International students must satisfy certain requirements introduced by the Government of Canada and, in some situation, requirements of the Government of Québec.
To enter Canada, you may need the following documents:
- Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)
- Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) issued by the Government of Quebec
- Study Permit issued by the Government of Canada
- Transit visa (if needed)
One-term exchange
"Visitor » status in Canada" (Program of study less than 6 months)
Depending on the citizenship, one-term exchange students can enter canada with an eTA or a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV).
- Step 1 : Make sure your passport is valid at least six (6) months after your stay in Canada
- Step 2 : Find out if you need a visa or an eTA to travel to Canada.
- Step 3: Depending on your citizenship and the result on step 2: Apply for an eTA of a visa (Temporary Resident Visa - TRV)
- The eTA application is always processed within 72 hours.
- If you need a TRV visa, verify the processing time and compare it with the processing time for a study permit: If the processing time to obtain a Study permit is shorter than the processing time for a temporary resident visa (TRV) in the country you are applying from, one-term exchange students should apply for a Study permit. No CAQ is required for one-term exchange students, but you must replace the CAQ in the Study permit application by a letter of support provided by HEC Montréal. Contact us for more information at incoming@hec.ca.
Two-term exchange (One YEAR)
"Temporary resident" status in Canada (over 6 months)
Two-Term exchange students must obtain a CAQ and a Study permit.
- Step 1 : Make sure your passport is valid at least six (6) months after your stay in Canada
- Step 2 : Apply for a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ). The processing time for a CAQ is 4-5 weeks after submitting all supporting documents.
- Step 3 : Only once the CAQ has been approved, apply for a Study Permit and entry document in the same application*. You can verify the processing time for your study permit online.
*The Study permit application will automatically include the eTA or Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) application form. No separate application.
All formalities must be carried out BEFORE your departure for Canada.
Consult the list of Visa Application Centers (VACs) to complete the study permit application. Please be cautious of fraud and only contact the centers from this list.
Working in Canada
If you do not have a Study permit, you cannot work in Canada. Only two-terms exchange students with a valid Study permit on which is mentioned the condition authorizing work off campus are allowed to work part time after the program has started.
Importance notice!
Apply as soon as possible, the delay to obtain the required authorizations is very long for most students.
Failure to obtain your entry authorizations before your arrival in Canada could make it difficult or impossible for you to enter the country. If you are unable to provide HEC Montréal with proof that you have obtained the necessary immigration documents before your arrival, the school will be unable to officially admit you.
Please contact us immediately should you have any questions or problems : incoming@hec.ca
