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

• I am starting my program between September 2022 and August 2024. Could I start my program online from outside Canada? Will I be eligible for the PGWP?
• 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?

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 work in essential services – can I work more than 20 hours per week?
• I have applied for a co-op work permit but I have not received it yet. Can I start working?
• I was enrolled in my PGWP-eligible program in March 2020 or began my program between March 2020 and August 2022 and my courses moved online due to COVID-19. Will this affect my eligibility for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP)?
• I want to apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). What are my options?
• My Post Graduation Work Permit expired or is about to expire. Am I eligible for an extension?
• Can I work more than 20 hours a week off-campus under the temporary policies?

Part-time studies and taking a break from classes

• If I had to drop to part-time studies or take a break due to COVID-19 in Winter Term 2 2019 (January – April, 2020), how will this impact me?
• If I had to drop to part-time studies or take a break due to COVID-19 in the summer session of 2020 (May – August, 2020), how will this impact me?
• If I had to drop to part-time studies or take a break due to COVID-19 in Winter Session 2020 (September 2020 – April, 2021) or Summer Session 2021 (May – August, 2021), how will this impact me?
• If I need to drop to part-time studies or take time away from studies in Winter Session (September 2021 to April 2022) or later, how will this impact me? Can I take a leave of absence?

Health insurance

• Can international students and PGWP holders get the COVID-19 vaccine?

Academic and financial supports

• I am under 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. 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

The temporary suspension to provide biometrics from inside Canada due to COVID-19 has ended.

As of Feb 23, 2023, biometrics are required for temporary residence applications submitted from Canada. 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

I am starting my program between September 2022 and August 2024. Could I start my program online from outside Canada? Will I be eligible for the PGWP?

Under normal circumstances, international students must complete at least 50% of your program in-class inside Canada. IRCC has created a transition period for online studies due to the pandemic for students starting a program between September 2022 and August 2024.

If online options are available in your program, you can begin your program online from outside of Canada, even if your study permit application has not been processed yet, since you are not required to have a study permit for the purposes of studying online outside Canada.

However, if you intend to apply for the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) after you complete your studies, in order for your online courses completed outside of Canada to count towards the PGWP, you must have one of the following before your courses start:

• You submitted your study permit application online before starting your program, and your study permit is approved in the future, or
• You received a Letter of Introduction (study permit approval), or
• You have a valid study permit

If you have one of the above, you can complete up to 50% of your program online from outside Canada between September 1, 2022, and August 31, 2024, without impacting your eligibility or the length of your PGWP. Online courses completed outside Canada after August 31, 2024, will be deducted from the length of your PGWP.

If you began online studies before IRCC received your study permit application, your studies will only count towards the length of your PGWP after your application was received.

If you applied for a study permit before your program started but it was refused, your studies will count towards the PGWP starting from your first study permit application if you reapply for a study permit and IRCC receives your application before your program ends and it is later approved.

You must continue to meet the other PGWP requirements, such as maintaining full-time enrolment, even while outside of Canada.

IF YOU ARE INSIDE CANADA

If your classes were moved online due to COVID-19, as a temporary measure, your courses could count towards the length of your PGWP until August 31, 2024. Make sure to keep a valid study permit at all times (see question above). IRCC highly recommends that you take in-class courses when they are available.

If you were enrolled in a PGWP eligible program in March 2020 or began your program between March 2020 and August 2022, a different policy will apply. 

See IRCC’s PGWP page and the PGWP page for officers for more details.

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. 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 are applying for a TRV in order to return to Canada to continue studies. 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, most applications outside Canada 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. 

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 order a PDF transcript and include it in your ‘client information’ section.

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 when your 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 (see the ‘if you are in Canada’ section above). In this situation, you would not require a Provincial Attestation Letter as you would be applying for a study permit extension inside Canada.

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 acceptance 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.

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 work in essential services – can I work more than 20 hours per week?

Between April 22, 2020 and August 31, 2020, as a temporary measure you could work off-campus more than 20 hours per week if you worked in ‘essential services’, such as health care, critical infrastructure, or the supply of food or other critical goods.

To be eligible, you must have:

• A valid study permit (or have maintained status), and
• Been registered full-time in the summer session, and
• Been in a regular academic session, and
• Been in a degree, diploma or certificate program or on exchange and
• Worked in essential services

If you worked more than 20 hours during this period, please contact International Student Advising for support before submitting your next immigration application.

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

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. Be sure to check the section on our co-op work permit page for details before starting work.

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.

As of Dec 23, 2024, it is no longer possible for most students to apply for a co-op work permit at the Canada-US border through “flagpoling”. Most students must apply for a co-op work permit online.

US citizens, lawful US permanent residents, as well as some individuals can still apply for a co-op work permit at the border. Students who are exempt from a Temporary Resident Visa can apply for a co-op work permit when entering Canada at the airport or land border. Note this does not include Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) expansion countries. 

Temporary co-op work permit exemption

If you were eligible for the temporary off-campus work policy to work off-campus more than 20 hours a week, you might have been 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 continued past this date, you needed to apply for a co-op work permit before starting or resuming program-required work beyond this date based on your on or off campus work eligibility – see the section above.

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. 

I was enrolled in my PGWP-eligible program in March 2020 or began my program between March 2020 and August 2022. My courses moved online due to COVID-19. Will this affect my eligibility for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP)?

Under normal circumstances, to be eligible for the PGWP, students must complete at least 50% of the program in-class in Canada. Online courses completed outside Canada do not count towards the length of the PGWP. 

Due to the pandemic, IRCC created temporary policies allowing students to complete up to 100% of the program online outside Canada between March 2020 and August 31, 2022.

If your courses were delivered online and you were not able to travel to Canada due to COVID-19, studies from March 2020 to August 31, 2022 could count towards the length of your Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) if you were enrolled in a program which is eligible for the PGWP that was in progress in March 2020 or started a PGWP-eligible program between March 2020 and August 2022 and:

• You study in Canada and you hold a valid study permit, or
• You study in Canada and you held a study permit, applied to extend it before expiry date and are under maintained status, or
• You study outside of Canada and you hold a valid study permit, or
• You study outside of Canada and submit a study permit application prior to beginning your program and it is eventually approved.

You must continue to meet the other PGWP requirements, such as maintaining full-time enrolment even while outside of Canada.

IF YOU ARE INSIDE CANADA

If your classes were moved online due to COVID-19, as a temporary measure, your courses can count towards the length of your PGWP until August 31, 2024. Make sure to keep a valid study permit at all times (see question above). IRCC highly recommends that you take in-class courses when they are available. 

IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE OF CANADA

You can study online outside of Canada, even if your study permit has expired or your application for a new study permit inside or outside Canada has not yet been approved, since immigration regulations requiring a valid study permit are only for studies undertaken within Canada. As such you are not required to have a valid study permit for the purposes of studying online outside Canada. However, if you intend to apply for a PGWP, you must fall into one of the above bulleted categories in order for those online courses completed outside Canada to count towards the PGWP.

If you began online studies before IRCC received your study permit application, your studies will only count towards the length of your PGWP after your application was received.

If you applied for a study permit before your program started but it was refused, your studies will count towards the PGWP starting from your first study permit application if you reapply for a study permit and IRCC receives your application before your program ends and it is later approved.

If your study permit will expire while you are outside of Canada, consider applying for a new study permit. See what to do in the question above if your study permit will expire soon.

If your program starts between September 2022 and August 2024, you have different temporary policies.

See IRCC’s PGWP page and the PGWP page for officers for more details.

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. You 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. 

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

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.

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 could be issued for the full length of PGWP for which you are eligible, though the officer makes the final decision.

My Post-Graduation Work Permit expired or is about to expire. Am I eligible for an extension?

The Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) is usually only available to you once in a lifetime.

Due to the impacts of COVID-19, a temporary policy allowed students to apply for another open work permit until July 27, 2021.

As of August 2022, former international students who had a PGWP expiring between September 20, 2021, and December 31, 2022, qualify for an additional open work permit of up to 18 months.

Review the notice and temporary policy for more information.

As of April 6, 2023, if your PGWP expires in 2023 and/or you were eligible for the 2022 temporary measures, you might have been able to apply for an additional 18 month work permit. Applications must have been submitted by December 31, 2023.

On December 7, 2023, IRCC announced that these temporary policies will not be extended further.

See the news release, IRCC’s page on how to get an open work permit for current and former PGWP holders, and the public policy for details.

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

The temporary policies allowing some international students to work more than 20 hours a week off-campus ended on April 30, 2024. From May 1, 2024, the usual off-campus work policies resumed where eligible students can work up to 20 hours a week off-campus.

As of Nov 8, 2024, off-campus work hours have been increased from 20 to 24 hours a week during academic sessions. Make sure you are eligible to work off-campus.

Under normal circumstances, international students can work off-campus up to 20 hours (24 hours after Nov 8, 2024) 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 allowed some international students who were 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 was extended to April 30, 2024. This applied to some students who applied for a study permit on or before October 7, 2022. Students who were eligible could work off-campus more than 20 hours a week from November 15, 2022, until whichever came 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 were no longer eligible to work, such as you were no longer enrolled full-time or you finished your studies and got your letter of completion

The second temporary policy started on January 1, 2024 and ended on April 30, 2024. This applied to some students who applied for a study permit between October 8, 2022, and December 7, 2023. Students who were eligible could work off-campus more than 20 hours a week from January 1, 2024, until whichever came first:

• The study permit you applied for between October 8, 2022, and December 7, 2023, expired
• April 30, 2024
• You were no longer eligible to work, such as you were no longer enrolled full-time or you finished your studies and got your letter of completion

If you were eligible for the temporary off-campus work policy above, you were 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 maintained eligibility requirements to work on and off campus. Learn how your enrolment 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.

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 UBC Career Centre, 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, and second temporary policy for details.

Part-time studies and taking a break from classes

If I had to drop to part-time studies or take a break due to COVID-19 in Winter Term 2 2019 (January – April, 2020), how will this impact me?

As an exception, if you were full-time for immigration purposes during winter term 2, and had to drop to part-time studies or take a break in studies due to COVID-19, you could work in Canada unlimited hours on campus and up to 20 hours per week off campus, if eligible. This applied regardless of whether you had a UBC-approved leave of absence. 

You must still have held a valid study permit or have applied to extend it before the old study permit expires.

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, 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 during 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.

GRADUATE STUDENTS, DIPLOMA IN ACCOUNTING AND LAW STUDENTS

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 international students’ eligibility to work on- and off-campus.

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?

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 students, 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.

If I had to drop to part-time studies or take a break due to COVID-19 in Winter Session 2020 (September 2020 – April, 2021) or Summer Session 2021 (May – August, 2021), how will this impact me?

Dropping to part-time or taking a break from studies in Winter Session 2020 or Summer 2021 could affect: 

• Your student status in Canada at the time
• Your eligibility to work on and off campus at the time
• Your future eligibility for the Post-Graduation Work Permit

This applies to you even if you were studying online, outside of Canada.

Learn about the immigration impacts of withdrawing from courses.

Undergraduate students

If you were not enrolled in any courses, you probably needed to:

• Leave Canada, or
• Apply for visitor status

Graduate students, diploma in accounting students, and Law students

If you had a UBC-approved leave of absence, you could 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 came last.

Before the 150 day period was over, you probably needed to:

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

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

If I need to drop to part-time studies or take time away from studies in Winter Session 2021 (September 2021 to April 2022) or later, how will this impact me? Can I take a leave of absence?

Dropping to part-time or taking a break from studies after the 2020 Summer Session could affect: 

• Your current student status in Canada
• Your current eligibility to work on and off campus
• Your future eligibility for the Post-Graduation Work Permit

Graduate students, diploma in accounting students, and Law students

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.

If you are not returning to studies, before the 150 day period is over, you will probably need to:

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

Undergraduate students

Part-time studies

If you would like to study part-time for immigration purposes (less than 9 credits in a winter term) this would impact your current work eligibility and future eligibility for the Post-Graduation Work Permit. Learn about the immigration impacts of withdrawing from courses. 

Taking a break from studies

Beginning in the 2021 Winter Session, UBC offers a procedure to allow continuing UBC international undergraduate students to take time away from studies and still be considered to be actively pursuing studies, maintaining the conditions of your study permit and maintaining eligibility for the Post-Graduation Work Permit program for leaves up to 150 days. UBC Vancouver’s Academic Leave Policy enables students in good academic standing to take up to a year away from studies without having to reapply for admission. If you want to prove to IRCC that you were on an authorized leave, you must request the leave and receive a letter from UBC confirming that you are authorized to take the leave.

If Winter Term 1 was your first term in your program and you dropped all courses by the last day to drop courses without a W, and you were registered in Term 2, you would be considered to have deferred enrolment for immigration purposes. You would not need and would not be eligible for a leave in Term 1.

If in your first term in your program you withdrew from all courses after the course change dates without a W, you might qualify for the Academic Leave Policy. The leave would start on the day you withdraw.

If it is not your first term in your program and you dropped all courses:

• by the last day to drop courses without a W, your leave would start on the first day of classes for that term, or
• with a W, your leave would start on the day you withdrew from all courses.

After the last date to withdraw from a course with a W, you will not be able to withdraw from your courses yourself and so will not be eligible for an authorized leave letter for that term. If you are granted an academic concession and are withdrawn from all courses that term(s), you may be eligible for a leave letter. See your academic advising office for more details.

If you have a letter documenting your undergraduate leave, you can remain in Canada for 150 days after the date on which the letter indicates your leave began.

Leaves longer than 150 days affect your Post-Graduation Work Permit eligibility and status in Canada. If you are not returning to studies before the 150 day period is over, you will probably need to:

• Leave Canada, or
• Apply for visitor status

If you withdraw from courses on time, you can apply for a leave letter at any time.

If you are in Canada, note that you cannot use your study permit or co-op work permit to work in Canada while on leave, and are not eligible to work during the scheduled breaks immediately preceding or following your leave. You will not be eligible to work until you resume full-time studies and meet all requirements to work in Canada. There may also be other non-immigration impacts of taking time away from studies.

To request a leave letter:

1. Consider carefully whether you will take Term 1, Term 2 or both terms away from studies. Check your program requirements and contact your Academic Advising office with any questions about your program.
2. Carefully review how taking time away from studies impacts your immigration, particularly if you will be on leave for more than 150 days and will be in Canada during your leave.
3. After you withdraw from all courses in Term 1, Term 2 or both terms, send a request to your Academic advising by their normal communication methods. Tell them you are requesting a leave and for which term(s).
4. If they approve, your authorized leave letter will be emailed to you.
5. The leave will not appear on your transcript. Include the authorized leave letter with future IRCC applications as needed.
6. Regardless of the amount of leave taken, you must meet all academic regulations of your program.

If you take a break from studies in the Winter Session 2022 (September 2022 to April 2023) onwards

As of June 2022, authorized leave for undergraduate students is available on an ongoing basis.

Check taking time away from studies for more information since there are some changes from the above policy for students who took a gap in Winter Session 2021.

Under the International Undergraduate Leave Procedure, you can request a leave letter by the following August 31 after your gap. For example, if you took a gap in Winter Term 1 2022, you can request the leave letter until August 31, 2023.

Health insurance

Can international students and PGWP holders get the COVID-19 vaccine? Am I required to be vaccinated to travel to Canada?

Review the latest information on restrictions in BC. 

You can pick up a free rapid antigen test kit in BC if you need one.

If you have COVID-19 symptoms, check the BC Centre for Disease Control website for guidance.

Traveling to Canada

As of October 1, 2022, travellers are no longer required to be vaccinated to travel to Canada. Review the Travelling to Canada guide before travelling.

UBC campus requirements

All members of the UBC community are strongly encouraged to get vaccinated and boosted as soon as they are eligible.

If you live in UBC student residence, learn about COVID-19 residence rules.

If you are not vaccinated

Learn how to get the COVID-19 vaccine in BC free of charge, even if you are not enrolled in the Medical Services Plan and do not have a BC Personal Health Number (PHN). However, you are encouraged to get a PHN to use the online vaccination booking system—you can call 1 833 838 2323 from 7 am to 7 pm, seven days a week to get a PHN. Translators are available.

Limited personal information will be collected, such as your name, date of birth and address. You do not need to provide proof of a Social Insurance Number or proof of immigration status.

Visit the BC government website to learn when and how you can get vaccinated.

If you were vaccinated outside of BC

If you received your first or both COVID-19 vaccination doses outside of BC (inside or outside of Canada) then travel to BC, bring a vaccination record indicating which vaccine you received and when it was administered.

The BC government recommends that you:

1. Register with the Get Vaccinated provincial registration system.
   • If you do not have a Personal Health Number (PHN), call 1 833 838 2323 from 7 am to 7 pm, seven days a week, to get a PHN. Translators are available.
2. Submit proof of an official vaccination record for one or two doses of COVID-19 vaccine to be entered into the Provincial Immunization Registry. This can take 4-7 days.

See BCCDC guidance on if it is recommended to get an additional COVID-19 vaccination in BC.  A doctor will determine the appropriate dose.

If you need a second dose or booster, after completing the above steps, you will receive an invitation to book your second dose or booster once your record has been updated and you are eligible.

BC proof of vaccination

In BC, proof of vaccination is no longer required to access events, services and businesses. However, individual businesses and event organizers can choose to require proof of vaccination. Learn how to get proof of vaccination.

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.

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 Jun 24, 2024 at 1:56 pm PT