OtterFillHow to fill out IMM 5709 (extend a study permit in Canada)
IMM 5709, “Application to Change Conditions, Extend my Stay or Remain in Canada as a Student”, is the form from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) that students already in Canada use to extend or change their study permit, get one for the first time, or restore their status as a student. Each applicant fills in their own: most download it from the document checklist in their IRCC secure account, validate it and upload it.
Last checked against the official form:
- Form
- IMM 5709
- Edition
- IMM 5709 (06-2026) E
- Issued by
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
- Form language
- English
- Who receives it
- IRCC. You upload it in your IRCC secure account; paper is only for people applying for a temporary resident permit with their permit, people who cannot apply online because of a disability, or when the online application has a problem
- Who fills it in
- Each person in Canada who extends or changes a study permit, applies for a first one from inside Canada, or restores their status as a student
- When
- Before your current status expires; IRCC advises at least 30 days before
- Edition used here
- IMM 5709 (06-2026) E. Since January 30, 2024, IRCC does not accept the old version in online applications
- Cost
- The form is free; the study permit has a processing fee, and restoration and biometrics have their own fees. Check the official page for the current amounts
What this form is
IMM 5709 is the application a temporary resident already in Canada uses to extend a study permit, change its conditions (for example a new school or a new level of study), get a first study permit from inside Canada, or restore their status as a student. It collects your personal details, passport, contact information, how and when you came into Canada, the school and program you will attend, the cost of your studies and the money you have, your education, your employment and a set of background questions.
IRCC says you must apply online. In your IRCC secure account you answer a few questions, get a personal document checklist, download IMM 5709 from it, fill it in on a computer with Adobe Acrobat Reader version 10 or higher, click Validate and upload the saved file with your letter of acceptance or enrolment, proof of funds and other documents. The same form can also ask for a work permit at the same time, in question 6 of the study section.
If you apply before your permit expires, you can keep studying under the same conditions while you wait for the decision, as long as you stay in Canada. A study permit becomes invalid 90 days after you complete your program. If your status has already expired, you may be able to restore it within 90 days, using the same form.
Who has to fill it in
You fill it in if:
- You are in Canada with a study permit that is about to expire and you will keep studying.
- You are changing your school (DLI) or your level of study, or other conditions on your study permit.
- You are in Canada and eligible to apply for a first study permit from inside Canada, for example as the holder of a work or study permit, or their family member.
- Your student status expired less than 90 days ago and you want to restore it.
- You are helping a child: a parent or legal guardian signs the form for a person under 18.
You use something else if:
- You are applying for a study permit from outside Canada: that is IMM 1294.
- You only want to stay longer as a visitor, without studying: that is IMM 5708, for a visitor record.
- You want to extend a work permit only: IRCC has a separate worker application for that.
- Your program lasts 6 months or less: IRCC says you do not need a study permit for it.
Field-by-field instructions
Top of the form
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| 1UCI | Your Unique Client Identifier, the number IRCC gave you when you first applied. | Copy it from your study or work permit, where IRCC says it is printed under “Country of Citizenship”. It has 8 or 10 digits, often written as 0000-0000 or 00-0000-0000. |
| 2I want service in | The official language you want IRCC to use when it serves you. | Choose English or French from the list. |
| 3I am applying for one or more of the following: Restore my status as a student / Apply for a study permit for the first time or extend my study permit / Get a new temporary resident permit (for inadmissible applicants only) | What you are asking for: to restore your student status, to get a first study permit or extend the one you have, or a temporary resident permit. | Check every box that applies. To extend, check the study permit box. If your permit has already expired, IRCC says to check both the restoration box and the study permit box. The temporary resident permit box is only for people who are inadmissible to Canada. |
Personal Details
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| 1Full name: Family name (as shown on your passport or travel document) / Given name(s) (as shown on your passport or travel document) | Your family name and given names, which must match your passport or travel document. | Type them exactly as in the passport, even if they are misspelled there, and without initials. If your passport has no family name, put all your given names in the family name box and leave the given name box blank; if it has no given name, leave that box blank instead of writing “NA”. |
| 2a) Have you ever used any other name (e.g. Nickname, maiden name, alias, etc.) ? / b) If you answered "yes" to question 2a), please provide the name (e.g. Nickname, maiden name, alias, etc.) | Any other name you have used, such as a birth name, maiden name, married name, alias or nickname. | Check No or Yes. If Yes, enter each other family name and given name. |
| 3Sex | The gender identifier on your application: F (Female), M (Male), U (Unknown) or X (Another gender). | Choose it from the list. If it differs from the one on your current or earlier Canadian document, IRCC asks you to add the Request for a Change of Sex or Gender Identifier (IRM 0002). |
| 4Date of birth | The day you were born. | Enter the year (YYYY), month (MM) and day (DD) as in your passport. If part of your date of birth is unknown, IRCC says to type “*” in that part. |
| 5Place of birth: City/Town / Country or Territory | The city or town and the country or territory where you were born. | Type the city or town and choose the country or territory from the list, as they appear in your passport. |
| 6Citizenship | The country or territory of which you are a citizen. | Choose it from the list. If you have more than one citizenship, choose the one of the passport you use for this application. |
| 7Current country or territory of residence: Country or Territory / Status / Other / From / To | The country where you live now, which is Canada, your immigration status here and since when. | Canada is already chosen. Choose your status, for example Student, Worker or Visitor, and enter the From and To dates of that status as YYYY-MM-DD. If you are out of status and restoring it, IRCC says to choose Other, type “Out of status, restoration” and leave the dates blank. |
| 8a) Previous countries or territories of residence: During the past five years have you lived in any country or territory other than your country of citizenship or your current country or territory of residence (indicated above) for more than six months? / b) If you answered "yes" to question 8a), please provide details | Whether, in the past five years, you lived for more than six months in a country or territory other than your country of citizenship and Canada. | Check No or Yes. If Yes, add each country with your status there and the From and To dates. |
| 9a–9ca) Your current marital status / b) (If you are married or in a common-law relationship) Provide the date on which you were married or entered into the common-law relationship / c) Provide the name of your current Spouse/Common-law partner | Your current marital status and, if you have a spouse or common-law partner, when the relationship began and their name. | Choose from the list: Annulled Marriage, Common-Law, Divorced, Married, Separated, Single, Unknown or Widowed. If you are married or common-law, enter the date as YYYY-MM-DD and your partner’s family and given names. IRCC asks for a copy of the marriage certificate if you are married, and the Statutory Declaration of Common-law Union (IMM 5409) if you are common-law. |
| 9dd) If you are married or in a common-law relationship, is your spouse or common-law partner a Canadian citizen or permanent resident? | Whether your spouse or common-law partner is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. | Check No or Yes. Leave it if you are not married or in a common-law relationship. |
| 10a) Have you previously been married or in a common-law relationship? / b) Provide the following details for your previous Spouse/Common-law partner / c) Type of relationship / d) From / To / e) Date of Birth | Whether you were married or in a common-law relationship before, and the details of that partner. | Check No or Yes. If Yes, enter their family and given names, the type of relationship (Married or Common-Law), the From and To dates and their date of birth. |
Language(s)
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| 1aa) Native language/Mother Tongue | Your mother tongue: the language you learned at home as a child and still understand. | Choose it from the list. If it is not there, choose Other. |
| 1b–1db) Are you able to communicate in English and/or French? / c) In which language are you most at ease? / d) Have you taken a test from a designated testing agency to assess your proficiency in English or French? | Whether you can communicate in English, French, both or neither, the one you are most at ease in, and whether you took a test from a designated testing agency. | Choose from the lists, then check No or Yes for the test. IRCC says you do not have to send proof of language ability with this application, though it may ask for a test later. |
Passport
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| 1Passport number | The number of the passport you use for this application. | Copy it exactly as printed, with no spaces between the letters and numbers. |
| 2–4Country or territory of issue / Issue date / Expiry date | Which country or territory issued the passport, and when it was issued and expires. | Choose the country from the list and enter both dates as YYYY-MM-DD. Your study permit cannot be valid past your passport’s expiry date, so renew the passport first if it expires soon. |
| 5–6For this trip, will you use a passport issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taiwan that includes your personal identification number? / For this trip, will you use a National Israeli passport? | Two questions for certain passports: a Taiwan passport that shows a personal identification number, and a National Israeli passport. | Check No or Yes for each, for the passport you use for this application. |
National Identity Document
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| 1–5Do you have a national identity document? / Document number / Country or territory of issue / Issue date / Expiry date | Whether you have a national identity document, and its details. | Check No or Yes. If Yes, enter the number exactly as printed, the issuing country or territory, and the issue and expiry dates. |
US PR Card
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| 1–3Are you a lawful Permanent Resident of the United States with a valid alien registration card (green card)? / Document number / Expiry date | Whether you are a lawful permanent resident of the United States with a valid green card. | Check No or Yes. If Yes, enter the card’s document number and expiry date. |
Contact Information
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| 1Current mailing address: P.O. box / Apt/Unit / Street no. / Street name / City/Town / Country or Territory / Province / Postal code / District | The address in Canada where IRCC mails your new permit and letters. | Give a P.O. box or a street number, then the street name, city or town, province and postal code. Do not abbreviate words such as Street or Avenue, only directions such as NW. Schools warn not to put a residence mailbox number in the P.O. box field; add your apartment or unit number, and use an address where you will still receive mail when the permit arrives. |
| 2Residential address: Same as mailing address? | Where you live, if different from the mailing address. | Check Yes if it is the same. If No, fill in the full residential address. |
| 3–5Telephone no. / Alternate Telephone no. / Fax no. | Your telephone number, an alternate number and, if you have one, a fax number. | For each, check Canada/US or Other, choose the type (Residence, Cellular or Business) and enter the number with the area code. Put an extension, if any, under Ext. |
| 6E-mail address | The address IRCC can use to write to you. | Type an address you check often. Giving it authorizes IRCC to send all correspondence, including personal information, by email; IRCC’s emails end in @cic.gc.ca, @canada.ca or @international.gc.ca, so add these to your safe senders. To let a representative receive information, give their details here and on the IMM 5476 form. |
Coming into Canada
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| 1Date and place of your original entry to Canada: Date / Place | When and where you first entered Canada. | Enter the date as YYYY-MM-DD and the place, for example the airport or border crossing where you arrived. Your first entry stamp or permit can help you find them. |
| 2a) The original purpose for coming to Canada / b) Other | Why you first came to Canada. | Choose Business, Tourism, Study, Work, Family Visit or Other. If you choose Other, describe it in b), for example a medical visit. |
| 3Date and place of your most recent entry to Canada (if not the same as original entry): Date / Place | When and where you last entered Canada, if that was not your first entry. | Enter the date and place of your most recent entry. Leave it blank if you have not left and come back since your first entry. Your passport pages with the entry stamp go with the application. |
| 4Document Number: If applicable, provide the document number of the most recent Visitor Record, Study Permit, Work Permit or Temporary Resident Permit issued to you. | The number of the last visitor record, study permit, work permit or temporary resident permit Canada issued to you. | Copy the document number from that permit, not your UCI. On a study permit it usually begins with the letter F followed by numbers. |
Details of Intended Study in Canada
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| 1aI have been accepted at the following educational institution: a) Name of School | The name of the school you are, or will be, studying at, as on your letter of acceptance or enrolment. | Type the school’s name exactly as on the letter, which you upload with the application. |
| 1My level of study will be: / My field of study will be: | The level of your program (for example College - Diploma or University - Master’s Deg.) and its field of study. | Choose both from the lists so that they match your letter of acceptance or enrolment. |
| 1bb) Complete address of school in Canada: Province / City/Town / Address | Where the school is in Canada. | Choose the province and city or town, and type the street address of your campus. |
| 2Designated Learning Institution # (O#) / My Student ID # is: | Your school’s Designated Learning Institution number and your student ID. | Copy the DLI number from your letter or the DLI list. It begins with the capital letter O, not the digit zero. Then type your student number. |
| 3Duration of expected study: From / To | The period of study the permit should cover. | Enter the From and To dates as YYYY-MM-DD. Some schools advise using the date you apply as the From date and your expected completion date plus 90 days as the To date, since a study permit usually runs 90 days past the program. Check what your school recommends. |
| 4The cost of my studies will be: Tuition / Room and board / Other | What your studies will cost: tuition, room and board, and other costs such as books and transport. | Enter the amounts in Canadian dollars, usually for one year: tuition from your school and your estimated living costs. |
| 5a) Funds available for my stay (CAD) / b) My expenses in Canada will be paid by: / c) Other | The money you have available, and who pays your expenses. | Type the total in Canadian dollars so that it matches your proof of funds. IRCC checks that you can pay tuition, living expenses and transport without working; the amounts change each year, so check the official page. Then choose Myself, Parents or Other, and if Other, say who in c), for example a scholarship. |
| 6a) In addition to a study permit, are you also applying for a work permit? / b) What type of work permit are you applying for: | Whether you are asking for a work permit at the same time, and which one: Co-op Work Permit, Open Work Permit or Post Graduation Work Permit. | Check No or Yes and, if Yes, choose the type and pay its fee too. IRCC says that since April 1, 2026 post-secondary students no longer need a co-op work permit for co-ops or internships; secondary students still do. For an open or post-graduation work permit, follow the checklist IMM 5583. |
| 7If you have been issued a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ), provide the: Certificate Number / Expiry Date (YYYY-MM-DD) | The number and expiry date of your Quebec Acceptance Certificate, if you study in Quebec. | Copy them from the attestation of issuance of your CAQ, which must be valid when you apply. If you do not study in Quebec, leave it blank. |
| 8If you have been issued a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL)/Territorial Attestation Letter (TAL), provide the: Document Number / Expiry Date (YYYY-MM-DD) | The number and expiry date of your Provincial or Territorial Attestation Letter, if you have one. | If you extend at the same school and the same level, IRCC says you do not need a new letter, but you upload proof that you meet that exception. If you change school or level, you usually need a new one from your new school. Copy its number and expiry date. |
Education
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| Have you had any post secondary education (including university, college or apprenticeship training)? / If you answered ‘‘yes’’, give full details of your highest level of post secondary education. | Whether you have had any education after secondary school, and the highest level. | The question asks about any post-secondary education, not only finished studies, so a current college or university student usually checks Yes. Give the From and To dates (year and month), the field and level, the school, and its city, country and province or state. |
Employment
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| 1Current Activity/Occupation / Company/Employer/Facility name / City/Town / Country or Territory / Province/State | What you are doing now. | Enter the From date (year and month), your activity, for example “Student”, the school or employer, and the city, country and province. A part-time job can go in the next rows. |
| 2–3Previous Activity/Occupation | What you did before, so the section covers the past 10 years. | Give the same details for each earlier job, study or other activity in Canada and abroad, with no gaps, including any government position. If you need more rows, add an extra page of the section or a letter of explanation. |
Background Information
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| 1a) Within the past two years, have you or a family member ever had tuberculosis of the lungs or been in close contact with a person with tuberculosis? / b) Do you have any physical or mental disorder that would require social and/or health services, other than medication, during a stay in Canada? / c) If you answered "yes" to question 1a) or 1b), please provide details. | Questions about tuberculosis, in you or a family member in the past two years, and about any condition that would need social or health services (other than medication) during your stay. | Check No or Yes for each. If Yes to either, give details in c). |
| 2a) Have you ever remained beyond the validity of your status, attended school without authorization or worked without authorization in Canada? / b) Have you ever been refused a visa or permit, denied entry or ordered to leave Canada or any other country or territory? / c) Have you previously applied to enter or remain in Canada? / d) If you answered "yes" to question 2a), 2b) or 2c), please provide details. | Questions about past immigration problems: staying beyond your status, studying or working without authorization in Canada, a refusal, denied entry or an order to leave any country, and earlier applications to Canada. | Check No or Yes for each. For c), most students answer Yes, because their earlier study permit and visa applications count; list each one with the date in d). The box has a character limit, so keep it to what and when. |
| 3a) Have you ever committed, been arrested for or been charged with or convicted of any criminal offence in any country or territory? / b) If you answered "yes" to question 3a), please provide details. | Whether you have ever committed, been arrested for, charged with or convicted of a criminal offence in any country or territory. | Check No or Yes. If Yes, give the details in b). |
| 4a) Did you serve in any military, militia, or civil defence unit or serve in a security organization or police force (including non obligatory national service, reserve or volunteer units)? / b) If you answered “yes” to question 4a), please provide dates of service and countries or territories where you served. | Whether you served in a military, militia or civil defence unit, a security organization or a police force, including national service, reserve or volunteer units. | Check No or Yes. If Yes, enter your dates of service and the countries or territories where you served. |
| 5Are you, or have you ever been a member or associated with any political party, or other group or organization which has engaged in or advocated violence as a means to achieving a political or religious objective, or which has been associated with criminal activity at any time? | Whether you are or have been a member of, or associated with, a political party, group or organization that engaged in or advocated violence for a political or religious aim, or that was associated with criminal activity. | Check No or Yes. Applicants 18 or older must answer every question in this section, or the application is considered incomplete and returned. |
| 6Have you ever witnessed or participated in the ill treatment of prisoners or civilians, looting or desecration of religious buildings? | Whether you have witnessed or taken part in the ill treatment of prisoners or civilians, looting, or desecration of religious buildings. | Check No or Yes. |
Signature
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| Do you consent to be contacted by CIC, or an organization at CIC’s request, in the future? | Your choice about whether IRCC, or an organization acting for it, may contact you later about services you received, for research and evaluation. It is not used to decide your application. | Check Yes or No. |
| Signature of Applicant or Parent/Legal Guardian’s for a person under 18 years of age. / Date: YYYY-MM-DD | Your signature and the date, under a declaration that your answers are full and true and that IRCC may share your information with the CBSA and your school to check that you follow the conditions of your permit. | If you apply online, do not print or sign the form and do not use the signature panel: upload it, then sign electronically in your account by typing your name. On paper, sign and date it in pen (YYYY-MM-DD); a parent or legal guardian signs for a person under 18. |
Key terms
| Term on the form | What it means |
|---|---|
| UCI (Unique Client Identifier) | A number IRCC gives each client the first time they apply. It is on your study or work permit. |
| Study permit | The document that lets a foreign national study at a school in Canada. It is not a travel document: to come back after a trip abroad you also need a valid visa or eTA, unless you are exempt. |
| Maintained status | If you apply to extend before your status expires, you can stay and keep studying under the same conditions until IRCC decides, as long as you do not leave Canada. An application returned as incomplete does not give you this. |
| Restore my status as a student | A way to get your status back if it expired less than 90 days ago, by explaining what happened and paying the restoration fee with the permit fee. You may not study until it is approved. |
| Temporary resident permit | A permit for people who are inadmissible to Canada. Its box on the form is only for them. |
| Designated Learning Institution (DLI) | A school approved by a province or territory to host international students. Its number begins with the letter O; all primary and secondary schools are designated automatically. |
| Letter of acceptance | The letter from your school confirming your admission or enrolment, the program and its dates. You upload it with the application. |
| Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL)/Territorial Attestation Letter (TAL) | A letter from the province or territory confirming you have one of its study spaces. Extensions at the same school and level are exempt, with proof; most changes of school or level need a new one. |
| Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) | The certificate Quebec issues to students who will study there. For Quebec, it takes the place of the attestation letter. |
| Co-op Work Permit / Open Work Permit / Post Graduation Work Permit | The work permits you can ask for on this form at the same time as your study permit. Each has its own fee and documents. |
| Custodian Declaration [IMM5646] | A notarized form naming an adult in Canada who looks after a minor student. IRCC’s form page says students under 17 who study without a parent or legal guardian must include pages 1 and 2. |
| Document checklist (IMM 5555) | IRCC’s list of the documents for this application. Online, your account generates a personal checklist, and you download IMM 5709 from it. |
| Validate | The button at the top and bottom of the form. It marks missing answers in red and, when the form is complete, adds a page of barcodes at the end. You must click it whether you apply online or on paper. |
| Status | Your legal standing: on this form, usually Student, Worker or Visitor in Canada, and the dates you have held it. |
| Common-law | A partner you have lived with continuously in a marital-type relationship for at least one year. IRCC asks for the Statutory Declaration of Common-law Union (IMM 5409). |
Common mistakes
- 1
Applying after the permit expires
Apply before your status expires, and IRCC advises at least 30 days before. After it expires, an extension is no longer possible; you would have to restore your status within 90 days and pay a second fee.
- 2
Using an old copy of the form
IRCC does not accept the version from before January 30, 2024 in online applications. Download the form from your document checklist each time you apply instead of reusing a saved copy.
- 3
Typing the DLI number with a zero
The Designated Learning Institution number begins with the capital letter O, not the digit zero. Copy it exactly from your letter.
- 4
Funds that do not match the proof
The funds box is in Canadian dollars and should agree with your bank statements or sponsor letters, and cover at least the tuition and costs you entered in question 4.
- 5
Answering No to “previously applied”
Your first study permit, visas and other permits are earlier applications to Canada. Check Yes in question 2c) of the background section and list each one with its date.
- 6
Printing and signing the form for an online application
Online, you upload the validated form without a signature and sign electronically at the end. A printed and scanned copy loses the barcode page.
- 7
A mailing address you will leave
IRCC mails the new permit to the mailing address on the form. Use one where you will still receive mail, with your apartment or unit number, and update it in your account if you move.
- 8
Leaving Canada while you wait
If you leave before the decision, you may come back only as a visitor and cannot study until the new permit is issued. Check the rules before you travel.
Questions and answers
What is IMM 5709 used for?
It is the application to extend or change a study permit from inside Canada, to get a first study permit from inside Canada if you are eligible, or to restore your status as a student. You fill it in and upload it in your IRCC secure account.
When should I apply to extend my study permit?
Before it expires; IRCC advises at least 30 days before. If you are changing schools, apply before you finish your current program.
Can I keep studying while my extension is processed?
Yes, if you applied before your permit expired and you stay in Canada: you keep studying under the same conditions until IRCC decides. This is called maintained status.
Do I sign IMM 5709 if I apply online?
No. You validate the form, save it and upload it unsigned. At the end of the online application you sign electronically by entering your name and answering a security question.
Do I need a new PAL to extend my study permit?
Not if you stay at the same school and the same level of study, but you upload proof that you meet that exception. Changing school or level usually needs a new letter. In Quebec, you need a valid CAQ.
My study permit already expired. Can I still use IMM 5709?
Within 90 days of losing your status you may apply to restore it on the same form: check both the restoration and the study permit boxes, explain what happened and pay both fees. You may not study until it is approved.
Can I apply for a work permit on the same form?
Yes. Question 6 of the study section asks whether you are also applying for a work permit and which type. You pay each permit’s fee.
How much does it cost, and how long does it take?
The form is free. The study permit has a processing fee, restoration and biometrics have their own fees, and processing times change. Check the IRCC fees and processing times pages for the current figures.
Do I need a new visa or eTA?
Extending a study permit does not renew a visitor visa. If you need a visa and plan to travel, you apply for it separately in your account. IRCC says eligible travellers who need an eTA get one automatically with the new study permit.
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