Immigration Requirements (Visa information)

English for Academic Purposes or Short-term Programs (Canadian English Experience)

If you are planning to take a course or program in Canada of six months’ duration or less, you do not need a Study Permit. You may require a Temporary Resident Visa, depending on your country of origin. Please consult Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

If there is any chance you might want to study for more than six months, please obtain your Study Permit beforeyou come to Canada. It is possible, but very difficult, to obtain a Study Permit once you are in Canada. You must apply to a Canadian Embassy outside of Canada. The process can take months and you may be required to travel to the U.S.A. for an interview. Applicants are not always successful.

Business Internship Program

Students registering for the Internship Program must have both Study and Work Permits, regardless of whether they intend to study for less than six months in Canada. When applying for the Work Permit, you should inform Immigration authorities that you are applying under R205, Program 1 (C30), which is intended for language students with Study Permits whose course of studies requires a work component of not more than 50% of the total program of study. These are exempt from Human Resources and Skills Development (HRSD) confirmation requirements. An open Work Permit with Queen’s University listed as the employer should be issued.

It may be possible for a student who already possesses a Study Permit to apply for a Work Permit, once enrolled in the study component of the Internship program, but success in the approval process is not guaranteed. We strongly advise you to have both permits before the start of the Internship program. Applicants who do not possess the required Work Permit prior to the start of the work placement will not be allowed to participate in the work placement component.

Learn more about visas and study permits. Visit Queen's University International Centre.