A student who came to Canada in January 2023, withdrew for family reasons, and returned to India got a new LOA from the same DLI for a
different course (January 2024) and asked whether to reapply or just travel on the existing permit. The thread split — usefully:
- The lenient view: same DLI, valid visa, just go. Some members reasoned that since the DLI is unchanged and the visa/permit should still be valid (issued for a 2-year program, so valid into 2024), there "shouldn't be a problem" — though even the most reassuring member warned about possible questions at the port of entry.
- The stricter view: a withdrawal is not an academic leave. The most careful answer drew the key distinction: the student withdrew from the program and left, rather than taking approved academic leave. On that reading, the original permit's basis ended, and the clean path is a new study permit application based on the new LOA, with a declaration and explanation of the withdrawal.
- Time favoured the safe route. A member bridging both views noted that with the intake months away, there was plenty of time to secure a fresh permit — so even if the old one might work, reapplying removes the port-of-entry gamble.
The synthesis: when a prior program ended by withdrawal (not leave), the low-risk play is a new application with an honest explanation letter — and if you do travel on the old permit, carry the new LOA and be prepared to explain the history to the border officer.