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Study permit expires mid-program: extend now with your current LOA — don't wait for next year's letter

Canada • Study Permit • study 0 views
By VisaBuddies Communityvia community — compiled from public visa forums

Documents Needed

  • Current Letter of Acceptance (LOA)

    Use the LOA you already have; a new one is not required to file the extension.

  • Letter of good standing / enrolment letter

    From your college, confirming you are an active student in the program.

  • Proof of funds

    Include updated financial evidence with the extension application.

Step-by-Step

A January-intake student's program ran to August but the study permit expired in April. Someone had told them they must wait for a second-year LOA before filing an extension — the thread firmly corrected this:

  1. File the extension before your permit expires, using your current LOA. Waiting for a new LOA is misinformation. Your study permit is your status in Canada; you cannot study on expired status, so retaining status is the priority.

  2. Support it with proof you're a student in good standing. Alongside the existing LOA, include a letter from the college confirming active enrolment, plus proof of funds.

  3. Extend again later if needed. If you subsequently enrol in a further program (fall or winter), file another extension once that new LOA arrives. Getting the next LOA is secondary — status first.

  4. Ignore hallway advice. As one member put it: don't listen to what random people say when the logic ('study on expired status?') doesn't hold.

Dos, Don'ts & Tips

  • Do: Apply for the extension before the permit expires, with your existing LOA — maintaining status always comes first.
  • Don't: Don't delay the extension waiting for a new admission letter; that advice is wrong and can cost you your status.
  • Tip: A good-standing/enrolment letter from your college strengthens an extension filed on an existing LOA.

Have a question about this? Join the discussion.

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