On January 22, 2024, the IRCC (Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada) announced measures to address challenges in the international student system.

Study Permit Application:
Minster Marc Miller disclosed a 2-year cap on international student permit applications, targeting approximately 360,000 approvals in 2024—a 35% reduction from the previous year. The cap will be distributed among provinces and territories, which will then allocate quotas to their designated learning institutions (DLI).

Effective immediately, all study permit applications must include an attestation letter from the relevant provinces or territories, with an issuance process expected to be established by March 31, 2024.

Student-related Work Permit:
Starting September 1, 2024, post-graduate work permits (PGWP) will not be available for curriculum licensing programs students in public-private models. Instead, master’s degrees and other short graduate-level program graduates will soon be offered a 3-year work permit.

In weeks ahead, open work permits will be exclusive to spouses of international students in master’s degree and doctoral programs. Spouses of students in other program levels, including undergraduate and college programs, will no longer be eligible.

These reforms align with recent initiatives to strengthen the International Student Program, emphasizing genuine student support and system integrity.

For further insights into these changes, reach out to EGI, leveraging our expertise to facilitate a smoother experience for international students.

Reference: IRCC Official Website
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2024/01/canada-to-stabilize-growth-and-decrease-number-of-new-international-student-permits-issued-to-approximately-360000-for-2024.html