IRCC announces cap on admissions for international students

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced a temporary cap on the issuance of study visas for international students. Immigration Minister Marc Miller has highlighted challenges to the integrity of the system due to the increasing volume of international students in Canada. According to IRCC, the cap for 2024 is "expected to result in approximately 360,000 approved study permits, a decrease of 35% from 2023." IRCC states that it will reassess the cap in 2025.

Provincial and Territorial Caps

IRCC will introduce caps for each province and territory, weighted by population. These caps aim to address unsustainable growth in provinces with significant increases in the international student population.

Attestation Letter Requirement

Effective January 22, 2024, every study permit application submitted to IRCC will require an attestation letter from a province or territory (PT). PTs are expected to establish a process for issuing these letters by March 31, 2024.

Changes to Post Graduation Work Permits (PGWP) Eligibility Criteria

Starting September 2024, international students enrolled in study programs under curriculum licensing arrangements will no longer be eligible for the PGWP. International students who have graduated from masters programs or other short graduate level programs will be eligible to apply for a 3-year work permit.

Spouse Work Permit Changes

Open work permits for spouses of international students will only be available to spouses of students in master’s and doctoral programs.

Cost-of-Living Requirement Increase

In December, IRCC doubled the cost-of-living requirement for international students to $20,635, aiming to better prepare them for the actual cost of living in Canada. There has been growing pressure on IRCC to address the influx of international students in Canada.

IRCC is expected to implement a Trusted Framework Agreement with designated learning institutions (DLIs) to expedite processing for study permits by the 2024 academic season.