Northern has partnered with BorderPass to offer incoming direct applicant international students access to its premium Canadian immigration services. Whether to study, work, or build a new life, BorderPass provides international students with the tools to assess and manage the immigration pathway with transparency and confidence.

BorderPass manages the entire immigration process for international students, including applications for study permits and new visas, with automatic prompts within the platform. By combining legal expertise with advanced technology, BorderPass can make the process more efficient, and cost-effective for international students. BorderPass also provides students with better visibility into compliance and the entire immigration journey and longer-term potential for Permanent Residency. Northern students’ own study visa application and extension are funded by Northern College, and there is no extra costs to students, but the mandatory IRCC/High Commission study visa application requires processing fees.

You will receive details about how to sign up for BorderPass directly from Northern. Alternatively, please navigate to access Northern’s unique portal here: BorderPass for Northern College

To begin the process, please create an account using your name, email, and Northern College Student ID (in the format of a 9-digit number, 2023xxxxx). Then, create a new password.

BorderPass is available to incoming international students who have received a Letter of Acceptance and need assistance with filing for a study permit. Once you are enrolled at Northern, you will receive access to the BorderPass platform for the length of time you are enrolled at the Institution, and an additional 3 months of coverage. Sign up now here: BorderPass for Northern College

To support the next step in your learner journey, we have partnered with BorderPass and their team of expert Canadian immigration lawyers to provide you with study permit application services, including the submission of your PAL. If you don’t have a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) and a valid study visa yet, please complete the following steps as soon as you receive your offer letter from Northern College. You (or your supporter on your behalf) are required to fill out a basic online assessment to assist us in understanding your needs. To prepare yourself for completion of the online assessment, please gather the following documents, which you will need to upload to the BorderPass platform:

• Passport: photo page, stamps and visas (if applicable)
• Language test results (for non-English medium countries)
• Proof of finances (ex., personal bank statements or certificates of deposit)
• Letter of Acceptance (if you have received one)
• Tuition or tuition deposit receipt (if applicable)

To begin this process, please create an account using your name, email, and Student ID #. Then, create a new password.

Click here to begin your required BorderPass assessment

Once you have completed the required assessment, qualified applicants who receive a PAL will also receive study permit application services provided by BorderPass.

For International students who had submitted their study visa application to IRCC or a local Canadian visa center before January 22^nd, 2024 (EST), they do not need a PAL letter for their visa application.

Northern has made these services available for you on a complimentary basis, ensuring that you only need to cover government processing, biometrics, and standard administrative fees.

You will receive a free annual BorderPass Subscription for the first year of your program while enrolled in a full-time program, which includes a study visa permit application, premium services and access to Canadian immigration lawyers for 1-year, meaning you only have to pay for Government Processing and Biometrics fees.

There are additional optional services that you can subscribe to, like a study permit extension application, PGWP application, co-op work permit application, spousal work permit (where applicable), visitor visas, or SIN # registration. For these additional services, a small administrative fee may be applicable to BorderPass and/or Government Processing and Biometrics (where applicable) fees.

*Please note that you will receive clear information as to any costs or fees before they are charged to you, and you will always have the ability to opt out of any BorderPass online services.

Your BorderPass access includes a study visa permit application and the following services:

1. Notifications of key dates, continuous monitoring & management of visas and immigration documentation in BorderPass’ Document Vault & Application Hub.
2. Relationship with Canadian immigration lawyers and access to professional legal immigration experts, including email/chat support with prompt response times within general working hours.
3. Ongoing Express Entry score tracking and management provides students with visibility, guidance and tips on their permanent residency pathways.
4. Newcomer essential services through BorderPass’s trusted service providers and Membership benefits SIN registration, high-level tax advising to maximize credits, and preferred rates on follow-on visa services such as study permit extensions, co-op permits, work permits, spousal permits, and family support.

Information provided to and received through BorderPass is accessible only by you and your representatives at BorderPass. They will use your information to assist you with your application processes and immigration journey.

You must be issued a Provincial Attestation Letter (”PAL”) in order to apply for a study permit starting January 22nd, 2024 (EST).

A PAL is a verification letter issued to your institution by the province or territory where you plan to study, and it needs to be submitted along with your study permit application.

If your institution gives you a PAL, it will be forwarded to BorderPass to streamline the study permit application process. It will appear here, and you will be notified if and when BorderPass receives your PAL. There is no action needed from you at this time with regards to your PAL.

No. Northern has made study permit application services available on a complimentary basis, ensuring that you only need to cover government processing, biometrics, and standard administrative fees.

Proceeding with payment of these fees will not guarantee you will receive a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) or approval of a Canadian study permit, but using BorderPass for your study permit application will ensure a complete, accurate and professional level of support.

To support the next step in your learner journey, we have partnered with BorderPass and their team of expert Canadian immigration lawyers to provide you with study permit application services, including the submission of your PAL. If you don’t have a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) and a valid study permit, please complete the following steps as soon as possible. You (or your supporter on your behalf) are required to fill out a basic online assessment to assist us in understanding your needs. To prepare yourself for completion of the online assessment, please gather the following documents, which you will need to upload to the BorderPass platform :

• Passport: photo page, stamps and visas (if applicable)
• Language test results (for non-English medium countries)
• Proof of finances (ex., personal bank statements or certificates of deposit)
• Letter of Acceptance (if you have received one)
• Tuition or tuition deposit receipt (if applicable)

To begin this process, please create an account using your name, email, and Student ID #. Then, create a new password.

Click BorderPass for Northern College to begin your required assessment

Once you have completed the required assessment, qualified applicants who receive a PAL will also receive study permit application services provided by BorderPass.

Once Northern College has completed the admissions assessment, qualified applicants who are eligible for a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL), will receive study permit application services provided by BorderPass.

Northern will make these services available on a complimentary basis, ensuring that students only need to cover government processing, biometrics, and standard administrative fees. It’s important to note that PALs will be forwarded to students’ BorderPass accounts to streamline the study permit process.

Northern has made the decision to provide complimentary study permit support for their applicants by Canadian immigration lawyers located onshore in Canada. This will include future support such as extensions, work permits, and pathway guidance.

Yes, if you have a valid Letter of Acceptance from Northern College, you may proceed with your study permit application. Please review this article for help with the application steps: https://help.borderpass.ca/hc/en-us/articles/19610069459355-Study-Permits-with-BorderPass

Please note that you will require a PAL for your BorderPass lawyer to submit your application to IRCC. Your application will be reviewed during the time that it is in the “lawyer review” status. If and when your PAL is uploaded to your BorderPass account, and your application is complete, your application will be submitted to IRCC in a timely manner.

While BorderPass makes efforts to help ensure that your application is accurate and complete, you also acknowledge that the proceeding does not guarantee approval of a study permit by IRCC, or that you will receive a Provincial Attestation Letter.

No, you will need a Northern student ID in order to start your application. This is provided to you upon submission of your initial academic application to Northern College.

No. While these steps will not guarantee approval of a visa application, completing the next steps on BorderPass will ensure a complete, accurate, and professional level of support that increases the potential for a successful study permit application, as well as to prioritize your PAL letter processing. No one can guarantee that an application can be approved, as this is subject to IRCC discretion.

All services on BorderPass are submitted through the Lawyers’ IRCC portal, and it is highly recommended that you track application or status updates directly through your BorderPass dashboard.

It takes approximately 5 business days for the BorderPass lawyers to review your information. This gives the lawyers time to ensure you make the strongest submission possible.

You can opt-out of using BorderPass at any time. Please note that if you stop using BorderPass you will lose full access to the Document Vault & Application Hub, notifications of key dates, your relationship with BorderPass Canadian immigration lawyers, ongoing Express Entry tracking, and other newcomer essential services.

BorderPass provides a comprehensive step-by-step guide to help you understand exactly where you’re at in your immigration journey or specific permit application process. You will receive email notifications, and be able to clearly see all of your upcoming key dates through BorderPass’ continuous visa monitoring & management. You will see all of your immigration documentation in your Document Vault. More details on understanding your immigration journey and application processes can be found in BorderPass’ Knowledge Base.

Copies of all your documents are hosted in the Document Vault and can be accessed there. The Application Hub provides an overview of all of your applications, including previously submitted, in progress, and upcoming.

If you have any questions about BorderPass at this time, please reach out to them directly via the chat option (small blue circle in the bottom right corner of their website or within your BorderPass dashboard). BorderPass also has a comprehensive self-service Knowledge Base which includes helpful articles, product walkthroughs, video tutorials, immigration tips, and more.

If your question more closely pertains to Northern, you can connect with us here international@northern.on.ca

If you have any questions about BorderPass, please contact BorderPass via the chat option (small blue circle in the bottom right corner of their website or within your BorderPass dashboard). BorderPass also has a comprehensive self-service Knowledge Base, which includes helpful articles, product walkthroughs, video tutorials, immigration tips, and more.

BorderPass staff are extremely responsive and will be able to assist every step of your application journey. Providing information about your immigration status and journey is something you can choose to share with Northern staff. Your Northern staff will continue to be available to support you with immigration questions and all questions pertaining to your journey at Northern as you transition in, through, and out of Northern.

The BorderPass services are available to students when they are enrolled at Northern.

After this, you may purchase a subscription to BorderPass for continued access and immigration support, including if you choose to continue using the services to pursue PR.