How Pakistani Students Extend a Canada Study Permit: CAD 150, Apply 30 Days Before Expiry
Pakistani students extend a Canada study permit for CAD 150 and apply 30 days before expiry. See maintained status and what happens if the permit expires.
Short answer: A Pakistani student in Canada extends a study permit online with IRCC for a CAD 150 fee. Apply at least 30 days before the permit expires. If you apply in time, you can keep studying while IRCC decides. If the permit runs out first, you lose student status and cannot study until it is restored.
A student finishes a semester, takes a summer job, and forgets that the study permit ends on a date printed in small type. Two weeks later she is no longer allowed to attend class. This is one of the most avoidable problems in the whole student visa process.
We read the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) page on extending a study permit, dated 17 September 2026, and two linked IRCC pages on 14 October 2026. Some details, such as the restoration fee, were not clear on those pages, and we say so where it applies.
Find your expiry date and apply 30 days early
Your study permit shows its expiry date under "additional information". IRCC says it is usually your programme length plus 90 days. To stay at the same school, apply to extend at least 30 days before it expires. IRCC recommends applying earlier than that.
The fee for a study permit, including an extension, is CAD 150, according to IRCC's page. Fees can change, so check the IRCC page again on the day you apply.
Put the date in your phone now. Set one reminder at 90 days and one at 45 days. If your passport expires before your permit would, deal with the passport first; our page on renewing a Pakistani passport before expiry covers the process.
Applying in time protects your status
If you applied before your permit expired and have no decision yet, IRCC says you can stay in Canada as a temporary resident and keep studying. This is called maintained status. It has limits: you cannot renew provincial documents or get a SIN card.
IRCC says provincial documents include a driver's licence or health card, which matters when your old health card runs out. Renewing a SIN or health insurance also needs a valid study permit, according to the help centre page.
| Situation | Can you study? | What IRCC says |
|---|---|---|
| Applied before expiry, waiting | Yes | You keep status while IRCC decides |
| Applied after expiry | No | You may stay, but cannot study until status is restored and a new permit arrives |
| Temporary resident permit applicant | No maintained status | TRP applicants do not get it |
You also need a valid travel document to return to Canada if you leave. Check the rules for travelling while a decision is pending before you book a flight home.
If the permit already expired
You lose status if your permit expired before you applied, or you broke its conditions. IRCC says you cannot study until status is restored. A help centre page says you have 90 days to apply to restore status and extend.
To restore, you apply for a new study permit, choose "Restore my status", add a note explaining why you need to extend, and pay the restoration fee. Each family member who needs status restored applies separately and pays their own fee.
We found two different restoration figures. An older IRCC help page quotes CAD 200, and a snippet of IRCC's fee list in a search result showed CAD 246.25. We did not open the fee list itself, so we could not confirm which is current, so check IRCC's fee list on the day. Approval is not guaranteed, even though you can stay while it is processed.
Changing school needs its own plan
If you change school, IRCC says you should apply to extend your current permit before you finish your studies there. You generally cannot start at the new school until the new permit is approved, except in certain situations.
- Find your permit expiry date and set reminders.
- Get a letter of enrolment or current transcripts from your school.
- Check your passport is valid for the whole extension.
- Apply online at least 30 days before expiry and pay CAD 150.
- Keep the receipt and keep studying while IRCC decides.
We did not read IRCC's list of required documents or its processing times, so check them when you apply. For the first permit, see our Canada study permit guide for Pakistan. If you hold a work permit and want to study, read when a work permit holder may study without a study permit.
Avoid agents who sell status
You can apply on the IRCC site yourself. Anyone who promises to "fix" an expired permit for a large fee may be selling you a risk. Read how to stay safe with study abroad agents, and see the warning on a Karachi Canada work visa scam.
If you are stuck in a hard case, such as a refusal, a lost passport or a family problem, ask for help from the Pakistani mission; see how to get Foreign Office help. A Canadian immigration lawyer or a regulated consultant can advise on the legal side.
Common questions
How much does it cost to extend a Canada study permit?
CAD 150, according to IRCC's study permit page. Check the page again on the day you apply.
How early should I apply?
At least 30 days before your permit expires, according to an IRCC help centre page. IRCC recommends applying earlier.
Can I keep studying while I wait?
Yes, if you applied before your permit expired. IRCC calls this maintained status.
What if my permit already expired?
You cannot study until status is restored. IRCC's help page gives 90 days to apply for restoration, and you pay a restoration fee.
Do my family members apply separately?
Each family member who needs status restored applies separately and pays their own restoration fee, according to IRCC.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked on 14 October 2026, Pakistan time. We read the IRCC pages Extend your study permit or restore your status and What to do if your permit expires, plus an IRCC help centre answer on extending as a student. We could not confirm the restoration fee, required documents or processing times.
About the author
Public Services and Education Journalist
Fajr Riaz is a journalist and content writer at Pakistan Era, based in Lahore. She covers the questions people meet in everyday life in Pakistan: how a public service works, what a change in the rules means, and where to find a reliable answer.
