Two-year time limit for international student visas

A new chapter opens for Canada

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Canadian Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced that there will be a two-year time limit for new international university students entering the country this year 2024. It is important to note that these changes affect prospective foreign students, not students already here in Canada.

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On Monday, January 22, 2024, three main measures were announced from the Ministry of Immigration; the main one has to do with the establishment of a 2-year time limit on new international student permits. These measures are described below.

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First measure

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A two-year time limit is established for new international student permits.

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• A two-year time limit on new international student permits was established, with a national limit on attestation of applications for 2024.
• The cap is expected to result in an approximate 35% reduction in approved study permits 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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Second measure

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Provincial attestation requirement is requested

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• Applicants must now provide a provincial attestation 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 the graduate level, including master's and doctoral students.

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Third measure

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Changes in post-graduation work permits and open work permits are established.

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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 allowed for 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 three years to graduate students of master's degree programs or other short graduate programs who are eligible for PGWP.

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Why are these measures being taken?

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It is important to reflect on this point, these are not measures that go against individuals, there are no discriminatory visions on the part of the country, what is sought with these changes is to ensure the quality of education that characterizes Canada, international students who come to train academically deserve to receive the optimal study conditions they are pursuing, otherwise, why would they leave their countries of origin if there is no such academic paradise here? 

All of these measures are part of a series of strategies to improve the integrity and attitude program conditions for international students in order to successfully prepare them to achieve and maintain optimal levels of sustainability during their residence in Canada, as well as to control the growth in the number of foreign students expected this year. All of this translates into a cap on domestic applications for a two-year period with an estimated projection of 364,000 approved study permits. In addition, out of a true sense of equity and fairness, this cap will be allocated on a provincial basis taking into account the existing population. This means that some provinces will see a greater or lesser reduction in the percentage of admissions, however, the government says it is working closely with these provinces and territories so that these measures can be applied in favor of all involved, i.e., students, designated institutions, the general population, the housing sector, and the region.

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Which provinces will be most impacted?

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Minister Miller says he has been in ongoing and productive discussions with the governments of British Columbia and Ontario, recognizing the need to further protect the integrity of their system while supporting the foreign student body.The province of Nova Scotia will also be affected by the measures. The province of Ontario is expected to see a 50% reduction in study permits compared to a 35% reduction for the rest of Canada.

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Since last year 2023 these changes were already being announced, in fact, at the time, in our blog we addressed this issue with the article Is Canada considering imposing a visa cap on international students, which reflects the need to address this visa cap for reasons that are in favor of the students themselves and the preservation of the quality of education in Canada. In addition, a major change to the cost of living requirement for international students was announced in December of last year, a topic we also discussed in our article New Cost of Living Threshold for International Students in Canada. 

On the other hand, the minister affirmed that in 2025 the limit of these permits for international students will be re-evaluated.

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In Immiland Canada, we have prepared a video with more information on this important issue where you can learn in detail the information detailed by the minister, the colleges affected by these measures, careers and programs, as well as some considerations that are pending under the law so you can better understand this issue. We invite you to watch the Youtube video Changes in the study permit in Canada. There will be no open work permit for couples.

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If you would like to inquire about this or any other case related to your immigration status, please visit our website here or write to us at Info@immilandcanada.com.

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With love,

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Immiland

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