General Policy: International Students Withdrawing from their Studies

This policy pertains to international students studying at Designated Learning Institutions, such as Memorial University or College of North Atlantic. Students of any Designated Learning Institution are required to complete their studies in order to be eligible for immigration programs.

Definition: International students are defined as temporary residents who are legally authorized to study full-time in Canada at a designated learning institution on a temporary basis. International students are issued a study permit and are able to work off-campus work for up to 20 hours per week during the academic semester and up to 40 hours per week during academic breaks.

International students are only permitted to withdraw from their studies at either Memorial University or College of North Atlantic to pursue an application for immigration to Newfoundland and Labrador through the Provincial Nominee Program or the Atlantic Immigration Program under the following procedure:

Procedure:

International Students must:

• Meet with the International Office at Memorial University or College of North Atlantic to discuss the implications of their intentions to withdraw from their studies;
• Provide a letter of support from the Internationalization Office with the submission of a completed immigration application, confirming there are no outstanding matters associated with the student’s decision to quit their studies; and,
• Ensure that they meet all of the eligibility criteria for the Provincial Nominee Program (Individuals discontinuing their studies are ineligible for the International Graduate stream) or the Atlantic Immigration Program.

Please note that the Office of Immigration and Multiculturalism reserves the right to refuse an immigration application if an international student does not meet all of the eligibility criteria.