The students downstairs are right. A small sign refers to an entry visa, that is, an entry visa, which is usually affixed to your passport. This is a shiny little page to enter Canada, issued by Canadian embassies and consulates abroad.
Study permit, called study permit in Chinese, is commonly known as visa. It's a document to prove the identity of an international student. It's a colorful piece of paper, about A4 size, which was issued by the airport customs when I first entered Canada.
I want to add a few words about big signs and small signs:
The small sign is for the big sign. The entry visa is only used for entering and leaving Canada. You can show it when you go through the customs. Usually, renew your entry and exit visa. When you are in China, we will go to Beijing or Hongkong. You need to update this thing when you are in Canada. Normally, you will send your application to the Canadian Consulate in Buffalo for updating.
The study permit is called a visa because it is the most important thing for international students, because if you stay in Canada, you must ensure that the study permit does not expire. Once the study permit expires, it will be illegal to stay and then you will be sent back to China. On the contrary, you can stay in Canada as long as your study permit has not expired.
When you enter Canada, you get an entry and exit permit (small sign) at home. When you arrive at the customs, the customs officers will give you a study permit (big brand). The reason is that consulates outside Canada only have the authority to issue entry permits, and only relevant Canadian departments have the authority to issue study permits.
However, when you update the size symbol in the future, it will be just the opposite. Update the study permit first (big sign), and then update the entry and exit permit (small sign). Because after you get the study permit, the validity of the entry and exit permit (small sign) given to you by the consulate depends on the validity of your study permit. In other words, the validity period of the entry-exit permit (small sign) is less than or equal to the study permit (large sign).
In short, you can still stay in Canada after the entry and exit permit expires, unless you are going to return to China, you can renew it later, but the study permit is about to expire or has expired, so you should renew it as soon as possible, or ask an intermediary for help, as soon as possible.
I hope my answer can help you ~