What are the new Study Permit Rules for Canada?
Dear Mrs Powell,
I AM 36 years old, and I have a sister living in Canada. I applied for a study permit to do a master’s programme starting in September, but I haven’t received a response as yet. My sister contacted me to say that there are new rules about study permits. I am worried that I may not qualify now based on the new rules. I can’t even find any information on how to get an attestation letter.
Can you please tell me what I need to do now? I am very worried as my husband and I sold our vehicles so that we can do this as a family, and I was anticipating that he would also qualify for a work permit as my spouse. What can I do at this point?
BH
Dear BH,
On January 22, 2024, the Canadian government announced that there would be major changes to the Canadian International Student Programme. The government stated that they will now impose a two-year cap on the number of international student permits that will be granted. This means that approximately 360,000 study permits will be authorised in 2024. This is a 35 per cent drop from the number of permits granted in 2023.
The provinces and territories now have the discretion to determine the distribution of permits among colleges and institutions. Additionally, there are adjustments to the Post Graduate Work Permit Programme, eligibility requirements, duration, and eligibility for Spousal Open Work Permits.
Students with current study permits who are already in Canada who are requesting an extension of their study permit, and individuals who submitted their application before the announcement, should not be affected by this new policy.
These changes will affect new students starting their studies in the spring and fall of 2024. As of the date of writing this article, we are waiting for details about the changes and the exact implementation date for the Spousal Work Permit restrictions, their applicability to post-graduate certificate programmes and more details about the attestation letter.
ATTESTATION LETTER
The information currently available is that individuals who applied before the announcement will be evaluated based on the old rules. However, new applicants will need to provide attestation letters with their application. We have not received information on how to obtain these attestation letters. However, the provinces are expected to start issuing attestation letters after March 31, 2024.
Applicants must ensure that they are using the new study permit application forms and an attestation letter from the provincial administration must be included with every application or the application will be returned.
The only persons who are exempted from the attestation requirements are students enrolling in kindergarten through grade 12 in a primary or secondary school, a candidate for a postgraduate programme, such as a master’s or doctoral degree, or anyone requesting an extension of their study permit.
If you plan to study in the province of Quebec, the rules are different. You will need to have a Quebec Acceptance Certificate, that is issued by the Government of Quebec, if you intend to study in Quebec for a period of more than six months.
The Minister of Immigration Refugees and Citizenship stated that graduates of master’s and other “short graduatelevel programmes” will have the opportunity to apply for a three-year work permit. Spouses of i nternational master’s and doctorate programme will also be eligible for open work permits.
This means that since you submitted your application before the announcement, you do not need to worry about providing an attestation letter. Applicants who are pursuing a master or PhD programme who have clear evidence that they can afford the financial investment in studying in Canada, who are admissible and able to satisfy the other requirements, should not be impacted by the new policies. At this point you should just try to be patient and await further communication from Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
However, for persons planning to apply, I recommend that you consult with a Canadian immigration lawyer directly to ensure that you are using the correct forms and providing all the relevant information to increase your chances of your application being successful as fewer study permit will be issued this year.