As a foreign student, can I return home or travel outside Canada while studying?

Yes. However, your study permit is not a travel document. It doesn’t give you the right to travel to or enter Canada. Along with your permit, you may need:

• a visitor visa (temporary resident visa) or
• an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)

Depending on where you’re from, you may only need your passport. Make sure you know which document you need to travel to and enter Canada.

Having the travel document you need also doesn’t guarantee you’ll be allowed back into Canada. You still must show the border services officer that you meet all the requirements before we’ll let you re-enter.

If you need a visitor visa to enter Canada

Make sure the one you have will still be valid when you return to Canada. If it won’t be valid, you must apply to extend it before you leave Canada.

Read more about travelling while you are a student.