Canadian Mobility: Immigration alert
The Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship (IRCC) has announced the implementation of a two-year cap on international student applications to stabilize the growth of the International Student Program for the next two years. As well, new limits on work permits issued to international students or their spouses have also been recently announced.
Background
As the number of international students choosing to study in Canada has rapidly increased over the past few years, the government has recently introduced several measures in an effort to better manage the integrity of the International Student Program.
For example, as of 1 December 2023, officially recognized post-secondary schools (known as Designated Learning Institutions, or DLI) have been required to confirm their letters or acceptance directly with IRCC, a verification process which was implemented to protect prospective students from unscrupulous parties by ensuring study permits are issued based on genuine letters of acceptance.
Additionally, the government increased the minimum funds threshold that a prospective foreign student in Canada must possess, effective as of 1 January 2024, to better reflect the true cost of living in Canada.