The information on this page does not apply to one-term exchange students who are here as visitors (i.e., who do not hold a CAQ and study permit).

Immigration Facts and Obligations

1. All international students studying at 51吃瓜网are required to hold a valid CAQ and a valid study permit for the entire duration of their studies in Canada.
2. International students are required to make their studies 聽for the duration of their program. This means maintaining a full-time course load in every term, with the exception of a final term聽or during a聽scheduled break.听
   1. If you are an聽undergraduate聽or Masters Non-Thesis student, you are considered full-time聽only if聽you are聽attempting聽at least聽12 credits.听If you are not taking at least 12 credits per term, you are not meeting the .
   2. The summer term is considered a聽scheduled break聽for most undergraduate students. If you are a Master's Non-Thesis student, contact your department for confirmation as to whether or not the summer registration is mandatory or optional in your program.听

Special Message for Graduate Thesis Students (Master's Thesis and PhD)

If you are a Master's Thesis or PhD student

1. You聽are considered full-time in all terms in which you are registered, regardless of the number of credits you are taking. This includes聽"Thesis Full-Time", "Additional Session", "Thesis Continuing", and "Thesis Evaluation" terms.
2. You are enrolled continuously听颈苍 all terms - i.e., in Fall, Winter, and Summer terms. This means that you do not have any scheduled breaks.
3. For the entire duration of your studies, you can work
   1. Up to a maximum of 24 hours per week off-campus
   2. An unlimited number of hours per week 辞苍-肠补尘辫耻蝉听

What happens if I am not registered full-time anymore?

At McGill, you are considered full-time if:

• You are an聽undergraduate or Master's Non-Thesis student聽and you are attempting at least聽12 credits per term
• You are a Master's Thesis or PhD student聽and you are registered, regardless of the number of credits you are taking.听

You can lose your full-time status if:

1. You end up attempting less than 12 credits in a semester as a result of dropping a course before the course add/drop deadline聽and/or聽withdrawing from a course.
   1. If you started the semester with 12 or more credits but end up reducing your course load to less than 12 credits, immigration authorities will no longer consider you a full-time student regardless of what your transcript indicates.
2. You withdraw from 51吃瓜网completely.

Contact us if you are thinking about becoming part-time or withdrawing from the university.

CAQ Conditions:

Immigration Quebec requires international students to make their studies for the duration of their program. This means maintaining a full-time course load in every term, with the exception of a final term or during a scheduled break.

1. Renewing your CAQ聽may be challenging听颈苍 the following situations:
   1. If you have not been full-time in all terms due to part-time registration or gap(s) in registration.听
   2. If you have struggled academically during your studies (e.g., failed and abandoned courses)
2. The more you have been less than full-time or have struggled academically, the more challenging it may be to renew your CAQ.
   1. It will be important to include a good cover letter and supporting documents.听聽
   2. Your application for a new CAQ could be refused.
3. If you are struggling in a course, speak to an Academic Advisor right away to come up with a plan to help you succeed.
4. Being part-time in your final term is acceptable.

Study Permit Validity:

1. Your study permit will automatically become invalid on the date you are no longer registered at McGill. This means your study permit will become invalid:
   1. If you withdraw from McGill.
   2. If you are de-registered from McGill.
   3. If you are blocked from registering at McGill.
2. If your study permit becomes invalid, you will be聽out of status. You will no longer be authorized to study, work or remain in Canada
3. If you plan to re-enroll at 51吃瓜网in a future term, you will聽need to apply for and obtain a new study permit before you can resume your studies.

Contact us if you are considering withdrawing from McGill, you risk deregistration, or you will be unable to register for courses by the start of the term.

Work Conditions:

1. International students who are not full-time are not permitted to work or .
   1. Exceptionally, you can be聽part-time听颈苍 your聽聽of studies and work聽as long as聽you have been continuously enrolled full-time in聽every other term of your聽program.听
2. If you started the semester full-time but you end up reducing your course load to less than 12 credits,聽you must stop working as soon as your course(s) has been dropped or your withdrawal has been approved.

eligibility:

1. To be eligible for the PGWP, you must maintain a full-time status听颈苍 every term聽for the entire duration of your studies. The following exceptions are allowed:
   1. Part-time status in your final term of studies only
   2. An approved Leave of Absence聽of 150 days or less.
2. If you do not meet the condition to remain full-time every semester, your application for the PGWP could be refused.

Contact us if you want to apply for the PGWP and you have not been full-time throughout your studies.

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Still have questions or concerns?

颁辞苍迟补肠迟听International Student Services.
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