Visiting Graduate Students (IVGS)

What is IVGS?

The IVGS program was designed to accommodate graduate-level students enrolled in a program at a foreign university and wishing to conduct research at the University of Toronto. For more information, including admissions procedures and timelines, please refer to the University of Toronto School of Graduate Studies.

In addition to the IVGS Study Abroad Agreement form (Available here from SGS), IVGS applicants should also complete the IVGS Intake Form (See link below to the mandatory form) to receive advice about the best immigration pathway, because it can varies depending on the nature of the research, period visiting Canada and a few other details that might important.

IVGS Intake Form

Please complete the form linked below so that our team can provide you with advice regarding the necessary Canadian immigration documents.

IVGS Intake Form

Possible IVGS immigration pathways

The most appropriate immigration pathway will be determined by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), but our team can give you informed guidance based on you completing the intake form above.

If the main purpose for your visit to University of Toronto is to conduct research, as part of your program during a period that does not exceed 120 days, you can come to Canada as a Visitor with a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV ) or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA).

Under this category it’s very important that you do not enter Canada as a regular visitor, you should be prepared to explain to the border officer the nature of your visit (Research), present all necessary documents to support it, and ask the officer to issue a Visitor Record a document that is not issued automatically to a visitor in Canada). Your Visitor Record should have a condition that states you can “work without a work permit for up to 120 days” in Canada. This condition is essential for you to obtain a SIN number and be able to work in Canada and be paid for this work.

We encourage you to use this checklist to be prepared for entering Canada. PDF 120 days work exemption.

More information is available on the Entering Canada page of our site.

If you are going to study, and you will not be receiving any stipend from Canadian sources, you are allowed to study in Canada for up to 6 months without a study permit.

More information is available on the Entering Canada page of our site.

If you are planning to study at U of T, regardless of the duration of your program, you can request a study permit to do so. This permit will enable you to study and work on campus (which includes U of T and some affiliated research partners).

It’s also important to include in your letter of intent that as a student researcher, you will need on-campus authorization to fulfil your obligations during your research period. This could help the IRCC officer remember to include this information on your study permit conditions.

More information is available on the Apply for your Study Permit page of our site.

This pathway is to be selected when your primary goal is to conduct research for longer than 120 days and your research work (or part of it) is expected to take place off campus;

Please note there will be a step that U of T will need to complete as part of your work permit application. We will fill out a form at the employer portal, pay a compliance fee and give you a screenshot of that confirmation. The confirmation will include an LMIA-exemption code, to be used by you when applying for your work permit;

As a worker, you might also have study restrictions, so it is important to seek our advice before choosing this immigration path.