Leave of Absence

[annegurl]

Hi everyone, I'm an american international grad student in canada. I am currently on Leave of Absence for the summer due to personal reasons. I have emails from my director who checked with the school of graduate studies to make sure I could stay in Canada for the summer. Those emails state that according to the school of grad studies I would be allowed to stay here.

However, I am almost 100% going on a trip home for 6 days. I thought I had everything set but I am worried about not being let back in the country for whatever reason even though I checked with my university, signed up for summer health insurance and am currently paying rent here and have been on leave of absence since the beginning of May.

I have full intentions of completing my studies in the fall and am gathering what I need to get either a new study permit or an extension on my old one. I plan on having those emails printed out in case an officer needs to see them. I have an apartment here in canada in a locked lease until August which is the main reason I did not simply move back home.

I want to do the right thing and if I need to leave the country I will but I will need to pack and prepare obviously. I've read new regulations over and over and I'm having a hard time knowing what applies to my situation as an american international student who received their permit in august 2013.

 

[annegurl]

Anyone? Should I even attempt to call the CIC?

 

[txboyscout]

Hi everyone, I'm an american international grad student in canada. I am currently on Leave of Absence for the summer due to personal reasons. I have emails from my director who checked with the school of graduate studies to make sure I could stay in Canada for the summer. Those emails state that according to the school of grad studies I would be allowed to stay here.

However, I am almost 100% going on a trip home for 6 days. I thought I had everything set but I am worried about not being let back in the country for whatever reason even though I checked with my university, signed up for summer health insurance and am currently paying rent here and have been on leave of absence since the beginning of May.

I have full intentions of completing my studies in the fall and am gathering what I need to get either a new study permit or an extension on my old one. I plan on having those emails printed out in case an officer needs to see them. I have an apartment here in canada in a locked lease until August which is the main reason I did not simply move back home.

I want to do the right thing and if I need to leave the country I will but I will need to pack and prepare obviously. I've read new regulations over and over and I'm having a hard time knowing what applies to my situation as an american international student who received their permit in august 2013.

According to the new rules, you are suppoused to be enrolled in full time studies during regular academic semesters (fall and winter), summer does not count

 

[annegurl]

Thank you. Although I don't remember reading anything about fall/winter specifically. So the new rules do not necessarily affect me going home for a few days?

 

[life_is_hard]

oh hey, I did not know that you were in a similar situation. If you are an undergraduate summer does not count but if PhD summer does count. I have even talked to some of the immigration officers, the impression I received is that, if you have sufficient proof that you really needed a LOA then you will have no trouble, it all comes down to why you have taken LOA. What was you reason?

Thank you. Although I don't remember reading anything about fall/winter specifically. So the new rules do not necessarily affect me going home for a few days?

 

[life_is_hard]

Oh and by the way, if your university checked it for you, I would not worry about it. If anything happens you can always show them the emails. But to be on the safer side, I would get a letter from the university so that when I come back I have some sort of proof to show it the border officer.

Thank you. Although I don't remember reading anything about fall/winter specifically. So the new rules do not necessarily affect me going home for a few days?

 

[annegurl]

I'm a master's student so the undergrad summer thing doesn't count for me. Hence why I'm confused that my university is fine with it. :/ Now I'm really afraid to go. I guess I should cancel my flight then.