At Alexander College, we provide free RISIA services to all current and future students through holistic and confidential virtual or in-person meetings offered by four full-time Regulated International Students Immigrations Advisors in multiple languages.
Our RISIAs also offer workshops on a monthly-based webinar on various immigration topics to address the updates of immigration policies related to international students, as well as answering questions via emails.
Our services include guiding students with general inquires regarding immigration issues, such as study permit extension and restoration, PGWP application, and visa or permit application for student’s dependent, as well as initial study permit application for future students.
While the majority of advising are communicated through emails, students also have the option to request an in-person or virtual meetings through our appointment-booking-platform. Our goal is to create an international student webpage with holistic immigration guidelines; to provide multiple surfaces to facilitate students reach our services easily.
We provide webinar regularly to address various immigration topics and update IRCC policies.
What to expect
In-Person RISIA Services
Wednesday: 10:00am-11:00am & 3:00pm-4:00pm (Check in at front desk)
Online RISIA Services
Tuesday: 2:00pm-3:30pm
Wednesday: 10:00am-11:30am
Thursday: 12:00pm-1:30pm
General Inquiries
Please indicate your inquiry concisely in the email subject title and be sure to include the following in one email:
You can expect a response within 3-5 business days (not including weekends and holidays). We ask that you send ONE email per inquiry and do not send multiple emails.
To be eligible to work off campus while studying, you must first check if your study permit says so in the conditions. Please check who can work off campus to identify your eligibility. And you also need to get a SIN number to work in Canada. If you want to apply for a SIN to work off campus, please visit the Government of Canada website.
During our regular school semester: Fall (Sep-Apr), Spring (May-July), and Winter (Jan-Dec), You can work up to 20 hours per week while you are studying full time or part time if it’s your final academic semester. You can work more than 1 job to make up these hours as long as you continue to meet the conditions of your study permit.
You can work full-time if you’re on a scheduled break, such as our summer semester (July-Aug). You’re free to work overtime or work 2 part-time jobs that add up to a higher than usual number of hours. You must be a full-time student both before and after the break semester to work full-time in your break semester. You can’t work during a break that comes before you start your very first school semester.
Please make sure:
Please refer IRCC official website about how many hours you can work off campus for more information.
The eligibility for working off-campus has nothing to do with your grade. As long as you are enrolled as a full-time student in our regular semesters ( Spring, Fall, Winter), However, please keep in mind that, if you keep low academic performance, furthermore, get an academic suspension, which may affect your PGWP application. So, please keep working hard on your study.
Since you are considered a full-time student at Alexander College (How to keep the full-time status at Alexander College), you can work up to 20 hours per week during the regular semesters (Fall, Spring, and Winter semester) and work full-time during the scheduled break seasons such as summer break ( even you take courses in summer intensive semester). In order to work full-time during summer break, please make sure you are a full-time student before and after the break.
Please make sure you have a SIN number as well.
Yes. You can work up to 20 hours/week even if you are a part-time student at your final academic semester.
Taking UPRE will make you a full-time student. You are allowed to work off campus (as per R186(f)(v)) up to 20hour/week if you are a full-time student, have work conditions on your study permit, and have a SIN. Please refer how to keep the full-time status at Alexander College.
Please note that study hard to get back to regular class and make positive study progress towards the completion of your program.
It depends. If you submit your study permit extension before your current study permit expires, and your current study permit has work condition on it, you can work off-campus under maintained status.
If you submitted your study permit extension after your current study permit expires, but within the 90 days restoration period, you can not study or work off-campus while waiting for your renewed physical study permit.
If you are currently not a full-time student at any designated learning institution, you are not allowed to work off-campus unless you have other exemptions in your immigration status.
If you are on academic suspension, as long as you take courses with us or other DLI institutions as a full-time student, and meet other off-campus work requirements, you are still able to work off-campus. Please refer to the eligibility requirements for work off campus
If you received the confirmation of the graduation, you can’t work until the point of submitting the application for PGWP, as per R 186 (f),(w). You can also refer to Off-campus work and the completion of a program studies. Please ensure to submit the PGWP application ASAP ( Before your study permit expires). You CAN work full-time while waiting for the PGWP application’s decision if you have submitted the application before your study permit expires.
The reason your study permit doesn’t have work conditions on it because you are under EAL followed by Associate Degree program. One of the eligibility requirements for off-campus work is that you’re enrolled in a post-secondary academic, vocational, or professional training program. You can change your condition of study permit after you complete EAL and start your Associate Degree Program. Please refer to the off-campus eligibility requirements.
You can work off campus after the final exam UNTIL the date you receive the email of the program completion from school. You can start work full-time after you submit the application for PGWP. Please be very careful that you MUST stop working once you receive the graduation confirmation email.
If you completed up to 100% of your studies online from outside Canada between March 2020 and August 31, 2022, because of a temporary COVID-19 policy. This temporary policy was in place until August 31, 2022.
Between September 1, 2022, and August 31, 2024
On or after September 1, 2024
You can’t count the following time toward the length of a PGWP:
To be eligible for PGWP, you must maintain your full-time student status during each academic session and meet all PGWP requirements. The number of credits you take determines your full-time or part-time status for immigration purposes. At Alexander College, the regular academic session is Fall (Sep-Apr), Spring (May-July), and Winter (Jan-Dec). You are considered full-time for immigration purposes if you take 9 or more credits in each Term. The Summer Semester (July to August) is a scheduled break for students. Taking courses is optional.
You will be considered as a part-time student if you remain enrolled but take fewer than 9 credits in each term.
Apply within 90 days of when your final transcript and Letter of Completion first becomes available ( it usually takes 6 weeks after final marks released) AND when your study permit is still valid, OR
Apply within 180 days of when your final transcript and Letter of Completion first becomes available, have previously held a valid study permit, and one of the following:
Please collect the following documents for PGWP application:
Please refer to Document Checklist
You must “actively pursue studies” in order to maintain your student status in Canada and your eligibility for the PGWP. The length and the type of gap impact whether or not you are considered to be actively pursuing studies during your gap. It counts as authorized leave if 150 days or less in the following circumstances.
You can work while still waiting for your final transcript. However, you must stop working once you’ve received your final grades. You can continue to work after you finished your studies with a valid study permit only if:
There are a few options available for you.
To obtain a post-graduation work permit, you must have graduated from an eligible designated learning institution (DLI). See the DLI list to verify schools’ eligibility. You are eligible for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) if you complete one of the degrees at Alexander College below and you meet all other PGWP criteria:
Please see the general PGWP eligibility requirements:
The IRCC fee to apply for an extension of your study permit is CAD 150.
You will need to apply at least 30 days before your study permit expires, if you want to keep studying in Canada. However, we usually advise students to apply 3 months before your study permit expires to give you enough time to receive your study permit while your current study permit is valid.
Yes, you can leave Canada and return as long as your visitor visa or Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) is still valid. If your visitor visa or eTA is expired, you must apply for and receive a new one before you leave.
If your leave Canada and return while your study permit is under extension, it will be upon the border officers’ discretion to let you enter back in Canada as a visitor. In this case, you can’t study until you get your extended study permit. The officer at the port of entry may also ask you to prove you have enough money to support yourself in Canada.
If you are a post-secondary student, you will need to inform IRCC when changing your post-secondary school. Please see how to change your post-secondary school.
Please click the following link to view the guide to fill the “Application to Change Conditions, extend my stay or Remain in Canada as a Student” document from the IRCC website: Click Here. Use the IRCC Website to find the IMM 5555 Document Checklist : Student (In Canada Applicant) to assist you in gathering the supporting documents to submit with your application.
You are welcome to invite your family members, however we don’t issue invitation letters. You will have to use the confirmation of enrolment letter for immigration purposes available in your MyAC online portal. You can write an invitation letter for your parents according to the IRCC invitation letter template
Alexander College acknowledges that the land on which we usually gather is the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples, including the territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. We are grateful to have the opportunity to work in this territory.
Alexander College acknowledges that the land on which we usually gather is the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples, including the territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. We are grateful to have the opportunity to work in this territory.