Immigration Documents
On January 24, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) updates regarding who is required to include a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) in their study permit application. SFU Exchange students who are are studying under an exchange arrangement between their home institution and SFU, and who do not pay tuition fees to SFU, are now exempt from the PAL requirement. Exchange students who apply for a study permit are required to provide proof of the they fall under in their application to IRCC. If you have any questions, contact a SFU International Student Advisor, Immigration Specialist.
If you will be studying at SFU for one term, you may travel to Canada as a visitor and study without a study permit. Alternatively, you may apply for a study permit, if you wish to do so. Please see the for more information.
If you will be applying to Canada as a visitor to study without a study permit
Depending on your country of citizenship(s) you may require either a temporary resident visa (TRV) or an electronic travel authorization (eTA) to travel to Canada. To check to see if you need one of these documents, visit the .
Once you have determined if you need a TRV or an eTA, please see below for information about how to apply.
Applying for a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV)
If you are a visa-required citizen, you will need a to travel to Canada and study at SFU for one term.
In most cases, you are required to submit your online to IRCC. The provides information about what you will need to apply for a TRV.
? TIP: Upload your SFU Student Exchange Letter under the section of your online document checklist asking for "Letter of Acceptance or Letter of Enrollment / Registration"
To review estimated processing times for TRV applications submitted outside Canada, visit the and select where you will be applying from. Visa processing times vary and fluctuate. Apply as early as you can to allow extra time for any additional steps that may be required (such as giving your ).
If you have questions about applying for a TRV, please contact an International Student Advisor, Immigration Specialist.
Applying for an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)
If you are a citizen of an eTA required country, and you are travelling to Canada by air, you can apply for an eTA online. Visit the for application instructions.
Most eTA applications are approved within minutes, however some applications can take longer. For example, you may need to submit additional documents before your application can be approved. If this happens to you, IRCC will send you an email will with instructions.
If you have questions about applying for an eTA, please contact an International Student Advisor, Immigration Specialist.
If you will be applying for a study permit
Applying for a Study Permit
If you are coming to SFU for a one-term exchange, you can apply for a study permit if you wish. If you decide to apply for a study permit, please visit our website for more information about how to make a study permit application.
If you apply for a study permit outside Canada, and you require either a TRV or eTA to travel to Canada, one will be issued to you automatically by IRCC when your study permit application has been provisionally approved.