMED fees will be automatically adjusted to January and coverage will be provided from December 1 to the last day of February. 

If you are a current/returning student, confirm your Medical Services Plan (BC MSP) eligibility. If you do not have MSP, you’ll need to purchase temporary health insurance for your first three months in BC, such as the Global Campus Health Plan, then apply online for MSP as soon as you arrive in British Columbia.

Housing

Arrange for housing wherever you will live during your study gap and change any housing arrangements you made for your UBC studies. 

If you have on-campus housing, contact UBC Housing to ask about your options.

Orientation

If you are an undergraduate student registered in Jump Start orientation and will not be able to make it, please email orientations.jumpstart@ubc.ca to let them know.

If you are not an undergraduate student and will miss your faculty or program orientation, please inform them.

I need to provide biometrics. How does this impact my application?

Biometrics (your fingerprints and photo) have been required for study permit applications since 2018. If you applied for a study permit before 2018, you may not have provided them in the past and will need to provide them if applying for a study permit or work permit from outside Canada—this is different from providing your fingerprints at the airport kiosk. Citizens of some countries have required biometrics since 2013. If you previously provided biometrics, they are valid for 10 years. If you are not sure, you can confirm if you have valid biometrics. Some people are exempt from biometrics, such as US citizens and children under 14 years old.

It’s best to pay your biometrics fee at the same time you submit your immigration application. You must provide your biometrics within 30 days of when you have received your Biometrics Instruction Letter and should book an appointment as soon as possible.

If you are outside of Canada

See the steps to provide biometrics. If you are not able to provide biometrics within 30 days, write a letter of explanation to request more time and provide proof of the reason you cannot provide biometrics, such as a PDF or screenshot of your appointment confirmation, then combine these together into one PDF and submit the files in your online IRCC account by the deadline (or send a webform if you do not have a request in your online portal).

Schedule your biometrics appointment as soon as you can. Since applications are typically not processed until biometrics have been provided, the delay in providing biometrics may cause increased processing times.

If you are eligible to apply for a study or work permit at the airport or border crossing on arrival to Canada and submit your application there, you can provide your biometrics at that time. 

If you are in Canada

Biometrics are required for temporary residence applications submitted from Canada unless you previously provided biometrics and they are still valid. This applies to:

• Study permit, work permit, and Visitor Record extensions
• Temporary Resident Visas
• New study permits, work permits, or Visitor Records
• Restoration of student, worker or visitor status
• Temporary Resident Permits

After you receive your biometrics instruction letter from IRCC, you will need to book an appointment with Service Canada online. Follow the steps to provide biometrics.

If you are eligible to apply for a study or work permit at the airport or border crossing on arrival to Canada and submit your application there, you can provide your biometrics at that time. 

Find updates and information on biometrics collection.

I need to complete my medical exam. How does this impact my application?

Contact your nearest panel physician’s office to book a medical exam.

If you submitted an immigration application and received a request from Immigration for a medical exam, you must provide a medical exam within 30 days of receiving the request.

If you are unable to get an appointment within 30 days, write a letter of explanation to request more time and combine this with proof of the reason you cannot complete the medical exam, such as a copy of your future appointment confirmation, into one PDF and submit them online in your IRCC account by the deadline (or send a webform if you do not have a request in your online portal). 

Since applications are typically not processed until medical exams have been completed, the delay in your medical exam appointment may cause an increase in processing times.

If you completed a medical exam for an immigration application, such as a new study permit from outside of Canada as a new or returning student, note that medical exams are only valid for 12 months from the date you took the exam and should be valid at the time you travel to Canada. If you will travel to Canada more than 12 months after you took your medical exam, you should complete a new medical exam well in advance of travelling to Canada and send your new e-medical to IRCC through their webform.

If you are a current student outside of Canada with a valid study permit and have lived in a designated country for more than 6 months in the past year, are a medical student, or will work in jobs which require a medical exam, you must complete a medical exam before travelling to Canada, as well as apply to change conditions to work in jobs which require a medical exam, if required. If IRCC or a CBSA officer specifically requests that you complete a medical exam it is important that you submit a copy of your e-medical by the deadline provided.

If you are applying for a new study or work permit from inside Canada and you have completed a medical exam in the past 5 years, you might be eligible for the temporary medical exam policy which has been extended to Oct 5, 2029. Contact International Student Advising for support.

Find out more about medical exams for your immigration application. 

Study permits

My study permit will expire soon but my program is not finished. What should I do? 

There are different processes and application forms depending on if you apply through the inside Canada process or the outside Canada process.

If you are in Canada

You can apply to extend your study permit online. To apply through the inside Canada extension process, you must be physically inside Canada at the time you apply and you must submit your study permit extension application before your study permit becomes invalid. 

If you are extending your study permit inside Canada, you may not require a Provincial Attestation Letter in your application, depending on your situation. 

If you are transferring to UBC from a Canadian high school or another post-secondary institution, check important considerations.

If you need a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV), you must submit a separate application for TRV after you’ve received your new study permit, since TRVs are not issued automatically when you apply for a study permit in Canada. In general, if you will be abroad when your current TRV expires, it is best to get your new TRV before leaving Canada so that you can return with your new documents.

If you will leave Canada after you apply for study permit extension

You may use the Canadian mailing address of a trusted friend in your application. It should be a friend who does not live in UBC student housing since your mail will be returned to sender if they move or the address becomes invalid. Once your study permit is received, ask a friend to send you a digital copy and mail the original to you in a secure manner so that you can return with it. 

If you are outside of Canada when your study permit expires and your study permit extension application has not yet been approved, you will lose your maintained status. While you may be admitted to Canada as a visitor, you will not be eligible to engage in studies or work until you receive your new study permit.

If you need a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) and it expires before you plan to return, you can apply for a TRV online from outside of Canada with a digital copy of your new study permit. Review our step-by-step TRV tutorial, then review the TRV from outside of Canada guide since your application will be slightly different. Be sure to upload any additional documents required by your visa office in the “Client Information” section. Select your country under the “apply on paper” section, then see the visa office instructions PDF. Make sure to write a letter of explanation and make it clear that you are applying for a TRV in order to return to Canada to continue studies. Note that current estimated processing times for a TRV outside of Canada may be very long and are updated weekly which could delay your return to Canada. If you decide to travel outside of Canada without a valid TRV, it’s recommended that you have a plan in case your application is delayed and you are not able to return to UBC in time to resume your studies.

If you are outside of Canada

It is not possible to apply for a study permit extension from outside of Canada. However, you can apply online for a new study permit from outside of Canada. As of Jan 22, 2025, all study permit applications submitted through the outside Canada process require a Provincial Attestation Letter. Review our step-by-step initial study permit tutorial for applications from outside of Canada. It’s important to submit a complete study permit application as soon as possible. 

As a current or returning student, for the ‘letter of acceptance’ document request, you should include a current Letter of Enrolment. In addition, you should include your initial letter of acceptance from when you were first accepted to UBC and combine these in one PDF, with the current Letter of Enrolment as the first page. Furthermore, you should write a Letter of Explanation about your circumstances, enclose a PDF transcript and any other documents you need to provide (such as visa office specific documents) in one file under the ‘client information’ section.

If you have not previously provided biometrics, you will need to provide them (see question above).

If you need a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV), it will be issued automatically when your outside Canada study permit application has been approved. 

If you plan to return to Canada before your study permit expires, you could return to Canada before your study permit and Temporary Resident Visa expire, then apply for a study permit extension from inside of Canada before your study permit becomes invalid (check the ‘if you are in Canada’ section above). 

If you have finished your studies, you could apply for the Post-Graduation Work Permit from inside or outside of Canada (see FAQ on options inside or outside Canada).

If you have been in a designated country for more than 6 months, intend to work in certain jobs, or are a medical student, you will require a medical exam for your study permit application, whether you apply from outside or inside of Canada. Be sure to add a section to your letter of explanation to request conditions allowing you to work in these jobs, if applicable.

Check the Travelling to Canada Guide to learn what you need to return to Canada.

I received a request from IRCC to provide another document for my application. What should I do?

If you receive a request from IRCC to provide additional documents after you have submitted your application, it is very important to upload the document by the deadline as well as make sure to follow the steps to successfully submit them to IRCC. 

Proof of tuition payment

If you have registered and paid for tuition, get proof of payment from Workday. Learn how to access your financial account activity.

If you are not able to register yet please contact International Student Advising for support.

Updated letter of acceptance

If you receive a request for an updated letter of acceptance, contact International Student Advising through the online form and send a copy of the request you’ve received. 

If you are enrolled in classes, download a current Letter of Enrolment.

Then, combine your updated Letter of Admission and Letter of Enrolment into one PDF and upload them together.

Medical exam

See the FAQ on medical exams.

Biometrics

See the FAQ on biometrics.

Contact International Student Advising through the online form if you receive a different type of request or have any questions.

If I drop to part-time studies or take a break, how will this impact me?

Studying part-time for immigration purposes or taking time away from your studies could impact your status in Canada, your work eligibility, and your eligibility for the Post Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). Before dropping courses or taking time away, it is important to understand what is considered ‘full-time’ for immigration purposes and the importance of your enrolment status. 

Contact International Student Advising through the online form if you are considering studying part-time or taking time away from your studies.

Work permits and working in Canada

Can I work or be paid for a scholarship, award, teaching, or research assistantship, if I am outside of Canada?

Canadian immigration laws only apply to those inside of Canada. However, there may be obstacles to employing or paying you outside of Canada, such as WorkSafe BC requirements, taxation, needing a valid Social Insurance Number, or other complexities.

Please contact your supervisor or employer to learn about potential impacts.

I want to apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). What are my options?

There are different processes and application forms depending on if you apply through the inside Canada process or the outside Canada process.

IF YOU ARE IN CANADA

You can apply for a PGWP online. To apply through the inside Canada process, you must be physically inside Canada at the time you apply and must apply within 90 days of your Letter of Completion first becoming available, or before your study permit expires – whichever comes first. See our PGWP page for important information on timing to apply, eligibility to work before and after applying, and more. 

If you need a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV), after you’ve received your PGWP, you must submit a separate application for a TRV, since TRVs are not issued automatically when you apply for a work permit in Canada. However, if your TRV is still valid, you can use it until the expiry date. In general, if you will be abroad when your current TRV expires, it is best to get your new TRV before leaving Canada so that you can return with your new documents.

If you will leave Canada after you apply for PGWP

You may use the Canadian mailing address of a trusted friend in your application. It must be a friend who does not live in UBC student housing since your mail will be returned to sender if they move away from that address. Once your work permit is received, ask a friend to send you a digital copy and mail the original to you in a secure manner so that you can return with it. If you apply while inside Canada, note that your work permit start date will typically be the same day it is approved and mailed to the address included on the application form. Learn about returning to Canada after applying for the PGWP. 

If you require a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) to enter Canada, you can continue to use your TRV you received as a student until it expires. If your TRV expires before you plan to return, you can apply for a TRV online from outside of Canada with a digital copy of your work permit. Review our step-by-step TRV tutorial, then review the TRV from outside of Canada guide since your application will be slightly different. Be sure to upload any additional documents required by your visa office in the ‘Client Information’ section—select your country under the “apply on paper” section then see the visa office instructions PDF.  Note that processing times for a TRV outside of Canada may be very long and can change without notice, which could delay your return to Canada.

IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE OF CANADA

You can apply for a PGWP online from outside of Canada within 180 days of when your Letter of Completion first became available, even if your study permit is no longer valid.

If your study permit expired before your Letter of Completion first became available, you would need to apply within 180 days of your study permit expiring, which would be earlier than 180 days of your Letter of Completion first becoming available.

Review our step-by-step PGWP tutorial, then review the IRCC work permit outside of Canada guide since your application will be slightly different. Be sure to include any additional documents required by your visa office in the ‘Client Information’ section—select how you will apply then select your country to see the visa office instructions PDF. If you have not previously provided biometrics, you will need to provide them when applying from outside of Canada (see question above).  If you require a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV), it will be issued automatically after your application has been approved.

If you have been in a designated country for more than 6 months, or intend to work in certain jobs, you will require a medical exam for your PGWP application. Be sure to add a section to your letter of explanation to request conditions allowing you to work in these jobs, if applicable. 

After you receive your PGWP approval (Letter of Introduction), your letter will indicate the date by which you need to travel to Canada, which is typically the length of the PGWP you are eligible FOR. Once you travel to Canada and present your Letter of Introduction for your work permit to the officer on arrival in Canada, your work permit could be issued for the full length of the PGWP you are eligible for, though the officer makes the final decision.

Academic and financial supports

I am under financial distress. Can UBC help?

If you’re facing financial hardship or have questions around your finances, see financial emergencies, then contact an Enrolment Services Advisor for confidential advice.

Will I be able to access course materials if they are not permitted in my home country?

Equity and academic freedom are two fundamental values of our UBC culture. Moreover, UBC is not subject to foreign censorship laws. Every effort is and will be made to ensure that UBC students living abroad are provided access to the same materials and digital learning spaces as domestic students. As long as students use institutionally-provisioned learning tools and applications (such as Canvas, UBC email and other such systems), students can expect to exercise their academic freedom whether they are in Canada or abroad.

If you are considering taking online courses from outside of Canada, learn about the potential impacts to your Post Graduation Work Permit eligibility.

I will be studying online from outside of Canada. Can I opt out of the U-Pass, health insurance and other student fees?

You might be eligible to opt out of some student fees. Learn about how to opt in or opt out of AMS fees.

AMS/GSS HEALTH AND DENTAL PLAN

If you have questions about coverage outside of Canada or eligibility to opt out of AMS/GSS Health and Dental Plan, contact Student Care.

iMED HEALTH INSURANCE

If you will not study in Canada for the full duration of your program of studies, contact International Student Advising to see if you are eligible to opt out.

BC MEDICAL SERVICES PLAN (MSP)

You do not apply or pay for the BC government-run Medical Services Plan (MSP) until you arrive in BC.

If you are a current student who has MSP, learn about MSP coverage when you leave BC.

Additional resources

• Student support and resources
• Travelling to Canada guide

International Student Guide

Find everything you need to know about life as an international student at UBC’s Vancouver campus.

If you have questions

You can connect with International Student Advising for questions related to immigration, health insurance, and life as an international student in Canada.

Last updated on Oct 16, 2025 at 9:37 am PT