If a Saskatchewan student is planning to attend an educational institution outside the province, it's important for them to determine whether they are eligible to keep their Saskatchewan driver's licence and vehicle registration while away at school. In order to do that, they must satisfy both Saskatchewan's student requirements and the licensing requirements in the other jurisdiction.
Student licensing requirements
A student who temporarily leaves their primary residence in Saskatchewan to attend school in another jurisdiction can keep their Saskatchewan driver's licence and vehicle registration (known as a student allowance), providing they meet all of the following criteria:
- The student was a permanent resident of Saskatchewan for at least 90 consecutive days prior to leaving the province to attend school.
- Their last primary address in Saskatchewan before they left the province to go to school was 1 of the following:
- The home of a parent or guardian, and the parent/guardian remains in Saskatchewan; or
- Their own permanent residence in Saskatchewan, providing their residence remains empty while they are away at school (i.e. not rented out), or it is occupied by an immediate family member who normally lives there.
- They are enrolled in an accredited course in the other jurisdiction.
- They are considered a full-time student by their educational institution.
- If required to file income tax, they file their return to Saskatchewan.
Additional requirements and considerations
Married students
A student cannot claim their parent's home as their primary residence if they are married and living with their spouse outside Saskatchewan.
Employed students (on-the-job training)
A student cannot retain student status if they are being paid as part of an on-the-job-training program (co-op students are exempt from this restriction). The following are examples of students who are not eligible for SGI's student allowance:
- Interning doctors, articling lawyers, apprentice welders or carpenters, individuals employed as part of any masters or doctorate program (even though they may consider their pay 'scholarships'), etc.
Co-op students
Co-op students are individuals employed (and receiving a salary) outside the province under a co-op program work term or mandatory technical school work term. They are still considered a student while on a work term, providing:
- The co-op student is from a university, or from a Saskatchewan technical school.
- The individual retains their student status from their educational institution while on the co-op work term.
- The individual is considered a student by the host jurisdiction.
- Each work term can be no longer than 8 months.
- Unless approved by SGI, the work term cannot occur after the student completes their course classes.
Part-time jobs
A student is allowed to work at a part-time job, providing they are still considered a full-time student by their school in the other jurisdiction.
Summer students
Students employed as a summer student are eligible for the SGI student allowance, providing the student is registered or intends to register for classes in the fall and it's okay with the jurisdiction in which they are in.
Registered owner of the vehicle
Saskatchewan allows students to use a Saskatchewan-plated vehicle that is registered to any Saskatchewan resident or Saskatchewan-based company. However, the student should check with the other jurisdiction as some require that the vehicle be registered in the student's name.
After studies are completed
If a student wishes to remain outside the province after completing their studies, they have 90 days to surrender their Saskatchewan plates and driver's licence (or sooner if their plates or driver's licence expire, or if the other jurisdiction requires them to switch earlier). The student should check with the jurisdiction to determine when they would be required to switch.
Jurisdictional requirements
Requirements for students will vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Here are a few suggested questions a student may want to ask to ensure they are complying with the jurisdiction's rules in order to keep their Saskatchewan driver's licence and vehicle registration.
- Does the jurisdiction have a student allowance? Do they recognize co-op students?
- Can a student attend any type of school (e.g. university, high school, technical college)?
- Can a student work part-time while attending school?
- Do they have rules as to the minimum number of classes the student needs to take? Do they have a definition of a full-time student or is that left up to their school to determine?
- Does the vehicle the student is driving have to be registered in the student's name or can it be registered to someone else (e.g. a parent)?
- If the student remains over the summer months to work as a summer student, can they keep their Saskatchewan driver's licence and/or vehicle registration if they are going back to school in the fall?
- If the individual ceases to be a student and decides to stay in the jurisdiction, how long do they have until they must convert their driver's licence and/or vehicle registration?
