Difference between student visa and study permit?

[OHMYCHONNY]

Hello,

I am asking a question on behalf of my friend in China. He is an international student at the University of Ottawa for a 4 year undergrad program and just finished his first year in April of 2013. When he arrived in Canada in Sept 2012, he said the study permit he got at the airport upon arrival expires in a year on May 31st 2013. The problem he has now is that he went back to China for the summer and his study permit expired and he says he does not have enough time to apply for a new one. I googled and looked at the CIC website for him and I don't understand the difference between the student visa and a study permit. Isn't a student visa the same thing as a study permit and why would he have gotten another paper that says study permit when he arrived at the airport. The main question he is asking is if he will be able to come back in September of this year for his second year at the University. He has a valid passport and a valid student visa but he says his study permit that he got from the airport that is stapled to his student visa is expired.

Thank you for your help.

 

[mead]

Hello,

I am asking a question on behalf of my friend in China. He is an international student at the University of Ottawa for a 4 year undergrad program and just finished his first year in April of 2013. When he arrived in Canada in Sept 2012, he said the study permit he got at the airport upon arrival expires in a year on May 31st 2013. The problem he has now is that he went back to China for the summer and his study permit expired and he says he does not have enough time to apply for a new one. I googled and looked at the CIC website for him and I don't understand the difference between the student visa and a study permit. Isn't a student visa the same thing as a study permit and why would he have gotten another paper that says study permit when he arrived at the airport. The main question he is asking is if he will be able to come back in September of this year for his second year at the University. He has a valid passport and a valid student visa but he says his study permit that he got from the airport that is stapled to his student visa is expired.

Thank you for your help.

a visa(student ,visitor etc) is a document which allows u in the country. a study permit is a document which allows u to stay in a country legally. now he could have extended his study permit before it expired and before he left the country...now once he has left the country he cannot extend his study permit ....i am not sure what he will have to do now but i am guessing he will have to apply for a fresh study permit......

 

[OHMYCHONNY]

Thank you for your info, I called the CIC and they said he is allowed back into Canada since he has a valid student visa but he is not allowed to study until he has a valid study permit so I am guessing he can not get a valid permit in time for September so hes going to have to start school in January.

 

[Rossei]

Thank you for your info, I called the CIC and they said he is allowed back into Canada since he has a valid student visa but he is not allowed to study until he has a valid study permit so I am guessing he can not get a valid permit in time for September so hes going to have to start school in January.

Just to clarify again,

A Student Visa or TRV is a document that allows you only to enter/re-enter Canada as long as it's valid.
A Study Permit, on the other hand, is a document that permits you to study and stay in Canada legally as a student as long as it's valid. Generally, it's issued at POE and stapled on your passport when you first enter Canada with your TRV and enrollment letter.

In your friend's case, the officer did a mistake in giving him only 9 month Study Permit; he should have got 4-year long permit instead. And your friend followed that mistake doing another one by not extending it while in Canada. You can extend it online while you're in Canada.

I think he can travel back to Canada and explain the situation at POE. He should be given a new/extended SP at entrance. He should carry good evidence of enrollment/registration at school. I would also recommend him to contact nearest Canadian embassy in order to seek suggestions. Any Immigration/CBSA officer can write notes/comments into your file which would help him regain his status at POE.

 

[dipta]

No, for recent visas issued.

 

[dipta]

I think that is for SPP but not sure.

 

[Kumar2644]

Hi, i renewed my study permit but not my study visa is there going to be a problem if i have a extended study permit but not a study visa?