As of October 20, 2020, the Government of Canada updated the travel restriction requirements so that international students, including exchange students, can only enter Canada if they meet the below two requirements:
- You must have a valid study permit or a letter of introduction that shows you were approved for a study permit.
- You must be attending a designated learning institution (DLI) with a COVID-19 readiness plan approved by its province or territory.
A valid study permit is required during COVID-19 travel restrictions to study for any length of time in Canada. If you are not a citizen of the United States, you'll also need either a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to enter Canada depending on your country of citizenship.
As an exchange student, you can work on campus (no limitations on hours per week) or up to 20 hours per week off campus if you have a post-secondary study permit with work eligibility stated on it and you’re registered in a full-time course load. If you're going to study at Waterloo for only one term, you still need to apply for a study permit. In your study permit application, it's important that you include a letter of explanation to clarify why you are applying for a study permit for one term of study. If you receive approval for a study permit, and wish to work on and/or off campus during your studies, we strongly encourage you to verify that the study permit states eligibility to work on and off campus when it is issued to you at the airport.
Please review the travel FAQs on Waterloo's COVID-19 Information website to ensure you're eligible to enter Canada based on the most up-to-date travel restrictions and check out the immigration documents webpage for additional resources. Contact one of University of Waterloo's immigration consultants for free if you have questions.