Do I need to reapply for a new study permit or can I just use my unexpired study permit to my new University after withdrawing at my first college?

[yazu1220]

So, I finished my first semester at a college in Toronto and withdrew at the start of the second semester (January 2023) because I decided that I wanted a master's degree program instead of a graduate certificate program. Went back home (Philipines) to apply for a University in Ontario and got accepted for the January 2024 intake. Should I apply for a new study permit, or can I just change my DLI on my GCkey account and go back to Canada without reapplying for a new study permit?

I also have fulfilled the requirements in order to transfer:

Changing your school or program - Canada.ca
"Changing your school or program
Before you change your school or program, you must meet all the conditions of your study permit. This means you must be:

• enrolled at a designated learning institution (DLI) and
• actively studying while you’re in Canada. "

I was enrolled, actively studied while I'm in Canada, and completed my first semester before transferring to another school.

I'm also compliant with my study permit conditions because I left Canada after withdrawing:

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/temporary-residents/study-permits/assessing-conditions.html#changing:~:text=A student should,study permit conditions.

"C. Changing institutions or changing programs of study at the same institution
Students engaging in post-secondary studies in Canada are authorized to change institutions or programs of study within the same institution, provided they are not limited from doing so by conditions imposed on their study permit. However, to assess if a student who has changed institutions or programs of study a number of times should be considered to be actively pursuing their studies, the officer should consider the student’s reasons for the changes. In cases where multiple program or institutional changes do not appear to support the expectation that the student is making reasonable progress toward the completion of a Canadian credential, the officer may determine that the study permit holder has not fulfilled their study permit condition to actively pursue their course or program of study.

Students are expected to notify IRCC through MyAccount if they change their DLI prior to their arrival in Canada and while their application is still in progress. If the student changes their DLI prior to their arrival in Canada and after their study permit has been approved, they must submit a new study permit application, along with the fees, to avoid potentially being denied entry. It would be in the best interest of the student to wait until this new application is approved before coming to Canada. In certain circumstances, if the student were to arrive before their new application is approved, border services officers have the discretion to review a foreign national’s study permit application at the port of entry, provided that the student has given a reasonable explanation for changing their DLI prior to arriving to Canada.

A student should begin or resume their studies at their new DLI within 150 days from the day that they ceased or completed their studies at the previous institution. If a student does not resume their studies within 150 days, they should do either of the following:

• change their status (that is, change to visitor status or worker status)
• leave Canada

If they do not change their status or leave Canada, they are considered non-compliant with their study permit conditions."


I hope you can help me. Thank you in advance.

 

[Naturgrl]

So, I finished my first semester at a college in Toronto and withdrew at the start of the second semester (January 2023) because I decided that I wanted a master's degree program instead of a graduate certificate program. Went back home (Philipines) to apply for a University in Ontario and got accepted for the January 2024 intake. Should I apply for a new study permit, or can I just change my DLI on my GCkey account and go back to Canada without reapplying for a new study permit?

I also have fulfilled the requirements in order to transfer:

Changing your school or program - Canada.ca
"Changing your school or program
Before you change your school or program, you must meet all the conditions of your study permit. This means you must be:

• enrolled at a designated learning institution (DLI) and
• actively studying while you’re in Canada. "

I was enrolled, actively studied while I'm in Canada, and completed my first semester before transferring to another school.

I'm also compliant with my study permit conditions because I left Canada after withdrawing:

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/temporary-residents/study-permits/assessing-conditions.html#changing:~:text=A student should,study permit conditions.

"C. Changing institutions or changing programs of study at the same institution
Students engaging in post-secondary studies in Canada are authorized to change institutions or programs of study within the same institution, provided they are not limited from doing so by conditions imposed on their study permit. However, to assess if a student who has changed institutions or programs of study a number of times should be considered to be actively pursuing their studies, the officer should consider the student’s reasons for the changes. In cases where multiple program or institutional changes do not appear to support the expectation that the student is making reasonable progress toward the completion of a Canadian credential, the officer may determine that the study permit holder has not fulfilled their study permit condition to actively pursue their course or program of study.

Students are expected to notify IRCC through MyAccount if they change their DLI prior to their arrival in Canada and while their application is still in progress. If the student changes their DLI prior to their arrival in Canada and after their study permit has been approved, they must submit a new study permit application, along with the fees, to avoid potentially being denied entry. It would be in the best interest of the student to wait until this new application is approved before coming to Canada. In certain circumstances, if the student were to arrive before their new application is approved, border services officers have the discretion to review a foreign national’s study permit application at the port of entry, provided that the student has given a reasonable explanation for changing their DLI prior to arriving to Canada.

A student should begin or resume their studies at their new DLI within 150 days from the day that they ceased or completed their studies at the previous institution. If a student does not resume their studies within 150 days, they should do either of the following:

• change their status (that is, change to visitor status or worker status)
• leave Canada

If they do not change their status or leave Canada, they are considered non-compliant with their study permit conditions."


I hope you can help me. Thank you in advance.

Apply for a new study permit. You don’t meet conditions and are misreading it. You must be currently enrolled in your school and studying now to change your DLI. You are not enrolled nor studying. Your study permit has probably been cancelled since you withdrew. The college must inform IRCC.

 

[yazu1220]

Apply for a new study permit. You don’t meet conditions and are misreading it. You must be currently enrolled in your school and studying now to change your DLI. You are not enrolled nor studying. Your study permit has probably been cancelled since you withdrew. The college must inform IRCC.

I asked both my university's immigration advisor and IRCC facebook and they both told me that it's okay to use my existing study permit. (see attached photo) What do you think?

 

[Naturgrl]

I asked both my university's immigration advisor and IRCC facebook and they both told me that it's okay to use my existing study permit. (see attached photo) What do you think?

Right, if you current study permit is valid. You withdrew in January so the school would have been obligated to notify IRCC that you are no longer a student, and your permit would have been cancelled. You will only know when you re-enter Canada and find out if your permit was cancelled. Hopefully it was not.

 

[YVR123]

I asked both my university's immigration advisor and IRCC facebook and they both told me that it's okay to use my existing study permit. (see attached photo) What do you think?

Let us know how it go when you enter.

 

[yazu1220]

Right, if you current study permit is valid. You withdrew in January so the school would have been obligated to notify IRCC that you are no longer a student, and your permit would have been cancelled. You will only know when you re-enter Canada and find out if your permit was cancelled. Hopefully it was not.

Thank you for your answers, my university immigration advisor told me that I didn't overstay in Canada after I withdrew from my first college, and that makes me compliant with my study permit conditions which maintains my study permit validity. I will give you all an update on how it will go for me once I arrive in Canada. Wish me luck!

 

[Naturgrl]

Thank you for your answers, my university immigration advisor told me that I didn't overstay in Canada after I withdrew from my first college, and that makes me compliant with my study permit conditions which maintains my study permit validity. I will give you all an update on how it will go for me once I arrive in Canada. Wish me luck!

It has nothing to do with overstay but that you withdrew so no longer a student meeting conditions. The school was obligated to inform IRCC that you were not longer a student. Hopefully the school didn’t do this. Good luck.

 

[yazu1220]

It has nothing to do with overstay but that you withdrew so no longer a student meeting conditions. The school was obligated to inform IRCC that you were not longer a student. Hopefully the school didn’t do this. Good luck.

Yes, you're right, that's why I have to either change my status while I'm in Canada to a visitor visa or leave canada.

Source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigratio...ing programs of study at the same institution

I left Canada, which means I'm still compliant with my study permit conditions. This makes my study permit still valid especially because it has still not expired as IRCC, and my university immigration advisor has told me. Thank you for your insights and prompt responses.

 

[Naturgrl]

Yes, you're right, that's why I have to either change my status while I'm in Canada to a visitor visa or leave canada.

Source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/temporary-residents/study-permits/assessing-conditions.html#changing:~:text=C. Changing institutions or changing programs of study at the same institution

I left Canada, which means I'm still compliant with my study permit conditions. This makes my study permit still valid especially because it has still not expired as IRCC, and my university immigration advisor has told me. Thank you for your insights and prompt responses.

Since you have TRV then enter. Good luck.