Immigration Matters

Temporary Residents in Canada

As far as immigration policies are concerned, there are three categories of people in Canada: citizens, permanent residents, and “temporary residents”. International students, foreign workers, and visitors are all “temporary residents.”

Temporary residents may have two types of immigration documents:

1. Permits (study permits, work permits or visitor record)

A valid permit will allow you to remain in Canada while studying, working, or visiting.

Visitors who are not studying or working usually get a stamp in their passport or a paper visitor record.

If you are accepted to a program at McMaster University that will last less than six months, you may not need a Study Permit, but you should still consider applying for one.  By doing so, if you decide to study longer than six months, you can simply extend your Study Permit and avoid a complicated application process.

To understand how to apply for a Study Permit, please read the section “How to obtain a Study Permit”.

2. Temporary Resident Visa

A Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) is used only for entry into Canada. It is recommended that you maintain a valid TRV while you are in Canada but it is not mandatory. Only citizens of certain countries require a TRV. There are two categories of TRV’s: “single entry” or “multiple entries”. In either case, a TRV can only be obtained from a Canadian visa office (such as a Consulate, Embassy, or High Commission) outside of Canada.

To understand and to learn how to apply for a TRV, please read the section “How to obtain an 'Entry Visa' ”.

 

IMPORTANT : Laws in Canada, including immigration regulations, as in most countries of the world, are enforced, regardless of whether the individual knows about them or not. It is your responsibility, not McMaster University’s, to maintain your immigration status and to obey immigration regulations while studying in Canada. Check your immigration documents (Study Permit, Work Permit and/or Temporary Resident Visa) to ensure that they are accurate and that they have not expired. It is your responsibility to take action to renew your documents before they expire. If you have questions about any of your immigration documents, if you need help understanding them or if you have questions about any other immigration issues, please contact McMaster’s International Students Services, in Gilmour Hall, Room 104, or e-mail iss@mcmaster.ca.

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