If your Indian passport is expiring while you're studying in Canada, you don't need to return to India to renew it, and doing it in Canada shouldn't affect your future PGWP application.
What group members advised:- You can renew your passport from within Canada by applying through the Indian High Commission (via BLS, the passport service provider in Canada) — no need to travel back to India for this.
- Expect the process to be slower than in India, so plan ahead and give yourself extra time rather than waiting until close to your program's end or your passport's expiry.
- You can apply for renewal even before your current study permit or passport expires. One member who went through this recently noted normal processing takes about 4 weeks, and tatkal (expedited) processing takes about 10 days.
- Renewing your passport in Canada does not require pausing your studies or leaving the country, so it shouldn't create any gap that would affect your eligibility to apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) after your program ends.
For the latest BLS appointment availability and fees, check the current Indian consulate/BLS website for Canada, since processing times can shift.