International Students
Study Permit
Initial and extension study permit applications can be made outside or inside Canada for any level of study: primary and secondary education, post-secondary, and graduate education, or above.
Viviane Trudel, RCIC-IRB Licence #R723047
Professional representation provided
Legal representation for a study permit application includes a comprehensive assessment of the applicant’s eligibility, immigration history, and proposed course of study; strategy development tailored to the applicant’s academic background, and guidance on the collection and presentation of supporting evidence.
Representation also includes the preparation of detailed written submissions addressing how the applicant satisfies the applicable requirements of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) and Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR), with particular attention to the study permit issuance requirements under subsection 216(1) of the IRPR and the financial requirements under section 220. Representation further includes communication with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), where appropriate, throughout the application process.
Study permit questions
Yes, U.S. citizens need a Canadian study permit for any program longer than six months, the same as other international students. However, they do not need a visitor visa or an electronic travel authorization (eTA) to enter Canada.
Before reapplying, it is important to understand exactly why the application was refused. The officer’s notes (GCMS) set out the reasoning behind the decision, and they shape the right next step: a request for reconsideration, a new application that addresses the officer’s concerns, or an application for judicial review at the Federal Court. Refusals commonly turn on insufficient funds, an unclear purpose of study, doubts that you will leave Canada at the end of your stay, limited ties to your home country, a program that does not fit your academic or career path, missing documents, or evidence that does not line up. If judicial review is an option, time is short: you generally have 15 days after being notified of a decision made in Canada, and 60 days for a decision made outside Canada.
Generally, yes. Adults who have been granted refugee protection (protected persons) still need a study permit for post-secondary studies, but they can apply from within Canada, and the requirement to show you will leave Canada at the end of your studies is considered met. You will still need a letter of acceptance from a designated learning institution and proof of financial support. Once you become a permanent resident, a study permit is no longer required.
Information reviewed November 2026.
Family Representation
In Canada with your family and managing multiple immigration applications? We make it easy for families to access professional representation for the family as a whole, with straightforward flat-fee pricing regardless of family size.