International Services

As soon as you arrive…

1. Check into Residence Life if you will be living on campus.
2. Submit a digital photo for your student identification card (if you haven't already).
3. Confirm that you have adequate medical coverage:
   • Full-time students are automatically enrolled in the Lethbridge College Students’ Association (LCSA) Extended Health and Dental plan
     • Students starting in Fall: coverage from September 1 - August 31
     • Students starting in Winter: coverage from January 1 - August 31
   • If you will be staying in Canada for less than 12 months, you will need to obtain medical insurance through an independent provider.
4. Apply for an Alberta Health Care Number and the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP). Visit a registry office to obtain AHCIP.
5. Make an appointment to visit or order online for your necessary textbooks and supplies from the Lethbridge College Bookstore.
6. Log in to your Lethbridge College email and Canvas accounts.

During your first week…

1. Attend New Student Orientation. Attendance is required.
2. Familiarize yourself with the campus and locate your classrooms, if you have on-campus requirements for your program. If you are studying online outside of Lethbridge, check to make sure you meet the minimum technology requirements to study online.
3. Purchase a bus/transit pass from the Lethbridge College Students' Association (LCSA) or purchase a parking pass through the bookstore.
4. Rent a locker from the LCSA.
5. Contact Career and Academic Advising for assistance and information if you need to add or drop a course.
6. Open a Canadian bank account.
7. Pay your fees BEFORE the add/drop deadline (late payment will result in de-registering and additional fees to get re-registered).

During your second week…

1. Familiarize yourself with on-campus services, such as:
   • the Learning Café;
   • Accessibility Services; and
   • Wellness Services. 

During your first month…

1. Attend the international student welcome and social activities.
2. Learn about the Recreation Services available for students (Fitness Centre, racquetball courts, etc.)
3. View the Events Calendar and choose an upcoming event to attend.

Lethbridge College organizes a number of affordable events that create opportunities for new experiences and friendships to be made.

Each semester, we will be organizing online/virtual events to help international students in Canada and abroad stay connected to the college and with each other. Please continue to check your Lethbridge College email for updates and information.

Please see the Events Calendar or myLC for monthly events or check your Lethbridge College email for invitations and announcements.

Check to ensure that your primary immigration documents are accurate and valid. This includes your:

• passport
• study permit
• temporary resident visa (TRV)

Keep track of the expiration dates of all of your documents so you can plan to renew them and remain in Canada without interruption. In most cases, your Canadian immigration documents will not be issued past the expiry date of your passport.

If you extend your study permit (or transition from student status to worker status by applying for a post-graduation work permit), you will need to extend all other documents after you receive your new permit.

For information and support regarding your study permit or other immigration-related inquires, please contact one of our international advisors or visit IRCC.

When should I extend my immigration documents?

• passport:
  • at least six months before the expiration
• study permit:
  • three to four months before the expiration
• temporary resident visa (TRV):
  • before or after the expiration (depending on your travel plans)

Need to amend your immigration documents?

If your study permit, work permit, or temporary resident visa (TRV) includes any mistakes (e.g. your name or date of birth are incorrect), you must contact IRCC and request to amend your documents. You will mail your documents to the address in Ottawa indicated in the Instruction Guide. Plan to remain in Canada until your documents have been corrected. Amendments apply only to the mistakes that are made by IRCC when your documents were issued.

If you are not currently in Canada, amend your documents before you travel to Canada to avoid issues or delays at the Canadian border.

What to do if your immigration documents get lost or stolen?

If your immigration documents are lost or stolen, you must request a replacement set of documents from IRCC. You will be required to submit your application for replacements along with a $30 (CAN) processing fee, and expect your documents to arrive by mail in approximately two weeks.

You may continue studying and/or working while your documents are being replaced. However, you should not leave Canada until you receive your replacement study or work permit. If your passport has been lost or stolen, you must replace it. If you had a temporary resident visa (TRV) in the lost or stolen passport, make sure you apply for a new TRV if it is necessary within your country of citizenship.

It is recommended that you keep photocopies of all your important documents (including passport, immigration documents and health insurance cards) in a safe place in case your originals are lost or stolen.