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Book a ConsultationIf you hold a Canadian study permit, you have several different identification numbers on your immigration paperwork and figuring out which one is "the document number" takes a minute.
As of September 3, 2026.
The study permit document number is the number printed on the issued permit, not your application number and not your Unique Client Identifier (UCI). Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) puts it on the study permit itself (form IMM 1442). Schools, banks, and later permit forms ask for it. This page shows where it sits, how it differs from a UCI, and when you actually need it.
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The study permit document number is printed on IMM 1442, usually top-right, as a letter plus 9 digits (often F then nine numbers) | It is not the UCI and not the application number that starts while the file is in process | UCI format is 0000-0000 or 00-0000-0000 | IRCC does not publish a labelled diagram of the permit | You need the document number to extend, change schools, apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), or fill school enrolment forms
Short answer: People say "study permit number" when they mean the document number on the current study permit. It is the identifier IRCC printed on that IMM 1442. It changes if IRCC issues a new permit. It is not your UCI, which stays with you across files. It is not the application number you used while IRCC was still processing. IRCC's study permit pages describe the permit. They do not host a separate "document number" explainer. Read the paper or PDF permit in front of you.
If a form asks for "document number" or "permit number," use the number on IMM 1442. If it asks for UCI or client ID, use the UCI. Mixing those two is a common reason a school portal or an IRCC form rejects the file.
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Short answer: IMM 1442 is the study permit document. The document number is the unique code IRCC printed on that form when the permit was issued. On issued permits it is typically one letter plus nine digits, for example F123456789, in the top-right block. The same string is often repeated lower on the page. IRCC has not published a public spec that locks the first letter to F for every year and every office. Treat the number on your own permit as the source, not a blog example. If you only have a PDF in your IRCC account, open that PDF. The layout matches the paper copy.
Do not pull a number from a visa counterfoil in your passport unless the form specifically asks for a visa number. A visitor visa or a study visa sticker is a different document.
| Number | Where it lives | Does it change? |
|---|---|---|
| Study permit document number | IMM 1442, usually top-right | Yes, with each new permit |
| Unique Client Identifier (UCI) | Same permit, plus other IRCC letters | No, it stays with you |
| Application number |
Short answer: Look at the top-right of the issued study permit. That is the same corner Seneca Polytechnic tells students to use when they enter permit data, and it matches the live IMM 1442 layout. If you cannot find the paper, sign in to your IRCC account and download the permit PDF. The document number is on the permit, not on the letter of acceptance you uploaded when you first applied. IRCC's get the right documents page is about what you send in. It is not a map of the finished permit.
If the top-right is smudged, check the repeated number near the bottom of the same page. Do not invent a number from your UCI by deleting hyphens. Those are different identifiers.
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Short answer: A UCI is your unique client identifier, also called a client identification number or client ID. IRCC's help page What is a UCI? says it appears on official documents and has either four numbers, a hyphen, and four more numbers (0000-0000) or two numbers, a hyphen, four, a hyphen, and four more (00-0000-0000). First-time applicants who do not have a UCI yet write "Not Applicable" or "N/A," or leave the field blank if the online form blocks N/A. The study permit document number is longer, has no hyphens in the usual printout, and belongs to that permit only.
Work permits use the same document-number idea on their own IMM form. If a portal asks for a work permit document number, use Canada work permit document number, not the study permit code.
Short answer: You need it when a form asks for the current permit's document number. Typical uses: school enrolment, a Social Insurance Number (SIN) interview, a change of schools file, a study-permit extension, or a Post-Graduation Work Permit application. Banks and landlords sometimes ask for it as well. They want the number on the permit you hold today.
If IRCC is still processing your first study permit, you do not have a document number yet. Use the application number in the account until the permit is issued. Application packages for students in Canada are listed on IRCC's study permit application page.
We are Go Far Global, a licensed Canadian immigration firm. If a school or IRCC form is rejecting the number you entered, book a consultation and bring a photo of the full IMM 1442, including the top-right block.
Keep a colour scan of both sides (or the full PDF). You will need the same number again when the permit is close to expiry.
Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute immigration or legal advice. Immigration laws and policies change frequently. Each case is unique and outcomes depend on individual circumstances. Consult a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) before making immigration decisions.
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CEO, Go Far Global
Maggi Issa is the CEO of Go Far Global with more than two decades of experience in Canadian immigration. She specializes in visitor visas, study permits, and all types of sponsorship applications including spousal, parent, and family sponsorship. Maggi has guided thousands of clients through complex immigration processes and oversees all operations at Go Far Global.
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| IRCC account while the file is in process |
| Each application has its own |
