In a recent announcement this year 2024, the Canadian government outlined measures aimed at addressing the challenges faced by international students in the country. The decision to change this reality reflects the government's strong commitment to maintaining the integrity of the education system while ensuring a positive experience for students who choose Canada as their academic destination. 

It is true that in order to reach these instances, there must have been some generalized discontent that marked the feelings of many international students who saw their arrival, stay and permanence in the country with concern and anxiety because they had to face high rental costs, general living expenses that exceeded their expectations, and even the fact that they expected a greater commitment from the system to orient them and prepare them about their legal rights, employment, health care, among other issues. 

Our immigration consulting firm, Immiland Canada, is aware of this situation because every day we read comments from clients and users who express themselves letting us know what they expect as visa applicants to reach the country of their dreams, all this after so many news on different platforms, that is why we wanted to write this article that offers simple and digestible information about what is behind this new chapter that opens in Canada from now on and how the dynamics of change is for the better. Here are some relevant aspects about the pillars of these measures.

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Minister Marc Miller's commitment to international students

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In an act of valuable recognition, the minister began by warmly welcoming the international students, emphasizing their importance as an intellectual, economic and cultural human force for the progress of the Canadian community and also pondering the general benefits they have been bringing to the country's society for decades, all of which set the tone for subsequent policy measures. 

International students are necessary for Canada, the immigration ministry supports the arrival of foreigners, and the profile sought is geared to be high, any applicant who wants to make a life in Canada should have this line of thinking so that they can adapt to the recent measures of the government.

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Avoiding the challenges and shortcomings of the education system

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Many students end up being "exploited" by certain private institutions that have even been accused of operating on under-resourced campuses, lacking student support, and charging exorbitant fees while significantly increasing their number of international students (this is one of the main reasons why the number of international student visas was reduced this year).

Especially since last year, the IRCC determined that it was handling the entry of many international students who came with the illusion of doing their studies and then working, but were left in limbo when they saw that they did not study in a PGWP-eligible institution, having a great challenge to overcome in terms of their life project, since they were not even aware of it. The government's intention is to prevent these false expectations from continuing to be generated, while accumulating foreign students without a well-established destination in Canada. At Immiland, we do our part by always alerting users about the decisions they should evaluate before making them. It is preferable that an advisor guides a study or work immigration process to be successful and not to leave it up to the user if he/she does not know where he/she is going to go and what his/her real opportunities are. The lack of information is also reflected in the information that is or is not disclosed on a given subject. We invite you to expand on these concepts in Urgent Reforms for the International Student Program. 

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Measures announced by Minister Miller

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Basically, these are three main measures aimed at addressing the above issues and improving the overall experience of international students in Canada.

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1. Establishment of a 2-year time limit on new permits for international students 2.

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• This time limit goes with a national limit on the acceptance of applications stipulated for 2024.
• The cap is expected to result in approximately 35% fewer study permits approved compared to 2023.
• The allocation of boundary space by province is based on population, ensuring a fair distribution of resources.
• These limits do not apply to persons already studying in Canada who need to extend their legal stay as students.

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Provincial attestation requirement

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• The attestation is an attestation resource that, in this case, is provided by the province where the student will be studying. Thus, applicants must now provide a provincial attestation, or letter of acceptance, with their study permit application, effective immediately. Provinces have until March 31, 2024 to develop the attestation system.
• The limit does not apply to students at postgraduate levels, including master's and doctoral degrees. This means that these higher education programs are exempt from this measure.

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3. Changes in post-graduation work permits and open work permits

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• As of September 1, 2024, post-graduation work permits will no longer be available for models from public and private institutions.
• Open work permits will only be available to spouses of international students enrolled in master's, doctoral and professional programs, excluding spouses of those enrolled in other levels of study.
• Post Graduate Work Permits (PGWP) will be issued for 3 years for students graduating from Master's or other short graduate programs and who are eligible for PGWP (such as medicine and law).

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Addressing concerns and ensuring equity

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Continuing with the Immigration Minister's commitment, it is worth mentioning that Miller clarified that the measures are not against individual international students, on the contrary, they are designed to ensure that prospective students receive the quality education they expect and have been offered from the moment they were encouraged to enroll in their home country. The goal is to prevent students from becoming disillusioned and disappointed, which is important to maintain the reputation of Canada's education system.

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On the other hand, the government recognizes the economic impact these measures may have on public universities and colleges, and has spoken out on the need to address integrity issues within the system. The exemptions for master's and doctoral students underscore the commitment to retain high-level academic talent.

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The Canadian government and its collaboration with the provinces

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The government recognized the need for collaboration with provinces and territories to effectively implement these measures. Acknowledging the efforts of some provinces, Minister Miller stressed the importance of coordinated action to safeguard the integrity of the education system.

In conclusion, the government outlined a two-year plan for these temporary measures, with a commitment to reassess the situation at the end of the period. The goal is to work collectively with provinces and territories to address challenges, ensure equity and maintain the high standards of education for which Canada is known.

As the Canadian government takes this decisive step to reshape its international education landscape, the hope is that these measures will create a more sustainable and equitable system, ultimately benefiting both the international students who rely on its colleges and universities and the institutions that host them.

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With love,

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Immiland

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