À¦°óSM

This section is getting updated please refer to Applying for a Study Permit Extension and Guide Applying for Study Permit Extension (detailed)

If you are transferring between educational institutions within Canada, either in or out of À¦°óSM, you need to login to your  to inform the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) that you have transferred. See  for more information.

À¦°óSM’s DLI number is O19395299488. (please note the first letter is O as in Okanagan)

As an international student, you may be eligible to work in Canada while studying and after you graduate.  As a study permit holder, you may qualify to work on-campus or off-campus without an additional work permit if you meet specific criteria. You may also apply for a PGWP post-graduation work permit  after you graduate from an eligible institution. Please visit the to learn more about working as an international student while studying.

OFF-CAMPUS EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS

To work off-campus, an international student must:

• Have a valid study permit
• Be a full-time student enrolled at a
• Have started studying
• Be studying in a post-secondary academic, vocational or professional training program that leads to a degree, diploma or certificate and is at least six months in duration
• Have a valid Social Insurance Number (SIN) (See details below)

International students cannot work off campus if they are:

• Registered in an English or French as a Second Language (ESL/FSL) program
• A visiting or exchange student without a study permit

How many hours can you work off campus per week?

Students who meet the eligibility requirements may work off campus a maximum of 20 hours per week during the regular academic sessions. They may work full-time during regularly scheduled breaks (e.g., summer, Reading Week and breaks between terms, if applicable to your study program) if they meet the following eligibility requirements: 

• Student holds a valid study permit, and was/will be enrolled full-time during the academic session before and after the scheduled break.
• The program in which a student is enrolled is a post-secondary academic, vocational or professional training program that is at least 6 months in duration and leads to a degree, diploma or certificate.

ON-CAMPUS EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS

International students mays at À¦°óSM without an additional work permit if you are a full time post secondary student in a degree/diploma/certificate program with a valid study permit. Please note:

• A work permit is not required for on campus employment
• There is no time limit for On-Campus work
• A Social Insurance Number (SIN) is required

How many hours can you work on campus per week?
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) does not limit the number of hours students are permitted to work on campus. However, some À¦°óSM employers may restrict the hours students can work.

WHAT IS A SOCIAL INSURANCE NUMBER (SIN)?

A  is a nine-digit number that you need to work in Canada or to have access to government programs and benefits. It allows an employer to process payroll while informing the Canadian Revenue Agency of the amount of money a person earns.

How do I obtain a SIN?
International students can obtain SIN by presenting original passport, study permit as well as a full time enrolment letter from À¦°óSM at any . Information on Kelowna Service Canada Centre can be found at .

For many students, co-operative education programs provide great opportunities to supplement their in-class education with in-the-field experience.

If you are considering adding a Co-operative Education placement to your program, À¦°óSM has several options depending on your area of studies. Visit À¦°óSM's Career Hub. Please note that in order to participate in À¦°óSM's Co-operative Education program, you need to fill out and submit the 

Once, you receive a co-op notification from À¦°óSM, you are required to submit a Co-op application from a Co-op Work Permit. To learn more please .

When to Apply:

• After receiving a letter of acceptance to a co-op program from the À¦°óSM

Cost:

• Free

Processing Time:

•  of how long it will take.

How to apply:

Application form:

• Application to Change Conditions, extend my Stay or Remain in Canada as a Worker [IMM 5710]
• Note: Make sure you use the newest form. If applying online, log in to the  before starting your application.

Supporting documents:

• Original letter provided by your OC co-op office stating that your intended employment is an essential part of your program.
• Copy of your passport (include the bio-data page plus any pages with stamps, visas or markings)
• Additional documents may be needed.

Eligibilities include:

• You must have a valid study permit.
• Your employment must be part of your academic program, certified by a letter from a responsible academic official of the institution.
• Your intended employment must be an essential part of your program of study in Canada.
• Your co-op or internship employment cannot form more than 50% (percent) of the total program of study.

This section is getting updated, please see the Applying for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)

Suggested supporting documents

• Copy of your study permit
  • Your document(s) should be valid for the length of your family members’ stay in Canada. If you recently completed your program requirements but do not have a post-graduation work permit, you may send a copy of your study permit and an official Letter of Program Completion (from À¦°óSM) noting the date of your expected convocation ceremony date. If you have applied for a post-graduation work permit online but do not have it yet, send a copy of the Letter of Submission Confirmation that IRCC sends when they receive the application.
• Copy of your valid passport
• A recently-dated Letter of Invitation written by you (see template below)

Write the letter of invitation yourself. . Some visa offices may require that your letter be notarized by a Notary Public. Check with the specific Canadian visa office. To find a notary, visit the 

• Copy of your marriage certificate if applicable (e.g. if you're inviting your spouse)
• Additional information about your status in Canada
• An official Verification of Enrolment Letter from À¦°óSM, OR if you have completed your study program, your official Letter of Program Completion from À¦°óSM
• Official Academic Transcript from À¦°óSM
• Copy of your rental/lease agreement, if your friends/family shall be residing with you in Canada
• Proof of your available funds (only if you are paying for their visit)

In addition, your friends/family must provide proof of economic and social ties to their home country. The stronger the ties, the higher the chance of successfully proving they will leave Canada after their visit.

Examples of economic ties include bank statements, proof of financial investments, a letter of employment, and/or proof of property ownership, etc.

Examples of social ties include evidence that family members back home depend on them for financial/other support, proof that they must return home after their visit to Canada in order to meet their social obligations to their family members or community, etc.

Instructions for a Letter of Invitation

If you would like friends or family to visit you while you are studying at À¦°óSM, you must send them a letter of invitation. À¦°óSM does not provide letters of invitation. You must write it yourself.

A letter of invitation does not guarantee that a visa will be issued to your friend or family member. Visa Officers will assess each applicant to determine whether they meet the requirements of Canada’s immigration laws. Some visa offices may require that your letter be notarized by a Notary Public.

Here you will find information that will help you write a proper letter of invitation. For complete instructions, visit the .

Your letter of invitation must include all of the following information for the person being invited:

• Complete name.
• Date of birth.
• The person’s address and telephone number.
• Your relationship to the person being invited.
• The purpose of the trip.
• How long the person you are inviting intends to stay in Canada.
• Details about their accommodation and living expenses.
• The date the person you are inviting intends to leave Canada.

You must also include the following information about yourself:

• Complete name.
• Date of birth.
• Address and telephone number in Canada.
• Occupation/activity.
• Your status in Canada (e.g. student, worker, Canadian citizen, permanent resident).*

Sample Letter of Invitation

If your family members are going to visit or live with you in Canada while you study at À¦°óSM, they may apply for visitor status at the same time as you. Please see below for more information on necessary documents for family members.

Inviting Friends or Family to Visit 
If you would like friends or family to visit you while you are studying at À¦°óSM, you must send them a letter of invitation. À¦°óSM does not provide letters of invitation. You must write it yourself. For more information,  please review the 

Permits for Dependent Children
 on a valid visitor status in Canada who want to attend pre-school, primary or secondary school and have a parent on a valid Canadian study or work permit, may study without a study permit. However, study permits rather than visitor records can make the immigration process run smoothly especially if your children enter Canada without a parent. When entering Canada, your children should bring with them two years of their official school records in English or with a certified English translation.

Extending Family Members' Immigration Documents
1.    All dependents (including children) requiring extension have to provide their own documents.
2.    Documents must be extended before their expiry date.
3.    You can apply to extend your study permit and your family members’ immigration documents online through the 
4.    Pay the appropriate fee for each family member.

It is very important to keep your documents safe while studying at À¦°óSM. If your documents are lost or stolen, ensure you replace them immediately.

Passport:

• If your passport is lost or stolen, you must replace it immediately.
• Contact the Embassy/High Commission of your home country in Canada to learn about  the procedure and processing time of your new/replaced passport.
• You must have a new passport before replacing any Canadian permits or applying for a new Temporary Resident Visa (TRV), if you had one. 

Other Documents:

If your other documents, such as study or work permits, are lost or stolen, you must request a replacement from the IRCC.

• Follow instructions on the  and submit your application with proof of payment of the $30 processing fee.
• You may continue studying and/or working, as permitted by your study or work permit, while your documents are being replaced.
• You should not leave Canada until you receive your replacement study or work permit.

No, all individuals must complete an application. The easiest way is to  immediately after arriving in B.C., rather than at the end of the wait period because processing takes about 21 business days. See our guide: How to Apply for MSP.

À¦°óSM will auto-enroll you with Guard.me medical insurance each semester. MSP is mandatory for all B.C. residents who are eligible. You must apply to MSP soon after you arrive in the province.

Yes, you will need to send us proof of MSP coverage to IntedMed@okanagan.bc.ca. Your MSP coverage must be effective before the start of the semester. The deadline to submit is the last day of the 1st month in the semester.    Once your submission is approved, the Guard.me insurance fee will be reversed on your student account 6 weeks after start of semester.

If you are planning to leave B.C. for more than 6 months, you should contact MSP to confirm continued eligibility. Please note that you must reactivate your MSP account after returning to B.C. from the extended leave. For more details, visit .
 

You will need to upload your new study permit to . It will take about 21 business days for MSP to process this information. Please renew your MSP card before the expiry date to avoid a gap between coverages. 

Eligible individuals residing in BC with maintained status while waiting for a subsequent study permit may be eligible for an initial six months of temporary MSP coverage. You can apply for temporary MSP coverage while waiting for your extended study permit. To request temporary coverage, please visit the section.