Study Permit Delays and Deferral Q&A
We know that waiting for your study permit can be an anxious process; this page aims to give some general advice about steps you can take and the options available to you if you experience delays and want to understand your options. This is best-effort advice based on our recent experience; for up-to-date official advice we recommend you always contact UBC's International Advising Office: https://students.ubc.ca/international-student-guide/international-student-advising/
Q1: What if I am experiencing delays with my study permit application and can’t travel to Canada by the start of term?
The processing times posted on the IRCC website are very rough estimated averages, and our experience is that there is wide variation: some applications may be processed faster, and others may take longer than the published processing time. You can always check your application status online.
Unfortunately, the department and UBC are not able to influence processing times or the status of an individual application. If your application is past the published processing time, you can send a webform to request an update and request rushed processing to begin your program without delay; this is easy to do and makes sense to try; it occasionally seems to speed up responses. It is also possible to request your case file under Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) legislation: you have the right to access personal information about yourself held by government institutions, so you can submit an ATIP request to view your file, including GCMS (Global Case Management System) notes: there is a small administration fee per request. To submit an ATIP request, you must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or individual currently present in Canada: if you're currently none of the above, you can ask any such contact in Canada to submit a request on your behalf. Anecdotally, the need to respond to these requests sometimes seems to also cause the case itself to be handled more quickly.
For any and all interactions with the immigration processes, it is important to be as clear and specific as possible, and include all (possibly) required information. If you have not reviewed the initial study permit tutorial, please have a look to see if there is anything you might have missed and provide any missing documents at the same time.
You should not travel to Canada before you’ve received your Letter of Introduction (study permit approval letter), even if you have a valid Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) or Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) to travel as a visitor (unless your program is less than 6 months). You may experience difficulties travelling without a study permit or an approval letter, or may not be allowed to enter Canada. Before making any non-refundable travel plans or arrangements, carefully review the Travelling to Canada Guide.
If you are inside Canada, you cannot begin studies until you have obtained a physical copy of your study permit (an approval is not sufficient).
For more information, please contact International Student Advising for support.
Q2: Is it possible to arrive late?
Where possible, we strongly encourage students to arrive in Vancouver 1–2 weeks before their program start date (which is typically 1st September; sometimes 1st January). This allows time to arrange accommodation and a bank account, apply for a Social Insurance Number (SIN), etc.
That said, we understand there may be circumstances that prevent this, so exceptions for late arrivals, even slightly later than your program start date, can be made provided your advisor/supervisor and the program approve them. If the delay in arrival is likely to be more than a week or so into September, it is unlikely that this will work, and we would strongly recommend deferral: you can choose to start your program one term (4 months) later. Arriving after your program start date causes a number of problems:
Your funding (whether TA or RA work) cannot be paid for the period between your program start date (e.g. 1st September) and your entry to Canada.
You will need to register for courses (at the least, for your respective thesis option) and be assessed for tuition as usual for the entire term.
Orientation Day is on the first day of term (always a Tuesday in September) —an important opportunity to familiarize yourself with how your department and program work, and meet your peers and make contacts with other labs and research areas. You should keep this day free, and all incoming students are expected to attend.
As graduate courses are taught in person, you may miss class time and have difficulty catching up.
If you have applied for a TA position, you may miss some of your TA responsibilities as well as any orientation/organization meetings to coordinate TAs.
In general, if you have not received your Letter of Introduction by the 1st September (at the very latest) we recommend deferring your start date to January. We strongly recommend talking with your advisor/supervisor in advance if you think this is a possibility.
If you have the letter but are unable to arrive in Canada by 1st September, you and your supervisor should discuss the choice between deferring and arriving slightly into September. If you do agree on an exceptional arrangement to arrive late, we strongly recommend that you begin your studies no later than the add/drop deadline, which is also the final day to withdraw from a course without a “W” standing on your transcript and the last day to be eligible for a tuition refund.
Q3: How can I defer my program start date?
Incoming graduate students may request to defer their program start date to January, May, or September of the following year, provided their supervisor supports the deferral. We strongly recommend that students who do not receive their study permit confirmations (“Letter of Introduction”) by mid-August (and at the latest by 1st September) should defer their start dates to a future term. To proceed:
1.Obtain written approval from your supervisor.
2.Forward both your deferral request and your supervisor’s approval email to grad-admin@cs.ubc.ca.
3.Once a new UBC Letter of Admission has been issued, you should submit a webform to IRCC to notify them of the updated start date. Be sure to include the new Letter of Admission so that your study permit can be updated accordingly.
Please note that MSc students that start in January may be at a disadvantage without clear supervision plans, because they need to confirm a supervisor by March at the latest. It's difficult for them to do research in the first summer if they don't have a supervisor. If you need to defer your program, you should have a talk with whomever you are going to work with and your advisor.