Immigration Considerations for International Students

How to Maintain a Valid Immigration Status in Canada

International students must have a valid study permit to study in Canada for longer than 6 months unless exempt. Therefore, international students are responsible for maintaining valid immigration status and following Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) regulations while studying in Canada.

To remain in compliance with study permit conditions, international students must:

Be enrolled at a designated learning institution (DLI), such as Vancouver Community College (VCC)
Actively pursue their studies and make academic progress toward program completion
Not take authorized leaves longer than 150 days from their program of study
Ensure their study permit remains valid by applying for an extension before it expires (to have maintained status), or when changing post-secondary institutions
Stop studying if they no longer meet the conditions of being a student, and leave Canada upon the expiry of their study permit

At VCC, international students are required to be enrolled in every term of their program, except during scheduled breaks. These breaks are determined in advance by the program department. In accordance with IRCC regulations, VCC is obligated to report the academic status of all international students to ensure compliance with study permit conditions.

Study Permit Validity

A study permit is usually valid for the length of your program of studies, plus an additional 90 days.

A study permit becomes invalid if any of the following occurs:

90 days after receiving written confirmation of program completion, OR
You are no longer enrolled at the Designated Learning Institution (DLI) listed on your permit (except due to program completion), OR
The expiry date on your study permit has reached, OR
The day on which a removal order made against you becomes enforceable.

Students who do not apply to extend their study permit before it expires must stop studying and working immediately. International students are encouraged to contact an International Student Immigration Advisor at VCC for support.

Important Considerations

As an international student, if you take an unscheduled break from your program or if you enrolled as a part-time student (except for the last academic term), that may impact your eligibility for the following:

On and Off Campus Work
Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) eligibility in the future

Please visit Assessing Study Permit Conditions on the IRCC’s website to learn more.

VCC Full-Time Academic Status for Immigration Purposes

Cohort Model: Most VCC programs are designed to ensure that international students maintain full-time academic status throughout the duration of their studies. Many programs follow a cohort model, meaning students follow a pre-determined class schedule set by the College. This model requires students to adhere to a structured program progression plan that aligns with the approved curriculum, allowing them to start, advance, and graduate with their assigned cohort on a fixed schedule.

If an international student needs to drop or withdraw from a course or courses due to extenuating circumstances, it is essential to first consult with both the program department and the International Education (IE) Office. Withdrawing from or failing courses may prevent re-enrollment in those courses, which could result in a part-time term, an unscheduled break in studies, or a delay in graduation. Such changes may impact a student’s study permit validity and PGWP eligibility. Students are strongly encouraged to contact the IE Office to schedule an appointment with an International Student Immigration Advisor for guidance before making any enrollment changes.

University Transfer: International students enrolled in University Transfer programs must register in a minimum of nine (9) credits per term (Winter, Spring/Summer, and Fall) to maintain full-time academic status throughout their studies. University Transfer programs do not include a scheduled break term, and students are expected to remain continuously enrolled each semester.

Part-Time Academic Status for Immigration Purposes

VCC programs are not designed to accommodate part-time academic status for international students. However, certain circumstances, such as withdrawing from or failing courses, may result in a student being enrolled with part-time academic status for a specific term. Holding part-time academic status may affect a student’s eligibility to work on and off campus, as well as their PGWP eligibility in the future.

International students who find themselves in this situation are strongly encouraged to contact the International Education (IE) Office to schedule an advising appointment with an International Student Immigration Advisor for guidance.

Scheduled Breaks

Regularly Scheduled Breaks: VCC programs may include one or more scheduled breaks within the duration of the program. The timing and length of these breaks vary by program and may differ depending on the program’s start date. At VCC scheduled breaks do not necessarily occur during the summer term. To confirm when a scheduled break occurs, students should contact their program department directly.

In addition, a brief scheduled break usually takes place between consecutive terms. This break begins the day after all coursework for one term is completed and ends the day before the next term begins. For example, if final exams conclude on April 15 and the next term begins on May 2, the break period would be from April 16 to May 1.

Students are also advised to check the college closure dates for any additional breaks.

Working during Scheduled Breaks

International students may work full-time during a scheduled break, provided they maintained full-time academic status both before and after the break period. For more information, please visit the IRCC’s website regarding regularly scheduled breaks.

Full-Time or Part-Time Course Load During a Regular Scheduled Break

International students may have the option to enroll in a full-time or part-time course load during a regular schedule break, while still maintaining the eligibility to work full-time. This option can be particularly beneficial for students who wish to retake courses they did not successfully complete in previous terms. To qualify as a scheduled break, the period must be an official part of the program’s structure, and students must have been enrolled full-time in the term immediately before and after the break.

Students who take part-time courses during a scheduled break are advised to include an explanation letter with their PGWP application. This is important because the IRCC officer reviewing the transcript may misinterpret the part-time studies as occurring during a regular academic term, rather than during an official scheduled break.

Scheduled Break Confirmation Letters: VCC does not issue scheduled break confirmation letters unless a formal request is received from IRCC. These letters are not provided for employment purposes. Students may instead use the email communication received at the start of their program that confirms the scheduled break period, or they may refer to their program website if the information is publicly available.

Part-time Continuing Studies courses at VCC

Temporary residents interested in enrolling in short-term general interest courses are encouraged to visit the Temporary Residents Registering in Continuing Studies Part-Time Courses page for detailed information.

The content on this page reflects the information available at the time of its publication. It is important to acknowledge that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and other government departments regularly revise their policies. For the latest information, please visit Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website.

Latest Updated: November 14, 2025