COVID-19 FAQ for international students

You will need to provide the following documents, so be sure you have gathered:

• A valid study permit or letter of introduction that shows that you were approved for s study permit
  
• A valid CAQ or CAQ approval letter
  
• Concordia Offer of Admission (new students only or any research-based student)
• Copy of Concordia transcript (all students)
• Any supporting documents to explain your 14-day quarantine plan
• Copy of lease (if applicable)
• Letter from your Canadian employer (if applicable)
• Proof of local bank account (returning students only)
• Proof of IT issues in your home country (e.g. Zoom/Teams restrictions)
• Contacts for roommates and/or those supporting quarantine (if applicable)
• Proof of negative COVID-19 test (certain airlines only – please check with your airline)

Once you arrive in Canada, a 14-day quarantine means you cannot leave your home nor let anyone in, and therefore, you will not be able to:

• Let in utility companies (internet, phone, etc.)
• Go shopping for groceries or household items (beds, sheets, pots, plates, utensils) - be prepared to shop online.
• Set up bank accounts or obtain a social insurance number in person,
• Purchase a cell phone
• Come to campus (including to pick-up of school material from bookstore or to obtain an ID card).

Once quarantine is completed, students must follow the COVID-19 zone guidelines as per the Government of Quebec.

All new international students admitted for the Winter term who will be studying from outside Canada will have to must provide the university the following documents in order to be enrolled for the Winter 2021 term:

• Proof that you have obtained the CAQ and the approval of your study permit, or
• Proof that you have obtained the CAQ and have applied for the study permit (please keep in mind that a CAQ approval letter is required when applying for your study permit), or
• Proof that you have applied for the CAQ and have applied for the study permit (please keep in mind that a CAQ approval letter is required when applying for your study permit)

Students who are in Canada must have a valid CAQ and Study Permit. Once courses return to an in-person format, valid immigration documents will be required in order to complete program requirements.

Find out what these documents look like.

New international students studying from within Canada:
All new international students admitted for the Fall 2020 or Winter 2021 term who are currently inside Canada will need to provide the university the following documents in order to be enrolled:

• A valid CAQ
• A valid study permit

Your immigration documents must be submitted by January 19, 2021 (DNE deadline) for students starting their studies in Winter 2021.

Your documents can be uploaded from your Student Center by following these instructions.

If you defer your admission from fall 2020 to winter 2021, your immigration documents will remain valid. However, if you defer to a new academic year (for ex., summer 2021) you must apply for new immigration documents.

International students with immigration-related issues should contact the International Students Office (ISO) at iso@concordia.ca.

Your CAQ remains valid for the Winter 2021 term as per the instructions from Immigration Quebec.

Following the government of Canada’s announcement that borders will re-open to welcome international students, we are pleased to announce that we have been approved and are now on the list of designated learning institutions (DLI) with a COVID-19 readiness plan.

This means that that if you have valid immigration documents, you may begin making plans to travel to Montreal, should you wish to do so. You may also wish to remain in your home country until the end of the term; this decision is yours to make.

We have prepared several FAQ sections and a checklist to answer questions about what to expect as you prepare to travel. All travelers arriving in Canada from abroad are required to quarantine in isolation for 14 days; here is more information on quarantine requirements

You will also need a valid Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to enter Canada.

If you have to transit through other countries, please check their travel restrictions because they may be different from Canada’s.

Remember that you will need to self-isolate for 14 days upon your arrival to Canada, independent of any previous self-isolation you may have done in another country.

You can apply to extend your immigration documents in Canada and should make sure to maintain your status in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) has come up with new guidelines that allow international students whose Certificat d’acceptation du Québec (CAQ) expires after April 30, 2020, and before December 31, 2020, to be extended to December 31, 2020. This only applies to students who will be completing their studies by December 31, 2020.

If you need help with your renewal process, send an email including your student ID to iso@concordia.ca or take part in one of our ISO Virtual Drop-In sessions.

The sooner the better! Immigration has experienced some delays in application times. However, both the provincial and federal government offices remain operational, and continue to process files. A CAQ is taking, on average, six to eight weeks to process and the study permit is currently taking more than 120 days.

IMPORTANT: Those whose study permits have not yet expired can renew them and continue their studies. However, those whose study permits have expired must apply to restore their status in Canada before returning to Canada.

Immigration Canada states, “Foreign nationals applying for restoration have lost their status and may not continue to work or attend school until their status has been restored and a new work or study permit has been issued.”

If you are unable to gather the required documents (CAQ, financial proof, etc.) on time to apply for a study permit, please contact the International Students Office (ISO) for assistance BEFORE your study permit expires. Do not let your immigration status expire.

This is great news for students who plan to complete their studies by December 31, 2020. However, if your studies will continue after fall 2020 term or you plan to extend your immigration documents beyond December 31, 2020, you will need to extend your CAQ as normal. Visit Immigration Quebec’s website under ‘Foreign Students’ for more information.

Note that the extension only applies to the CAQ and not the Study Permit; be sure to renew your Study Permit on time as per the expiration date indicated on your current Study Permit. Contact the ISO at iso@concordia.ca should you have concerns or require assistance in renewing your immigration documents. 

International students with immigration-related issues should contact the International Students Office (ISO) at iso@concordia.ca or take part in one of our ISO Virtual Drop-In sessions.

No. Please read more about general quarantine guidelines.

Read more about our health and safety protocols.

The usual regulations apply. Learn more.

Some Service Canada locations are gradually re-opening. Please click here to find out which ones.

International students with questions about the post-graduation work permit should contact the International Students Office (ISO) at iso@concordia.ca.

We will post an exemption contract here for the Winter term 2021 health insurance exemption in early December 2020.

In some cases, the ISO can sell you an additional four months of health insurance. To find out if this applies to you, please contact iso@concordia.ca.

International students who are covered by Concordia international health insurance through Blue Cross can sign up for telemedicine services through getmaple.ca/medavie. This service allows users to meet doctors, nurses or other health professionals online.

Although the RAMQ offices are still processing RAMQ requests, the offices themselves are not open to the public. Find out how to submit your RAMQ request.