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Your study permit approval lists a program that's no longer offered — what to do

Canada • Study Permit • study 0 views
By VisaBuddies Communityvia community — compiled from public visa forums

Documents Needed

  • IRCC webform submission

    Used to formally notify IRCC about the discontinued program on your approved study permit.

  • New Letter of Acceptance (LOA)

    Needed from a genuine program/college once you apply for a new one, to support a fresh study permit application.

Step-by-Step

If a study permit was approved for a program that has since been discontinued, and the Letter of Acceptance on file still names that unavailable program, this needs to be corrected before the person can actually study in Canada.

What group members advised:
  1. Inform IRCC directly through the official webform. Explain that the program listed in your approved study permit is no longer offered, and share this update in writing.

  2. Apply to a new, genuine program at a legitimate college or university, making sure the intake and institution are verifiable — this is important, as switching to a lower-quality or non-genuine program invites additional scrutiny.

  3. Expect to apply for a new study permit, since the original permit was tied to a program that no longer exists. A new Letter of Acceptance for the replacement program will be required to support this new application.

  4. Consulting an immigration consultant or lawyer was recommended given how unusual and case-specific this situation is — there's no standard IRCC process publicly documented for it.


Because this scenario is uncommon, expect some processing delay while IRCC reviews the changed circumstances, and keep every piece of correspondence (old LOA, discontinuation notice from the school, new LOA) on file.

Dos, Don'ts & Tips

  • Do: Notify IRCC in writing via the webform as soon as you learn the approved program is discontinued.
  • Do: Verify the new college/program's legitimacy and intake dates before applying, to avoid extra scrutiny.
  • Tip: Get advice from an immigration consultant given how non-standard this situation is.

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