Immigration Information for Exchange Students

To travel to Canada to study you must have a passport that will be valid for the duration of your stay in Canada.

If you will come to 17³Ô¹Ï for one term, you must either:

  • apply for a temporary resident visa or an electronic travel authorization. to help you determine if you need a visa or authorization. Learn more about entry requirements by country or territory on the IRCC website.  
  • or, you may apply for a study permit.

when choosing between a visitor visa or electronic authorization and a study permit. Sometimes, applying for a visitor visa could take longer in certain countries than applying for a study permit.

If you choose to come to Canada as a visitor, you will not be permitted to work in Canada. If you plan to work on campus, you would need a study permit.

If you will come for two terms, you are required to have a study permit.

Most foreign students require an entry document to travel to Canada. Depending on your country of citizenship, you may need a temporary resident visa or an electronic travel authorization, which are the two types of entry documents for Canada. If you apply for a study permit outside Canada and you also need an entry document, you will be issued one automatically; you do not have to submit a separate application or pay additional fees.

If applying for a study permit, you may also need to , , and a Provincial Attestation Letter exception letter. Contact sacheng@upei.ca for more information.

To apply for a study permit or a temporary resident visa, you will need your Letter of Acceptance and Exchange Letter from the 17³Ô¹Ï.

When to Apply

You must apply for and obtain approval of your study permit and/or entry document before you travel to Canada. We recommend you apply for your study permit as soon as possible upon receiving your Letter of Acceptance from the 17³Ô¹Ï. . You can find detailed instructions on the application process online.

Working in Canada

If you hope to work part-time while you study in Canada, you should apply for a study permit, even if you are coming for a one-semester exchange. If you hold a study permit, you may be able to work part-time as long as you are a full-time student.