Temporary Limitation on Study Permits for International Students in Canada

Canada has long been a target for international students seeking a world-class education and diverse cultural experiences. In a move to enhance the efficiency of Canadian study permit processes, there will be a temporary limitation on the issuance of study permits for international students later this year. In an effort to curb further expansion, the Canadian government today said that it will impose a two-year cap on the number of applications for foreign student visas.

Earlier this year, the government announced the cost-of-living requirement for study permit applicants would be raised from CAD$10.000 to CAD$20,635. This change reflects the increased cost of living in Canada and aims to better prepare future students for the sticker shock of life in Canada.

Today, the Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship, announced additional modifications to the Canadian student visa program, which would place a cap on the number of study permits issued for the next 2 years in order to implement a more permanent solution. It is believed that the number of foreign students entering Canada at a rapid rate strains the country’s housing, healthcare, and other facilities. Beginning on January 22, 2024, each study permit application filed with the IRCC will additionally need to include an attestation letter from a province or territory in order to impose the cap. By March 31, 2024, at the latest, provinces and territories must set up a procedure for providing attestation letters to students.

The cap is predicted to provide about 360,000 authorized study permits in 2024, a 35% drop from 2023. The number of new study permit applications that will be approved in 2025 will be reevaluated at the conclusion of this year, following the two-year temporary measure.

The Post-Graduation Work Permit Program’s eligibility requirements are being adjusted in order to better align it:

• International students who enroll in a study program that is a part of a curriculum licensing arrangement will no longer be qualified for a post-graduation work permit once they graduate, effective September 1, 2024. Students physically attend a private college that has been granted a license to teach the curriculum of a related public college under the terms of curriculum licensing agreements. The number of overseas students enrolling in these programs has increased significantly in recent years, despite the fact that they are subject to less regulation than public universities and can be used as a loophole to obtain a work permit after graduation.
• It will soon be possible for graduates of master’s and other short graduate-level programs to apply for a three-year work permit. The existing regulations restrict master’s graduates’ ability to obtain work experience and maybe make the transition to Canadian permanent residency by basing a post-graduation work permit’s duration only on the duration of the individual’s studies program.

Who is not affected by this measure?

Renewals of study permits won’t be affected. The cap does not apply to those seeking master’s and doctorate degrees, as well as those studying elementary and secondary education. Those who currently hold Canadian study permits won’t be impacted.