ENROLMENT REQUIREMENTS: STUDYING AND WORKING IN CANADA
To be compliant with your study permit conditions, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) requires you to actively pursue your studies, as this is the primary reason for you to be here in Canada. You may demonstrate this by:
- Enrolling in classes each academic term
- Remaining enrolled until you complete your program, and
- Not taking authorized leaves longer than 150 consecutive days from your study program
What is an authorized leave for immigration purposes?
If you need to take some time away from studies, you may be eligible to take an authorized leave for up to 150 consecutive days without negatively affecting study permit compliance, provided certain conditions are met.
Authorized leaves may be taken for reasons such as:
- Medical illness or injury
- Family emergency
- Pregnancy or parental leave
- Death or serious illness of a family member
- Program change within SFU, outside of a regularly scheduled term break
- Other exceptional circumstances: additional reasons may be considered if authorized by the university
Reminders for international students considering an authorized leave for immigration purposes
Undergraduate Students
- Spring and Fall terms are considered academic terms at SFU for immigration purposes
- You can take the Summer term off without applying for an authorized leave
Graduate Students
- Spring, Summer, and Fall are all considered academic terms for immigration purposes
- You must maintain continuous enrolment, unless you have an approved leave of absence
- Formal leave documentation should be submitted through your program for approval at graduate studies
- Review the leave policy outlined in Graduate General Regulation 1.4.5 and on the Enrolment - Faculty of Graduate Studies webpage
Immigration Impacts of an Authorized Leave
If you need to take a gap of longer than 150 days from your studies, it may impact your study permit conditions and validity, your ability to work on and or off-campus, and eligibility for the post-graduation work permit (PGWP). If you are considering an authorized leave of absence, ensure that you fully understand the implications and have taken the necessary steps to avoid any negative implications.
Check the summary table and detailed descriptions below:
Leave Length |
Study Permit Conditions |
On/off-campus Work Eligibility |
Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) Eligibility |
| Taking a leave up to 150 days | An authorized leave up to a maximum of 150 days approved by SFU may not impact the study permit conditions. | Not eligible to work on or off campus *Exception:
|
May still meet PGWP requirements, provided that the leave is up to 150 days and with proof that leave is authorized by SFU. |
| Taking a leave(s) longer than 150 days | An authorized leave longer than 150 days may impact the study permit conditions. The IRCC officer will assess your circumstance(s) to determine if you are compliant with the study permit conditions. |
Not eligible to work during the leave | Can impact eligibility for PGWP and the IRCC officers will make the final determination on your eligibility for PGWP. |
Authorized Leave Process at SFU
If you’re considering taking time away from your studies, the Authorized Leave process pages below will guide you through your options, outline the steps to request leave, and connect you with the resources available to support you during your time away.
Please click the buttons to learn more:
FAQs on Authorized Leave
I am a International Undergraduate Student:
Can I request an authorized leave retroactively?
The authorized leave letter cannot be applied retroactively if you took a leave before Fall 2025.
I took an academic term off before Fall 2025. What supporting documents can I gather to support my future PGWP application?
Starting in Fall 2025, if a student is required to take a Spring and or Fall term off, students are issued an authorized leave letter solely for immigration purposes, provided they meet the eligibility criteria.
Undergraduate students may download a letter to demonstrate there was no process to request a leave letter prior to Fall 2025. To download this letter, please see Confirmation of Enrolment webpage and scroll down to “How do I get a letter confirming SFU's enrolment and leave policy”?
For students who were not able to maintain continuous full-time enrolment in all academic terms at SFU (e.g., you studied part time or took a term off) it is strongly recommended that you must include a letter of explanation detailing your unique circumstance(s) with your future immigration application. Depending on the circumstances, supporting documents may also be submitted as evidence of reason(s) for any gaps in your enrolment.
The authorized leave letter cannot be applied retroactively if you took a leave before Fall 2025.
Do I need to request an authorized leave letter if I intend to take a Summer term off?
From the immigration perspective, the Spring and Fall terms are considered academic sessions for SFU undergraduate students. If you are an undergraduate student and you choose not to enroll in a full-time course load in the Summer term, your study permit or your post-graduation work permit eligibility may not be impacted.
If you plan to take a Summer term off as an undergraduate student, you do not need to request an authorized leave for Summer term. You may still be eligible to work on or off campus under your study permit during the Summer term, if Summer term meets IRCC’s definition of a regularly scheduled break.
How can I access the Authorized Leave Request letter?
Once approved, the authorized leave letter will be emailed to your SFU email account.
If I have a financial hold on my account, can I still request an authorized leave?
Undergraduate students with a financial hold due to outstanding fees are eligible to submit and request an authorized leave letter if they meet all other eligibility requirements.
I am a International Graduate Student:
What should I consider before taking a leave of absence?
If you need to take a break from your studies, you must apply for a leave of absence. Please review the Faculty of Graduate Studies website for the instructions on how to apply for an online leave of absence form. You can visit the Leave of Absence section for more information.
If you choose to take a leave of absence:
- You will not be eligible to work on or off campus until you resume full-time enrolment.*
*Exception: Graduate students who are approved for an academic break may be eligible to work. See Regularly Scheduled Term Break section for details. - Consult with the Faculty of Graduate Studies regarding leave options and eligibility.
- Review the Graduate General Regulation 1.4.5 for more information on leave of absence policies.
If your leave is more than 150 days in length, please see the "If your leave is longer than 150 days " section.
Note: Some intensive programs may not permit breaks in your studies unless there are extenuating circumstances. It is your responsibility to check with your academic program prior to taking any term(s) off.
For All International Students:
I need to take time away from my studies. Will this affect my study permit or post-graduation work permit eligibility?
We understand that sometimes students may need to take time off from their studies due to personal circumstances such as pregnancy, family emergencies, or health-related issues.
If you take an authorized leave of absence of less than 150 days, you can remain compliant with your study permit conditions. While final decisions are made by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), they do recognize that students may need or choose to take a break from their studies while in Canada.
If your leave will be longer than 150 days (e.g. taking multiple academic terms off), please refer to the section titled “taking a leave(s) longer than 150 days” for more detailed guidance.
This is my first term at SFU but I can’t enroll due to processing delay with my study permit application. Can I apply for an authorized leave letter from SFU?
You are not eligible to apply for an authorized leave letter during your first term at SFU. If you can’t enroll or need to postpone your studies, you should apply for deferral.
- Undergraduate: Submit an admission deferral request.
- Graduate: You should make the request directly to your academic program. If the deferral is approved, the offer of admission may be modified.
What happens if I do not enroll in courses and do not apply for an authorized leave?
Undergraduate Students
While SFU does not require you to seek permission from the university to take leave, you may be asked by IRCC to provide proof that your leave is authorized by SFU. Starting in Fall 2025, you may request an authorized leave letter through our administrative process. Before you withdraw from courses, please review the immigration section or consult with an International Student Advisor, Immigration Specialist to make an informed decision.
If you are away from SFU for three or more consecutive terms, your SFU account will be deactivated, and you must apply for reactivation or readmission (depending on your eligibility) before you can resume your studies at SFU. See SFU’s policies on Reactivation and Readmission for undergraduate students.
Graduate Students
If you are enrolled and wish to withdraw from courses, please contact the Faculty of Graduate Studies directly for leave options and eligibility assessment. For immigration implications, please consult with an International Student Advisor, Immigration Specialist to make an informed decision. Graduate students who are not enrolled or on leave (see regulation 1.4.5) by the end of the 6th week of classes within a term, will be discontinued from their program. For more information, see SFU’s policies on reactivation and readmission for graduate students.
Can I work during an authorized leave?
As per IRCC, study permit holders can’t work on or off campus during an authorized leave from their study program, even if their study permit says they’re allowed to work in Canada. You may only return to work once you're back to studying and meet the on or off-campus work requirements.
*Exception: Graduate students who are approved for an academic break may be eligible to work. See "Regularly Scheduled Break" for details.
Who can help?
Leave of Absence Questions
Undergraduate students
- First Step: Review the current page for immigration implications and leave of absence process.
- Further Questions?
📧 Contact Undergraduate Records: urecords@sfu.ca
Graduate students
- First Step: Check the Faculty of Graduate Studies Enrolment page.
- Further Questions?
📧 Contact Faculty of Graduate Studies: grad_reg@sfu.ca
Immigration questions (All Students)
- First Step: Review the immigration-related content on the Leave of Absence page.
- Further Questions?
🌐 SFU International Student Advisor, Immigration Specialists Contact Page