Renewing your immigration documents
Apply for an extension before your documents expire.
Important: Start the process of renewing your documents as soon as possible – we recommend six months before expiration. This will allow you the time needed to prepare, collect support documents and complete the appropriate applications.
Note: You must upload your renewed permits by the date of expiration of your current document(s).
1. Renew your CAQ
You will use the online application and:
- Provide academic documents listed below
- Provide recent financial information
- Via the Arrima platform, upload your documents and pay the fee
Tip: Please scan of all the documents; you will need them for both your CAQ and study permit application.
Log into your Student Centre to access the following documents:
Letter from supervisor
For Masters thesis-based and for PhD students only.
This letter needs to include the following:
- Confirmation that you are working with your supervisor
- The date you are expected to complete your thesis
- Any applicable funding
If the supervisor is not available then your department GPD can write this letter on their behalf.
The minimum amount to be shown is the sum of your tuition fees, health insurance, travel expenses and living expenses for one year.
Immigration Québec expects to see that you have enough funds for one year tuition + living expenses for one year + travel.
You can demonstrate your financial capacity by any/all of the following:
- Recent letter of student loan confirmation that shows the amount yet to be dispersed or/and
- Three months of statements from your bank, or your sponsor's bank, that shows sufficient funds
- These statments must be stamped and signed by the bank
- Declaration of financial support signed by your sponsor
If the financial documents are from your parents, you can email them the declaration form, which they can sign and then email it back to you along with the bank statements or bank letter. Please note that the documents must be signed by hand.
Explanation letter(s)
Include an explanation letter when:
- There is a gap in your studies
- You did not maintain a full-time status
- You discontinued or failed too many courses
Make sure your letter has clear subject lines, headings, and supporting documents that corroborate your explanations. Your explanation letter must be:
- Dated
- Signed by hand (blue ink recommended) with a signature that is identical to the one in your passport
2. Renew your study permit
Once your have received your online CAQ approval letter, you can start to renew your study permit with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Once you have applied to renew your study permit, you may continue your studies under the same conditions:
- as long as you remain in Canada
- until IRCC reaches a decision on your application
If you remain in Canada while waiting for your study permit to be renewed you have maintained status; as long as you have applied to renew your study permit, you can continue to study and work as a student while you wait for IRCC's decision.
Maintained status
- Will be lost if you leave Canada while waiting for an extension; you may have to wait for a new study permit to be re-admitted to Canada.
- A pending CAQ application does not grant maintained status.
To re-apply:
You will use the online application and:
- Provide academic documents (see below)
- Provide recent financial information (see below)
- Upload your documents and pay the fee
Important: IRCC offers two portals that can be used to apply for a study permit – you must log into the correct portal when you apply to extend your study permit from inside of Canada.
If you apply through the incorrect portal, you will not benefit from maintained status and you may be de-registered from your courses.
Log into the correct IRCC portal
This image below also shows you how to proceed.
- Log into your GCKey account
- To apply to extend your study permint from inside Canada, click the first link called "Apply to come to Canada". As indicated in the image below, use the link that follows the heading "Start an application.
This screenshot shows that you must use the link that lies under the heading "Start an application".
Completing the electronic questionnaire will create your personal checklist. You should see the following on the checklist:
- IMM5709 (SP): Complete, validate, save locally, and upload to your IRCC secure account.
- Concordia university's DLI number is O19359011007
- PAL: Upload your CAQ if it contains the statement: [link to PAL]
- Access the following documents through your Student Centre and combine them into a single PDF:
- Letter from supervisor (for Master’s/PhD thesis students, refer to CAQ instructions).
- Full Concordia University Offer of Admission (all pages).
- Passport: Scan and upload, including the main page and any pages with entry/exit stamps.
- Photo: Upload a recent photo (35mm x 45mm).
Include the same financial information that you provided for your CAQ renewal.
If your biometrics are less than 10 years old, you do not have to submit them again.
Biometrics are not currently required as in-Canada applications are exempt from this requirement.
If you are asked to pay for biometrics, you must pay the fee to complete your application. Note the fees will be refunded back to you.
Once the documents have been uploaded you will be asked to review the application, sign it electronically and submit the application with a payment of $150 CAD.
Renewing your TRV as a student
If you plan to leave (and come back to) Canada during your studies, you must have a valid Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) to re-enter Canada.
Important: Upload your documents to your Student Centre once you receive them. You must submit them by the first day of classes.
Tip: Install the Concordia app and submit your documents from your phone.
Stay up-to-date
Every attempt has been made to keep this information as accurate and current as possible; however, immigration regulations may change at any time without notice.
Last updated: May 20, 2025, 11:58 a.m.
