Travel & Arrivals

Travel & Arriving at Northern

We are excited for you to arrive! Our dedicated staff are here to make your transition to life as a Northern College student as easy as possible.

Please connect with the International Department at international@northern.on.ca for the most up-to-date information about traveling to Canada for your studies and to request travel support documents.

On this page you will find information on:

Pre-Departure Information

Before the start of the semester we host a virtual pre-departure information session through a Zoom webinar to help new international students get ready to start their academic journey with us at Northern College.

The Winter 2024 pre-departure webinar was held on Thursday, December 14, 2023.

If you missed the live session, you can find the recording on YouTube: https://youtu.be/YNhVRkOwGi8

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) with answers to the most common questions we get during the pre-departure info-session can be found below and in a PDF document: https://www.northerncollege.ca/documents/students/international/pre-arrival-faq.pdf (PDF, 235 KB)

Emergency contact for students arriving while College is closed:
705-235-3211 ext. 2217

Frequently Asked Questions FAQ (PDF, 235 KB)

Traveling to Canada

Flights

There is a regional airport in Timmins. Flights from Toronto to the Timmins Victor M. Power Airport (YTS) are 1 hour and 20 minutes in duration.

Student at our Timmins Campus can use ground transportation from the airport to the campus in South Porcupine, which is approximately 20 minutes (24 km) from the airport.

There is also a regional airport in North Bay, closest to our Haileybury Campus. Flights from Toronto to the North Bay Jack Garland Airport are 1 hour in duration.

Students at our Haileybury Campus or Kirkland Lake Campus can use ground transportation from the airport in Timmins or North Bay.

Timmins to Haileybury is approximately 2.5 hours (230 km)
North Bay to Haileybury is approximately 1.5 hours (155 km)

Timmins to Kirkland Lake is 2 hours (155 km).
North Bay to Kirkland Lake approximately 2.5 hours (240 km)

If you arrive to to campus after hours, please contact:
Timmins Campus: +1-705-235-3211 ext. 2217 (Phone)
Haileybury & Kirkland Lake: +1-705-650-0033 (Cell & WhatsApp)

 

Ground Transportation from Toronto

Haileybury is 5 hours 44 minutes (540 km) [Google Map]
Kirkland Lake is 6 hours and 15 minutes (600 km) [Google Map]
Timmins is 7 hours 32 minutes (700 km) [Google Map]

Please keep your Keep your taxi receipt (from Timmins airport to Timmins campus, or one-time taxi receipt in-town travel within Kirkland Lake or Haileybury campus). The  fee could be reimbursed to you later after day 10 of your program registration by sending your taxi receipt with your name to international@northern.on.ca.

Campus Locations Map of Ontario

Housing, Residence & Accommodations

For students who need help on housing accommodation, we offer support with off-campus housing options and have on-campus residences at our Timmins Campus & Haileybury Campus.

Off-Campus HousingTimmins Campus ResidenceHaileybury Campus Residence

Timmins Campus
Jasdeep Kaur
Student Resource Coordinator
studentresources@northern.on.ca
705-235-3211 Ext. 2319

Haileybury Campus & Kirkland Lake Campus
Vaibhav Chopra
Student Resource Coordinator
src@northern.on.ca
Cell/WhatsApp: +1 705 679 3109

Weather & Seasonal Apparel

International student in summer
International students in winter

Spring, Summer, Fall (April to October)

Snowfall – Variable weather with temperatures ranging from 10°C to 30°C or more

Apparel:

  • Long and short-sleeved shirts
  • Long slacks, jeans, shorts
  • Sandals, socks & shoes
  • Light sweater/hoody
  • Light jacket – waterproof, wind-proof

Winter (November to March)

Snowy with temperatures ranging from -10°C to -25°C or less

Apparel:

  • Mid-length winter jacket with inside lining or insulation and waterproof
  • Snow pants
  • Winter hats/toque for warmth
  • Mittens (not gloves)
  • Winter socks and boots
  • Sweater

Orientation

At the beginning of each intake, new students can join orientation with Student Services, as well as with your program to learn about all the supports available and what you can expect from your academic studies.

We’ve also prepared videos to help you get acquainted with all the services and resources available in the community.

Orientation Information

Frequently Asked Questions

The semester start date, Deferral and Withdrawal dates have been sent to you by email to your applicant email addresses. You can also access the information via International Students – Northern College

Please refer to the detailed information about the impact of online study (in or outside Canada) on your Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) eligibility via Work in Canada after you graduate: Who can apply – Canada.ca

Please note that the delivery format of each program in the College might be different and may require students to be on campus. Please reach out to your program coordinator after January 1st, 2024 for your course delivery format information if you have any questions.

When your visa is approved, you must upload a copy of your visa to the OCAS IAS portal immediately to be registered. A COR (Confirmation of Registration) letter is your enrolment letter to get through the Canadian Border when you arrive in Canada. Only students who received the Confirmation of Registration (COR) letter are permitted to travel to Canada for their studies.  Please be advised that:

  • All college campuses will be closed during the upcoming holidays (December 22nd, 2023, to January 1st, 2024) and there will be no staff working during the holidays.
  • There will be no COR letter issued during holidays.
  • A COR letter will be sent to the “Applicant Email Address” of your OCAS IAS portal profile you created and submitted your application to Northern. If your agent created an email address for you and you do not have access to this email address yet, please contact your agents for access.
  • All the college’s important messages and documents are sent to you via your applicant email address.

Your Northern College Student ID and email address are provided in your Confirmation of Registration letter. New intake students will not get their college student ID card until they arrive at their campus and complete the required student ID production procedures.

Enrolment Letter is proof that you are officially enrolled at Northern College as an international student which is provided after day 10 of the semester.  COR is Confirmation of Registration that has all of the information about your first semester courses, your payment details and your Northern College student portal access information.

For any winter 2024 new intake international students whose visa is pending, you can still start the winter semester study if you can obtain your visa approval and arrive at your campus by January 8th, 2024. Otherwise, please submit your deferral request ASAP for Fall 2024 via OCAS IAS portal. There is no guarantee of a seat for late deferral requests.

The college will not be able to assist international students in communicating with IRCC about their visa application. Per IRCC regulation, only authorized friends, family members, immigration representatives or any third party acting on behalf of the applicant in their application form are allowed to communicate with IRCC on behalf of the applicant about their visa application.

Students who will not be able to study in the winter 2024 semester at Northern due to various factors such as visa denials or delays or personal matters can ask for deferral if they still want to study at Northern in the next available intake.

Students will have to submit their deferral request via OCAS IAS portal (where you submitted your application to us) before the deferral deadline. Once we approve your deferral request, a new offer letter for the new intake will be issued to you.  The COR letter for the new intake will not be issued until the new intake semester registration starts.  Please note that a deferral request sent to us only by email will not be processed if it is not submitted via the OCAS IAS portal.

All campuses of the college will be closed for the winter holidays between December 23, 2023 and January 1st, 2024. All college staff will come back for work on January 2nd, 2024.

Please call the Holiday Emergency Contact phone number: 705-235-3211 ext. 2217

Monday, January 8th, 2024 will be our Orientation day for Winter 2024 new intake students. It is mandatory for all new students. Please refer to the detailed information via Orientation – Northern College.

The first day of classes for Winter 2024 is Wednesday, January 10th, 2024.

Northern College does not provide airport pickup for newly arrived students, the College reimburses new intake students for a one-time cab ride from the airport to their accommodation. New intake international students who will study at our Kirkland Lake and Haileybury campuses can keep their one-time cab ride within the town (within Kirkland Lake or Haileybury) for reimbursement too when they just arrive. Students will have to present their original cab receipts to be reimbursed. Please contact  international@northern.on.ca for more info or to submit a claim.

Bus passes and monthly tickets from Timmins Transit are available NC bookstore. Northern College students can purchase bus passes with their Student ID or COR letter for a student discount. Please refer to the information via Fares – City of Timmins

Bus passes and monthly tickets for Temiskaming Transit could be purchased at 2 Cedar Ave, Temiskaming Shores, ON P0J 1P0. Please refer to the information via Transit – City of Temiskaming Shores. Northern college students can also purchase bus passes and tickets on our Haileybury campus student service office after the holiday.

Students can apply for college student ID card starting January 2nd when the college reopens.

Please refer to the detailed information on how to apply for your college student ID card via Student Services – Northern College webpage.

The first-semester course information is included in your ‘Confirmation of Registration (COR) letter. All the course-related teaching information such as class schedules, course outlines, etc. will be uploaded to the college student portal at the beginning of the semester by the faculty. Students can log in to the college student portal for the information.

Program course overviews for a specific program can also be found on the Northern College website Post-Secondary Programs – Northern College.

Class schedules are available in your student portal account closer to the start of the semester and include the time and location information of your courses for the semester. Class schedules will be uploaded in the first week of January 2024. Students can access the student portal and check there regularly for updates.

There will be NO transfer arrangement between any of Northern College Campuses to Northern’s Private Partner College Pures College in Scarborough Toronto.

Students who want to transfer to Northern’s Timmins, Kirkland Lake or Haileybury campuses, are encouraged to contact the advising department on their campuses for the information:

Timmins campus: advisingtc@northern.on.ca

Kirkland Lake campus: advisingkl@northern.on.ca

Haileybury Campus: advisingserviceshl@northern.on.ca

Information about Transfer Credits can be found at Transfer Into Northern – External Transfers – Northern College or by contacting pathways@northern.on.ca.

Residence:

We have residences on campus in Timmins and Haileybury.

For more information about the Timmins Residence, please contact info@timminsresidence.ca; or call Tel: 705 235 6800 or 705-465-0658

You can also apply online on via Timmins Campus Residence – Northern College

For information of Haileybury Residence, please contact info@northernresidence.ca or call 705 980 1301.

Off-campus housing:

Please refer to the information via Off-Campus Housing – Northern College

Temporary stay for a few days or a week is available at Regal Hotel in Timmins at a discounted rate for students who have not yet found permanent accommodations.

At the Timmins Campus, each room has bed, desk, dresser and bathroom. There are common areas with shared kitchens and Laundry facilities to use. Across the street is a grocery store, bank, and other amenities.

At the Haileybury Campus, each room has a bed, desk, and dresser. There are common areas with shared kitchens, bathrooms and Laundry facilities to use. Bus stop is beside the residence building. main stop for all other amenities is in the New Liskeard which will be 7 km away from residence and a bus route is available.

Each student must secure accommodation before they arrive at the college, whether it is a temporary accommodation or long-term rental.

We do have FB group for Northern College Timmins Campus:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1894405927496294

 

Housing Support:

Timmins Campus
Jasdeep Kaur
studentresources@northern.on.ca
705-235-3211 ext. 2319

Haileybury and Kirkland Lake Campus
Vaibhav Chopra
src@northern.on.ca
WhatsApp: +1 705 679 3109

 

Holiday Closure (December 23, 2023 to January 1, 2024) Emergency Contact:
+1 705 235 3211 ext. 2217

This is a complex question, which a simple answer cannot summarize. It depends on the fact that you will work on campus or off campus, the answer will be different.  International students can not work part-time either on campus or off campus if their program has not started yet.  Please refer to the general information on IRCC website Work on campus – Canada.ca

If you have specific immigration questions, please reach our international student advisors in your campuses after January 1, 2024:

Timmins campus:  Maureen Rintamak, RISIA, rintamakim@northern.on.ca

Kirkland Lake Campus:  Monique Lafond, RISIA, lafondm@northern.on.ca

Haileybury Campus:  Aj Sam Mathews, RCIC, mathewsa@northern.on.ca

Please refer to the information on IRCC website via Work in Canada after you graduate: Who can apply – Canada.ca or meet your International Student Advisors above for guidance after your arrive at your campus.

Every international student whose study status is full-time “registered” or “enrolled” (or who have received the “CoR” letter) will be insured by the Morcare, our mandatory International Student Insurance plan.

You will be able to download your international insurance certificate at the end of the first month of your first semester via Northern College (International Students) – Morcare

You will be required to pay any medical bills out of pocket before you receive your health insurance certificate. These medical expenses can be claimed for reimbursement through your Morcare account once it is activated. Be sure to keep your receipts.

Insurance coverage begins 30 days before the start of the semester.

Family Insurance: You may select the family plan within 30 days of the effective date of your insurance plan. The family plan will not be accepted if the member does not opt in their family within the 30-day period.

Please note: The insurance premium is charged each academic year (the previous September 1st to August 31st next year) and is not prorated for Winter and Spring intake students.

DOWNLOAD FAQ PDF DOCUMENT

 

Be sure to check your applicant email.

Detailed emails have been sent to your applicant email address on these topics and more.

Make sure to check these emails to get ready to start the semester.

If you applied through an agent and cannot access the email you used to apply, please contact your agent.

 

Have other questions or need help? Connect with us and we’d be happy to help!

Emergency Contact During Holiday Closure (December 23, 2023 to January 1, 2024):
+1 705 235 3211 ext. 2217

Normal Business Operations will resume January 2, 2024. Students can reach the below departments accordingly for help per guidance.

Student Services are found by the main entrance of your campus. We can help you to enrol and register for courses, process tuition and fees payments, navigate academic requirements, complete forms, and more. Self-serve options are also available in your student portal account, log in at mynorthern.ca.

Advising Services are your guide to everything at Northern College. International Student Advisors help with information regarding immigration and visas, help you to succeed in your studies and address any issues of student Academic Integrity. We also have Advisors that specialize in accessibility services, student academic success services (SASS), student life activities, mental health advising and much more.

Student Resource Coordinators work with advisors to make sure students have everything you need. We can help with finding accommodations, finding services on campus, learning about job opportunities and organizations in the community, and much more.

Students at our Timmins Campus can contact Jasdeep Kaur by email to studentresources@northern.on.ca or call 705-235-3211 Ext. 2319

Student at our Haileybury Campus & Kirkland Lake Campus can contact Vaibhav Chopra at
src@northern.on.ca or by cell/WhatsApp: +1 705 679 3109

Back To Top