International Students: Immigration and Health Insurance FAQ

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

You may be experiencing delays with your study permit or 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. 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.

Need to explore your next option(s)?

• Under normal circumstances, online courses taken from outside Canada will not count towards the length of a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), and you must complete at least 50 percent of your program in-class in Canada. IRCC created temporary COVID-19 policies allowing online courses completed outside Canada to count towards the length of a PGWP, if you meet the requirements. Even if you will take online courses outside Canada, you must study full-time for immigration purposes to maintain eligibility for a PGWP. IRCC extended this temporary policy to August 31, 2024. The policies are different depending on when you started your program:
  • You started or will start your program between September 2022 and August 2024
  • Your PGWP eligible program was in progress in March 2020 or you started your program between March 2020 to August 2022
• Connect with an Academic Advisor from your faculty or your graduate program staff to ask about the possibility of arriving late, online options, starting another term, or deferring.
  • If your application is still processing, send IRCC a webform with your updated letter of acceptance with your deferred start date and request that your study permit is issued for your future start date. If your application is processed based on your previous letter of acceptance, you might need to extend your study permit in the future, which you should apply for 3-4 months before your study permit expires from inside Canada. 
  • If you defer, you can still use the Letter of Introduction from IRCC to obtain your study permit in the future, so long as it is still valid and you applied with a UBC letter of acceptance. 
• There is no guarantee that your application will be approved or processed in time to start in your intended term. If you are thinking of withdrawing from courses, make sure to do so before the add/drop deadlines. If you need to withdraw from all courses:
  • If this is not your first term at UBC, you might be eligible for an authorized leave. Learn about taking time away from studies.
  • If you are an undergraduate student and this is your first term at UBC and you remain registered in Winter Term 2 (January to April) but not in Winter Term 1 (September to December) by the last day to drop courses without a W, you would be considered to have deferred enrolment for immigration purposes. You would not need and would not be eligible for an authorized leave. If in your first term in your program you withdraw from all courses after the course change dates with a W, you might qualify for the Academic Leave Policy. The leave would start on the day you withdraw.
  • If you are a graduate student starting a new program at UBC and you withdraw before the add/drop deadline, your program will be considered to start on your new deferred start date. You do not need to request a leave of absence. 
  • If you are in Canada and defer your studies, contact International Student Advising for support.
• If you are a new student and withdraw before the add/drop deadline, your iMED fees will be automatically removed. If you re-enroll in the future, your iMED fee will be added again. If you are an undergraduate student and withdraw from Term 1 courses, but remain enrolled in Term 2, your iMED fees will be automatically adjusted to January. 
• If you have questions about tuition refunds, contact an Enrolment Services Advisor. For information about refunds of student fees, check the academic calendar.
• 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.
• If you are 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 can’t study this term, how can you invest your time to help yourself, family or friends? Can you study a special interest such as a new language or a life skill such as public speaking? Can you gain workplace experience by working or volunteering? Can you help care for your family? Can you make a difference in your community? Can you promote a cause that matters to you? 
• Review the taking time away from studies page and keep supporting documents, such as your flight tickets leaving and returning to Canada or a letter confirming your internship or volunteer experience.

You should not travel to Canada before your study permit has been approved, even if you have a valid Electronic Travel Authorization or Temporary Resident Visa. You may experience difficulties travelling without a study permit or an approval letter, may not be allowed to enter Canada, Before making travel plans, carefully review the Travelling to Canada Guide.

You cannot begin studies until you have obtained your study permit (an approval is not sufficient - it is not a study permit) and you cannot work until you have a study permit, have begun full-time studies, and meet all other requirements to work in Canada.

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

immigration applications, New students

Contact your nearest panel physician’s office to confirm they are still performing medical exams. You may not be able to complete an up-front medical exam at this time.

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 application, such as a new study permit from outside of Canada as a new or returning student, or a Temporary Resident Visa or Post-Graduation Work Permit, 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 for your application, you should complete a new medical exam before travelling to Canada.

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 in place until October 5, 2024. Contact International Student Advising for support.

Find out more about medical exams for your immigration application. 

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

immigration applications

IF YOU ARE IN CANADA

You can apply to extend your study permit online as usual. You must submit your study permit extension application before your study permit becomes invalid. 

When you apply for a study permit extension in Canada, after you've received your new study permit, you must submit a separate application for a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV), if required, since it is 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 must be a friend who does not live in UBC student housing since your mail will be returned to sender. Once your study permit is received, ask a friend to send you a digital copy and mail the original to you. 

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 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 apply for a TRV in order to return to Canada to continue to study. Note that current processing times for a TRV outside of Canada may be very long and could delay your return to Canada.

IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE OF CANADA

You can apply online for a new study permit from outside of Canada. As of Jan 22, 2024, applications outside Canada require an attestation letter—master’s, PhD students, and post-graduate programs are exempt. Review our step-by-step initial study permit tutorial for applications from outside of Canada. If you have not applied yet, it's important to submit a complete study permit application as soon as possible. 

For the 'letter of acceptance' document request, you should include a current letter of enrollment—see the ‘letter of enrollment’ section of our study permit extension tutorial for details. 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 enrollment as the first page. Furthermore you should order a PDF transcript and include it in your ‘client information’ section. You will need to provide proof of funds for one year of tuition fees plus a minimum of $10,000 for living expenses (more if you have dependents).

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 study permit application has been approved. 

If you plan to return to Canada, and if you are currently enrolled and meet the requirements to travel, 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 (see 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.

work eligibility, travel restrictions

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 have applied for a co-op work permit but I have not received it yet. Can I start working?

immigration applications, Work eligibility 

If you are eligible to work on or off campus and you applied for a co-op work permit and are waiting for it to be processed, you can start your program-required work (co-op, internship, or practicum) with your on- or off-campus work eligibility from your study permit. This was a temporary policy during COVID-19 which is now ongoing. Be sure to check the section on our co-op work permit page for details before starting work.

Temporary co-op work permit exemption

If you are eligible for the temporary off-campus work policy to work off-campus more than 20 hours a week, you might be able to work without a co-op work permit for program-required work (such as a co-op, internship or practicum) for all of or a portion of time between November 15, 2022 to April 30, 2024.

If your program-required work will continue past this date, you’ll need to apply for a co-op work permit and receive it before starting or resuming program-required work beyond this date.

However, if you will work in jobs which require a medical exam, such as working with children or in health-care settings, you must take an immigration medical exam and apply for a co-op work permit, then wait until you’ve received your co-op work permit with the right conditions before starting.

Refer to the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) May 27, 2020 (pdf) update on your co-op work eligibility and co-op page for officers. Review the alert on the temporary exemption from the co-op work permit on IRCC’s co-op page.

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

immigration applications

IF YOU ARE IN CANADA

You can apply for a PGWP online as usual. See our PGWP page for important information on timing to apply, eligibility to work before and after applying, and more. 

After you’ve received your PGWP, you must submit a separate application for a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV), if you are from a visa-required country and your TRV expired or will expire soon, since it is 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. Once your work permit is received, ask a friend to send you a digital copy and mail the original to you. 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 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 after your letter of completion first became available, even if:

• Your study permit is no longer valid
• You received a Letter of Introduction for a study permit and have not travelled to Canada to get your study permit

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 for which you are eligible. 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 should be issued for the full length of PGWP for which you are eligible.

If you are someone who does not require a Temporary Resident Visa and you have a valid Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) or are a US citizen, you can apply for a work permit at the Canadian border or airport when you return to Canada. You will need to bring all original documents and an outside of Canada application with you to apply upon arrival. 

Can I work more than 20 hours a week off-campus under the temporary policies?

Under normal circumstances, international students can work off-campus up to 20 hours a week during academic terms, and full-time during scheduled breaks, if eligible. This applies to students in degree, diploma, certificate or exchange programs.

In recognition of international students’ contribution to the labour market, IRCC announced two temporary policies which allow some international students who are eligible to work off-campus to work more than 20 hours a week.

The first temporary policy started on November 15, 2022 and was initially going to end on December 31, 2023, but has been extended to April 30, 2024. This applies to some students who applied for a study permit on or before October 7, 2022. Students who are eligible could work off-campus more than 20 hours a week from November 15, 2022, until whichever comes first:

• The study permit you applied for on or before October 7, 2022 expires
• The study permit you held on October 7, 2022 expires (if you did not have a study permit application in progress on October 7, 2022)
• April 30, 2024
• You are no longer eligible to work, such as if you are no longer enrolled full-time or you finish your studies and get your letter of completion

The second temporary policy starts on January 1, 2024 and goes until April 30, 2024. This applies to some students who applied for a study permit between October 8, 2022, and

• December 7, 2023. Students who are eligible could work off-campus more than 20 hours a week from January 1, 2024, until whichever comes first:
• The study permit you applied for between October 8, 2022, and December 7, 2023, expires
• April 30, 2024
• You are no longer eligible to work, such as if you are no longer enrolled full-time or you finish your studies and get your letter of completion

If you are eligible for the temporary off-campus work policy above, you are also exempt from needing a co-op work permit for the co-op placements, practicums or internships taking place during this period—review the scenarios below for details.

You can check when IRCC received your study permit application by logging into your online IRCC account and checking the PDF confirmation IRCC automatically sent confirming the date they received your application. Note that application times are based on being received by Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) 11:59pm, not local time zones.

As is the case for all work in Canada, you must make sure you maintain eligibility requirements to work on and off campus. Learn how your enrollment impacts immigration, including work eligibility. You must stop working immediately if any of the following is true: 

• You finish your studies and receive your letter of completion.
• You withdraw from courses and are no longer enrolled full-time.
• Your study permit expired and you did not apply to extend it.
• You work in a job that requires a medical exam but don’t have the right conditions.

Consider carefully before increasing your work hours. As the IRCC news release states, “Study permit holders are still expected to balance their study and work commitments, as those who stop studying or reduce course loads to only study part-time are not eligible to work off-campus.”

Be sure to track your off-campus work hours, such as saving your pay slips and work schedules, in case you are asked to provide proof in the future. In future immigration applications, if you worked more than 20 hours a week during this temporary policy period, include a section in your letter of explanation referring to the policy.

Take advantage of the many resources offered by the Centre for Student Involvement and Careers, such as guidance with resumes and interviews, workshops, and CareersOnline job postings.

Check the October 7 2022 news release, extension of the first temporary policy, second temporary policy, and alert on IRCC’s page for details.

If I had to drop to part-time studies or take a break due to COVID-19 in the summer session 2020 (May - August, 2020), how will this impact me?

work eligibility

You could remain in Canada so long as you held a valid study permit or had applied to extend it before the old study permit expired.

Normally, as an international student, you must maintain full-time status in each term to be eligible for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP); however, if you were a current student and could not meet this requirement due to COVID-19, Canadian Immigration will take this into consideration and this will not affect your PGWP eligibility. At the time you apply for PGWP, if your program was not available online due to Covid-19, please contact an Academic Advisor from your faculty or graduate program staff to request a letter, then contact International Student Advising for support with your application.

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

You could work full-time during summer if:

• You studied full time for immigration purposes at the start of winter term 2, and
• You had to drop to part-time studies or take a break in studies in winter term 2 due to COVID-19, and
• You have returned to full-time studies in winter term 1.

GRADUATE STUDENTS, DIPLOMA IN ACCOUNTING, AND LAW STUDENTS

Summer session is not considered a scheduled break for you. As an exception, if you had to take a break in studies due to COVID-19 in the summer session, you could work the same amount as during a full time semester, which is unlimited hours on campus and up to 20 hours per week off campus. This applied regardless of whether your leave was formally authorized by UBC.

If you have a UBC-approved leave of absence, you can remain in Canada for 150 days after:

• The day your leave was approved, or
• The first day of classes of the term in which your leave started, whichever comes last.

Before the 150 day period is over, you will probably need to:

• Resume studies,
• Leave Canada, or
• Apply for visitor status

See the latest IRCC updates on the impact of COVID-19 for international students.

financial assistance

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

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

financial assistance

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.