Canada Student Visa Archives - Immigration Lawyer Vancouver, Canada | Sas & Ing Immigration Law Centre
 

HomeTagCanada Student Visa Archives - Immigration Lawyer Vancouver, Canada | Sas & Ing Immigration Law Centre

It has been a rough year for international students in Canada.  Firstly, in December 2023 the Minister of Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), The Honorable Marc Miller, increased the cost of living requirement for international students from $10,000 to $20,635.  Soon after he imposed a restriction (and reduction) of the number of international students to Canada each year.  Then he reduced the number of hours that international students can work while studying full time to 24 hours per week down from full time.   He revoked the open spousal work permit for international student spouses at the college or undergraduate level.  And this past week on June 21, 2024 he eliminated the option of obtaining a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) at the port of entry, a process commonly referred to as “flagpoling”.  Now an international student applying for an initial PGWP, or an extension will be limited to applying for their permit from within Canada and waiting for it to be processed.

On January 22, 2024, Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, the Honourable Marc Miller made the seismic announcement that Canada will set caps to limit the number of new international students coming to Canada, with a goal to reduce overall levels by a whopping 35% over two years.  Minister Miller did not mince words during his January press conference when describing the institutional wrongs he intends to right, citing the existence of “diploma mills” whose sole purpose is to turn a profit from international students, rather than ensuring they receive a quality education and experience in Canada.  It has now been a month since Minister Miller's announcement was made, and we are now seeing trickle down effects in the ways that provinces and territories are adapting to these changes.

In response to public concerns raised about the impact of foreign students to the overall economy and housing, this past Monday, January 22, 2024, Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship (IRCC), the Honourable Mark Miller, introduced sweeping changes to Canada’s international student program decreasing the overall number of applications to be accepted, introducing provincial and territorial caps and modifying the post-graduation work permit (PGWP) program. While the changes are set to take effect September 1, 2024, certain aspects of the program will be affected as of Monday, effectively suspending further study permit applications until the end of March.  

Express Entry is a selection process that is comprised of four separate permanent resident processing streams: Federal Skilled Worker (FSW), Canadian Experience Class (CEC), Federal Skilled Trades Program(FSTP) and the Provincial Nominee Programs( PNP). Even before registering in the Express Entry pool, it is necessary to determine that you meet the requirements for one of these programs.

The start of each new school term brings exciting opportunities for international students. In addition to experiencing a new country and obtaining an international education, international students have numerous opportunities to work and live in Canada both during and after their studies. Yet, nearly every month I am consulted by international students facing removal from Canada without being allowed to complete their studies. What can international students do to maximize their opportunities not only from an educational perspective but also for immigration purposes?

Fall’s “Back to School” season not only represents the start of another school year but also provides many opportunities for international students who are seeking to study and ultimately live and/or work in Canada. Opportunities for international students have changed dramatically over the years. Historically, it was often difficult for international students, who are seeking temporary entry into Canada, to demonstrate that they had a genuine intention to enter Canada on a temporary basis and yet at the same time have a desire to remain in Canada permanently at the end of their studies. Furthermore, students were historically limited in employment opportunities to only being able to work on campus. Recent changes have seen a dramatic shift in philosophy toward international students as Canada’s Immigration Department has come to realize that international students tend to make excellent workers and permanent immigrants who are able to establish themselves in Canada with considerable success.

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