In some situations, international students in this country may need – or be required by their Canadian Designated Learning Institution (DLI) – to defer their program’s start date to the following semester.
Deferred enrollment initiated by an international student must be formally approved by their DLI
- The first available option is to simply resume their studies, either at the beginning of the following semester or within 150 days of when the student’s deferred enrollment was confirmed, whichever comes first.
- The other option available to international students who want to stay in Canada is to pursue a change of status. This means transitioning from international student status to either visitor status or worker status.
Transitioning to Visitor Status as an International Student
International students who want to stay in Canada after deferring their enrollment can do so by applying for a visitor record. Those who need a visitor record must apply at least 30 days prior to the expiry of their international student status/study permit.
A visitor record allows the holder to stay in Canada longer. These records are either issued by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) or Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Visitor records do not guarantee that the holder can leave and re-enter Canada.
Visitor record applicants seeking to remain in Canada for more than six months must notify the border services officer.
Transitioning to Worker Status as an International Student
International students can also transition to worker status with an employer-specific or open work permit.
The key difference between these two types of permits is that employer-specific work permits tie the recipient to a specific employer for a specific period of time in a specific location. An open work permit lets you work for almost any employer in Canada, as long as they have not been deemed ineligible and meet other criteria.
Leave Canada
International students who defer their enrollment in Canada may also simply choose to leave the country. This is a particularly common option for those who know they will not return to their studies within 150 days and those who do not know when the circumstances that led to their deferred enrollment (family emergency etc.) will be resolved.
