Canada: Enhancements to the International Student Program Announced

January 8, 2024

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Country / Territory

At a Glance

  • Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced enhancements to the International Student Program, aimed at strengthening the integrity of this immigration pathway by preventing fraud and protecting students.
  • These include a stricter verification process for Letters of Acceptance submitted in support of study permit applications and a forthcoming Recognized Institutions Framework for eligible Canadian colleges and universities.
  • IRCC also announced plans to review and reform the Post-Graduation Work Permit program in the coming months.

The situation

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced enhancements to the International Student Program, aimed at strengthening the integrity of this immigration pathway.

The following are the key announced measures:

Measure

Details

Impact

New verification process for Letters of Acceptance (LOA)

 
    • Starting December 1, 2023, post-secondary designated learning institutions (DLI) will be required to confirm every study permit applicant’s letter of acceptance. Currently, IRCC does not verify letters with institutions.
    • To apply for a study permit in Canada, foreign nationals require an acceptance letter from DLI – a school approved by the government of Canada to host international students.

 
    • Update January 8, 2024: An online portal is now available for Designated Learning Institutions to verify a study permit applicant’s letter of acceptance. Institutions must complete the verification within 10 calendar days of receiving a notification email from IRCC.
    • It is not yet clear how this process will work in practice, or whether IRCC would be contacting the DLI when reviewing each application. Additional instructions are expected.
    • According to IRCC, this enhanced verification process aims to protect prospective students from receiving and submitting fraudulent acceptance letters and ensure that IRCC issues study permits based on genuine letters of acceptance.

New Recognized Institutions Framework

 
    • IRCC plans to adopt a Recognized Institutions Framework for Canadian colleges and universities sometime between September and November of 2024.
    • Under the framework, DLIs that meet certain criteria (expected to include strong housing, mental health, and other support programs) could be accredited as Recognized Institutions and would benefit from priority processing of study permits for their prospective students.

 
    • IRCC is expected to publish further details on the eligibility criteria and benefits of the program in the coming months.
    • The Recognized Institutions Framework will enable eligible colleges and universities in Canada to bring their international students to Canada through a streamlined and faster process and enhance their reputation in the international student market.

 
  • Fraud concerns. Following investigations into fraudulent admissions letters, IRCC formed a task force to work with the Canada Border Services Agency to review the cases of affected students and graduates and prevent affected students from facing removal from Canada.
  • Goal of enhancements. The goal of the new measures announced by IRCC is to enhance Canada’s International Student Program to protect students from fraud and ensure that learning institutions set a higher standard of support for international students.

IRCC also announced that in the coming months, it will review the Post-Graduation Work Permit program, which has not been reviewed in 10 years, and begin introducing reforms to the program to align it with current Canadian labour market needs and immigration goals.

Fragomen will report on relevant details, guidance and changes as they are announced.

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].

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