Renewing your CAQ and study permit in Quebec: the order and a realistic timeline

Renewing your CAQ and study permit in Quebec: the order and a realistic timeline depend on two separate decisions, one from Québec and one from the federal government. Students in Quebec renew two authorizations, not one: the Québec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) and the federal study permit. Because the CAQ usually has to come first, waiting until a few weeks before your study permit expires is how students end up without status. Start by recording the expiry dates, then plan both applications around the earlier deadline. Based on Québec and IRCC pages checked on October 17, 2026.

Key takeaways

• Know which document does what: the CAQ is Québec’s selection for studies; the study permit authorizes study in Canada.
• Plan from the earlier expiry: a CAQ application does not extend your study permit or protect your federal status.
• Prepare a complete CAQ file: once you pay, you have 15 days to upload the documents.
• Use processing figures as benchmarks, not decision dates.
• Apply for the study permit extension on time: at least 30 days before your permit expires, and earlier if you can.
• Plan travel separately: permission to stay while an application is pending is not permission to come back.

Start with a dates audit

Take out your passport, your CAQ and your study permit, and write down the three expiry dates. Add your program’s expected end date. These four dates rarely line up, and the end of your program says nothing about when your documents expire. IRCC says a study permit ends on the date printed on it or 90 days after you complete your studies, whichever comes first.

When do those 90 days start? According to IRCC, on the date you get the first notification from your school that you completed your program (an email, a letter, a transcript), or when you receive your degree, diploma or certificate. If you can’t prove when your school first notified you, IRCC uses the earliest issue date on the document, and it may check that date with your school. Keep that first email.

Also note the document you use to re-enter Canada after a trip: a visitor visa or an electronic travel authorization (eTA). A study permit does not replace it, and extending a study permit does not renew a visitor visa.

The order that works

1. Passport. A study permit is generally not issued beyond your passport’s validity, so a passport that expires soon can shorten the permit you get. Renew it first.
2. CAQ. If you need a new one, apply to Québec’s immigration ministry (MII, formerly MIFI) and wait for it. The federal application relies on it.
3. Study permit extension. Apply to IRCC at least 30 days before your current permit expires. IRCC recommends applying earlier than that.

Don’t assume you are covered because another student in a similar situation was. Compare your program, school and level with Québec’s current temporary selection for studies criteria.

Build a realistic timeline by working backward from expiry

When	What to do
Several months before your study permit expires	Dates audit; renew your passport if needed; ask your school for an updated enrolment letter and transcript
As soon as MII allows	Apply for the new CAQ, with documents ready to upload
As soon as the CAQ arrives	Apply to extend your study permit
No later than 30 days before expiry	IRCC’s deadline to apply

Québec reports that a CAQ decision is rendered within 25 business days following receipt of a complete application, in 80% of cases. That is a benchmark for complete files, not a forecast for yours; a request for more documents adds time.

Hypothetical example: a student’s CAQ expires July 31, 2027 and the study permit September 30, 2027. They might gather records in March and apply for the CAQ in April, then prepare the federal file while waiting. If they continue at the same school, the 30-day mark before the permit’s expiry is August 31, 2027; because the CAQ expires earlier, the CAQ step is planned around July while keeping the federal deadline in view.

Prepare a complete CAQ renewal application

You apply through Québec’s online application for temporary selection for studies, and pay and upload documents in Arrima. A renewal is not a copy of the first application. Update and organize:

• your passport and identity records;
• your current CAQ;
• official transcripts and proof of enrolment and progress;
• proof of financial capacity, arranged so it is easy to follow;
• if you had a gap, a leave or a program change, a short explanation with documents from your school.

Once you pay, you have 15 days to submit the required documents, so gather them first. For applications from January 1, 2026, the fee is $135 for an international student; fees are adjusted every January 1, so check the current amount for a 2027 application. Our CAQ document checklist goes through each item.

Follow the CAQ-first sequence before the federal extension

1. Confirm you need a CAQ: match your program, school and level to Québec’s current criteria.
2. Submit the CAQ application: follow MII’s application and upload instructions.
3. Check the issued CAQ: compare the name, study purpose and validity dates with your plans before using it, and report any error through MII’s process.
4. Apply to extend the study permit from inside Canada, with the documents IRCC asks for. See IRCC’s extension instructions.

If MII asks for more documents or sends a notice of intent to refuse, answer each point it raises by the deadline and through the channel it specifies, and keep a copy.

Your status while you wait

If IRCC receives your extension application before your permit expires and you stay in Canada, you can keep studying under the same conditions until a decision is made. This is often called maintained status; see our guide on maintained status. Keep proof that you applied on time. Maintained status is not an approved extension and doesn’t change the date printed on the permit. IRCC adds that it only applies as long as you stay in Canada: a trip during processing can end it, which is why travel gets its own section below. Tell your school’s international office that you applied, and keep the confirmation at hand: your school may ask for proof of status when you register for the next term.

A CAQ application by itself does not extend your federal status. If your permit has already expired, you do not have that protection. Stop studying and check right away whether you can apply to restore your status, which has its own time limit and fee; see our guide on restoring status.

If something changed in your studies

A change of level, of program or of school can change which authorizations you need. A new level of study often requires a new CAQ. A new school may require a new study permit before you start classes there. Compare your current CAQ and permit with your new admission letter before you assume you are covered.

IRCC’s rule for changing schools: apply to extend your current permit for the new designated learning institution (DLI) before you finish at your current school, and don’t start at the new school until the extension is approved, except in certain situations. IRCC now offers faster processing, in 60 days, when you are changing to a new post-secondary DLI, provided you follow its instructions when you apply. In Québec, the new program may also need a new CAQ first, so the CAQ-then-permit order still applies.

If your studies take longer than expected, the deadline doesn’t move: apply to extend at least 30 days before the original expiry date. And if your school is removed from the DLI list, IRCC says you can keep studying until your current permit expires or transfer to another DLI; to extend, you must enrol at a school that has DLI status.

Part-time study, a gap between terms or a break in enrolment can affect your eligibility or your permit conditions. Keep records that explain the timing and the reason, and describe the interruption consistently in both applications.

Plan travel separately from permission to stay

If you leave Canada while your application is in process, you will not be allowed back in unless you have a valid study permit or a letter of introduction showing your permit was approved, plus a valid travel document. Check IRCC’s travel rules for your nationality before booking a trip.

Before you submit:

• both expiry dates recorded, the earlier one identified;
• CAQ evidence, academic records and financial documents gathered;
• CAQ application submitted through Québec’s current process;
• federal extension submitted at least 30 days before expiry;
• travel rules checked before leaving Canada.

Our CAQ page and our study permit page cover each application in detail. You can also describe your situation or book a consultation.

Frequently asked questions

What is the deadline to extend my study permit?

IRCC asks you to apply at least 30 days before your permit expires, and recommends applying earlier. Because you may need a new CAQ first, plan for several months.

How much does a study permit extension cost?

IRCC lists a $150 fee for a study permit, including extensions. The CAQ has its own fee set by Québec. Check both on the day you pay.

My program is ending early. Does my permit still run to its printed date?

Not necessarily. IRCC says a study permit ends on the date printed on it or 90 days after you complete your studies, whichever comes first.

Do my family members need to extend their own documents?

Yes. Each family member checks the expiry and conditions of their own permit or visitor record; the student’s extension doesn’t extend anyone else’s.

What if my passport expires before my new CAQ or permit?

Renew the passport before applying where possible: IRCC says a study permit can’t be extended beyond your passport’s expiry date.

I’m switching to another university. Can I start right away?

Not until your extended permit for the new school is approved, except in certain situations IRCC lists. Apply before you finish at your current school; for a new post-secondary DLI, IRCC offers 60-day processing if you follow its instructions.

MII sent me a notice of intent to refuse. What now?

Read it closely, list each issue it raises, and answer each one with evidence by the deadline and through the channel it gives. Keep a copy of everything you send, and keep an eye on your study permit’s expiry in the meantime.

Conclusion

Renewing your CAQ and study permit in Quebec starts with the earlier expiry date, a complete CAQ file and a federal extension submitted on time. Keep the CAQ, the study permit and your travel document distinct, use official processing figures as a planning aid rather than a decision date, and plan travel separately from your status in Canada.

Official sources

Official pages consulted on October 17, 2026:

• IRCC — Extend your study permit: when to apply
• Québec — Application for temporary selection for studies (French)