Students > International students > Extending your stay in Canada > Extending your study permit

Extending your study permit

Do you need to extend your study permit? Take the following steps as soon as possible:

1 - Check if you have a valid CAQ

You need a valid Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) that covers the duration of the extension you wish to obtain. 

You must renew your CAQ if you are in one of the following situations:

  • Your current CAQ does not cover the remaining duration of your studies;
  • You are changing the level of studies (e.g., from BBA to MSc);  
  • You are coming from another educational institution. However, if you hold a valid CAQ issued before December 6, 2024, covering the remainder of your studies, and you are not changing your level of studies, you do not need to renew your CAQ.

If you renew your CAQ, do it well in advance, so that you can apply for an extension of your study permit before the current one expires. 

2 - Check that your biometric data is valid

Biometric data is valid for 10 years. Use the tool to find out if your biometric data is still valid. If not, you will have to provide them when you apply for an extension of your study permit.

3 - Apply online from Canada

For all the information related to the extension of your study permit, including costs and processing times, see the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada site.

Step 1: Log in or create your MyCIC account by clicking “Continue to Sign-In Partner” or “Continue to GCKey.”
Forgot your sign-in details? You can create a new account by using one of these two ways to sign in.

Step 2: Click on “Apply to come to Canada”.

Step 3: The system will take you through a series of questions.

  • To the question “What would you like to do in Canada”, you must answer “Study”.
  • To the question “How long are you planning to stay in Canada”, you must answer “Temporarily - more than 6 months”, even if you need less than 6 months to complete your study program.
  • To the question“Do you have a provincial or territorial attestation letter or meet an exception from submitting a provincial or territorial attestation letter?”, you must answer “Yes, I have a provincial or territorial letter”. Note that your CAQ is also your provincial attestation letter.

Step 4: Once you get to the end of the questionnaire, upload the required documents. You will be asked for a designated learning institution number for HEC Montréal. This number is O19359011058.

Step 5: Within 24 hours you will receive a confirmation of your request in the “My messages” section of your MyCIC account.
Provide the Registrar’s Office with this confirmation, either by uploading a copy to HEC en ligne or bringing it to the Zone Info.

4 - Send us you new study permit

Your study permit will be sent to you by mail. Send it to the Registrar’s Office: upload a copy to HEC en ligne or deliver it in person to Zone Info.

If you need a temporary resident visa (TRV) to enter Canada can then renew this document.



This online summary, dated February 27, 2019, holds no official standing. Changes may occur without notice. Quebec laws and regulations, as well as information emanating from the Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration, and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, take precedence over this document.