Changed schools without a new study permit: why it breaks your permit conditions, and what you can do now

By Pardeep S. Grewal, lawyer at Lawgical Law Corporation · Reviewed November 10, 2026

Published November 11, 2026

Pardeep S. Grewal is a lawyer at Lawgical Law Corporation, called to the BC bar in 2024, and a member of the Law Society of British Columbia.

Updated November 10, 2026: sections 182, 220.1 and 221 of the Regulations and IRCC’s “Changing your school or program” page (modified June 10, 2026) checked that day.

If your study permit names your school and you started at a different college or university without getting a new study permit first, you are probably breaking a condition of your permit. Since late 2024, post-secondary study permits name the institution, and the Regulations require you to enrol at that school and stay there. IRCC’s guidance says you must get a new permit by applying to extend your current one before you start at the new school. Studying without one can make your permit invalid, lead to a removal order, and make future permits harder to get. The first step is to stop studying at the new school and get advice before applying for anything.

Lawgical Law Corporation, an immigration law firm in Surrey, Abbotsford and Vancouver, BC, advises international students on study permit problems and takes refusals to the Federal Court; this guide is by Pardeep S. Grewal.

Book a consultation about your study permit refusal TapClick to open a short form. Our team will contact you to arrange a time.Short form, 4 quick fields Open form

What do the rules say?

Under section 220.1(1)(a) of the Regulations, a study permit holder “shall enroll at the designated learning institution that is named in their permit” and “remain enrolled there until they complete their studies.” IRCC’s changing schools page says: “You need to get a new study permit by applying to extend your current one before you can start studying at your new DLI.” Since January 22, 2025, that application also needs a provincial attestation letter unless you are exempt.

IRCC says post-secondary study permits issued from November 1, 2024 include the school’s name, and the requirement to get a new study permit when changing post-secondary schools took effect on November 8, 2024. Older permits may not name a school, but students changing post-secondary schools now generally need a new study permit even then.

The officer wording in these files: “Client has not satisfied me that they have fulfilled their study permit conditions to actively pursue their course or program of study according to 220.1(1).”

Why this needs a lawyer

One lawyer, one file, every step:

• working out whether your permit names a school, and what that means for you;
• the right application, in the right order, with an honest explanation;
• judicial review within 15 days if it is refused;
• protecting your post-graduation work permit and PR plans.

Immigration lawyers are members of a provincial law society (in our case, the Law Society of British Columbia), and only lawyers can appear for you in the Federal Court.

What are my options?

1. Stop studying at the new school until you have a new permit, unless one of IRCC’s exceptions applies (for example, your old school closed or cancelled your program).
2. Apply for a new study permit by extending your current one, if it is still valid, and explain what happened.
3. If your old school will take you back, consider returning there while you sort out the change properly.
4. Judicial review if an extension is refused and the officer got the facts or the law wrong.
5. If your status has ended: get advice before applying, because restoration may not be available (see below).

Can I restore my status?

Often not. Under section 182(2) of the Regulations, a student who did not comply with the conditions in section 220.1(1) cannot be restored. And under section 221, a new study permit “shall not be issued” to someone who studied without authorization or failed to comply with a condition, unless “a period of six months has elapsed” or another exception applies, such as a temporary resident permit.

What did the Court say in Verma?

In Verma v. Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), 2026 FC 371, a student came to Canada in 2019 to attend one university, moved provinces and never studied there, and later studied at other schools. Her application to extend her permit was refused. In the Federal Court she argued only that the officer should have considered section 221. The Court dismissed her application on March 19, 2026. She had not raised section 221 with the officer, and she had told the officer she was in “substantial compliance” with her permit, so the officer did not have to consider it.

The lesson I take from Verma is to deal with the non-compliance honestly in the application itself, and to ask for the exception that fits, rather than say you complied.

Changing schools at a glance

Worked example: the switch

Example. A student in Surrey whose permit names a Vancouver college transfers to an Abbotsford college in January 2026 because it is closer to work, without applying for a new permit. Her old college reports her as no longer enrolled. In March she learns the problem. She stops attending the Abbotsford college, applies to extend her permit for the new school with a full explanation and a new attestation letter, and does not work while it is decided.

Mistakes I have seen

• I have seen students rely on the old online “change your school” tool, which IRCC stopped offering on November 1, 2024.
• I have seen students keep studying and working at the new school while the application was pending.
• I have seen students tell IRCC they “complied” when they had not, instead of explaining.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a new permit to change programs at the same school?

Not usually. IRCC lets you start a new program at the same school while you wait, but you must stop if the application is refused.

Can I work while my new study permit is pending?

Only if you are still authorized under your current permit. If you have broken its conditions, get advice before working.

Will this affect my post-graduation work permit?

It can put it at risk. IRCC may find you breached your study permit conditions and refuse the work permit: under section 200(3)(e) of the Regulations, a work permit is not issued to someone who “has failed to comply with a condition of a previous permit” unless six months have passed or another exception applies. The outcome depends on when you changed schools, your permit’s conditions, and whether an exception, such as your old school closing, authorized the move. Graduating from a PGWP-eligible school does not by itself fix an earlier compliance problem.

Related guides

See our guides on students who worked over the limit or stopped studying, restoration refused or out of status, study permit refusals and a school closure such as ILAC.

What should I do right now?

Look at your study permit: does it name a school? Check its expiry date. Stop attending the new school, keep your enrolment letters and transcripts, and get advice before you send IRCC anything.

Book a consultation with our immigration lawyers in Surrey, Abbotsford or Vancouver, or online from anywhere.

Ready to book? Open the booking form ↑

Sources (official)

• Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, s. 220.1 (current to October 19, 2026), s. 182 and s. 221
• IRCC: Changing your school or program (modified June 10, 2026)
• IRCC: DLI compliance reporting guide
• Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, s. 72
• Verma v. Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), 2026 FC 371 (March 19, 2026)

This article is general information, not legal advice. Every case depends on its own facts.