Every person in Canada must have a legal status – a citizen, a permanent resident, a worker, a student, a visitor etc. Canada gives you the flexibility to change your status as long as you meet the eligibility requirements.

You must apply to change your status before your current status expires. If you current status has expired, this makes the case more complicated. In addition to a change of status applicatio, you will also have to apply for a restoration of status.

You can change your status to visitor if you are a holder of a study permit or a work permit. Usually this happens when a person is expecting a work or a study permit while being a visitor in Canada and their status  is ending sooner than they get their permit from the Canadian Government.

There can be other reasons for that. You must just want to travel in Canada after you have completed your study program or employment contract. 

If you are a visitor to Canada or a temporary foreign worker, you can apply to change your status in Canada to student in these circumstances:
​

• you or your family member hold a valid study permit or work permit;
• you study at a secondary school;
• you are a visiting or exchange student studying at a Designated Learning Institution (DLI);
• you have completed a short-term course or program of study that is a prerequisite to your program at DLI;
• you or your family member hold a Temporary Resident Permit valid for at least 6 months;
• you are a refugee claimant;
• you or your family member have been determined to be eligible to become a Permanent Resident of Canada under these classes: Humanitarian & Compassionate Considerations, spouse or common-law partner, protected persons;
• you are a family member of an athlete on a Canadian-based team, media representatives, members of the clergy or military personnel assigned to Canada.

If you are on visitor status, you may also apply for a study permit to the Visa Section of the Canadian Embassy in the USA.

If you are in Canada, you can apply to change your status in Canada to worker in these circumstances:
​

• you are a holder of a study or work permit;
• your spouse has a work or study permit;
• you hold a Temporary Resident Permit;
• you are a refugee claimant;
• you have applied for permanent residence in Canada as a spouse and have been determined eligible;
• you or your spouse have applied for permanent residence in Canada under Humanitarian and Compassionate Considerations and have determined eligible (Stage 1 approval);
•  you or your spouse have been recognized as a protected person.

There are two other ways how you can apply for a Work Permit while being physically in Canada:

• apply to the Visa Section of the Canadian Embassy in the USA;
• apply via flagpoling at the port-of-entry (for example, at Niagara Falls, ON).

Whether you are looking to change your status to visitor, to student or to worker, at Sokolov Immigration, we can handle your case expertly.
​
We build strong, winning cases. Contact us today for an advice how to change your status in Canada, and we will offer a solution tailored to your needs and based on the unique nature of your case.