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Canada is the dream destination for many Indian citizens as it promises great opportunities to students to study and to working professionals to work. Due to this every year many Indian students move to Canada to pursue higher education so that they can build a good career and have a better life. Not just India, pupils of many countries get enrolled in Canadian universities every year which has increased the population of the international students in Canada over the years leading to a stage where it is becoming challenging for the Canadian government to manage things efficiently for everybody’s benefit. Many institutions have increased the number of programs or courses in various fields to enrol the international students wrongfully to earn more revenue which has caused more harm to the students only. This has made the authorities take some significantly effective measures to curb the population of the international students in Canada; however, this does not mean that there is any resistance from their side. The government is still as welcoming as before but is just a little selective. These changes are currently for two years starting from 22nd January 2024. There might be changes in them for 2025 as the outcome of these new policies will be assessed by the end of the current year.
Let us look at the major announcements made recently by the Canadian authorities:
1) Cap as per the province’s population on the intake of the international students:
To control the number of foreigners studying in Canada the government has limited the number of study permits per province and to keep a track of this it is now mandatory for these students to obtain the PAL certificate (Provincial Attestation Letter) from the province/territory in addition to the study permit. This is applicable since 8:30 am 22ndJanuary2024 for almost all of the Undergrad or college programs post the secondary education. The IRCC will reject the applications without the PAL for study visa unless there is an exemption on that.
The PAL certificate will ensure that the student offered a place in college or university in a province is well within the limited number of seats allowed to that province to enroll international students. Currently the provinces are working on making the process to issue the PAL to the students and this will be done by 31st March 2024.
Any students who has obtained the study permit before 8:30 am on 22nd January 2024 or whose application is accepted by the IRCC before this time will not have to get the PAL and can continue for the process as before.
Students who are exempted:
· Primary and secondary school students
· Master’s or doctoral degree students
· Existing visiting or exchange students studying at a DLI (designated learning institution).
· Existing study permit and work permit holders including the ones applying for an extension)
· Existing family members of study permit or work permit holders
· Students whose application was received before 8:30 a.m. EST on January 22, 2024.
2) Changes Related to PGWP:
· Longer PGWP for the students completing Master’s degree program:
The international students who are studying in the master’s program and are willing to apply for the Post Graduation Work Permit to gain necessary experience and to apply for the PR later, the length of the PGWP will be 3 years starting from 15th February 2024 if their course is less than 2 years.
For all the other PGWP eligible places the students studying a 2 years’ degree program in a DLI will also get the 3 years permit to work.
For rest of the PGWP eligible students it will be as per their course duration up to maximum 3 years.
· PGWP for Public-Private Institutions:
In Canada there are some of the Public institutions which permit some of the Private institutions to teach their curriculum to its students. In this arrangement the students study in a Private college but get the certificate or diploma of the Public institution which leads to better job opportunities to work. Due to this many international students take admission in such private places but due to insufficient monitoring at such places the students do not get good education and support which is must. To discourage international students to take admission in such educational institutes the IRCC made some changes in the PGWP for such students. Any new student who enrolls in Public-Private institutions will not be eligible to get the Post-Graduation Work Permit; however, the existing students will be allowed to get the PGWP.
3) Changes in the Spouse Visa:
The spouse of the international students were allowed to get an open work permit under the Spouse Visa so that they can live together in Canada but this has been limited now. For the next two years the spouse of only the students enrolled in Master’s or doctoral programs will be allowed to get the open work permit to be able to stay with their spouse. For all the other courses or programs the spouse will not be given the open work permit.
These steps are taken to limit the number of international students across many countries to study in Canada leading to the better educational facilities and support to these students who pursue their education in Canada in the hope of a better personal as well as professional lives because the government will be able to take care of all the residents equally making the experience of studying, working or living in Canada a remarkable one. It will also control the malpractices related to the international education and save the students from falling prey to people who provide fake enrolment letters and enroll students to just make money.
The above mentioned changes are not permanent changes and are therefore subject to change depending upon their results. If you have any doubts regarding these changes of any other information related to the Canadian student visa policies and procedures, you must consult an efficient and reputed Canada study visa consultant in Chandigarh like Abroad Gateway so that you have complete clarity about what you are expected to do and what is expected out of you if you plan to pursue your education in Canada.
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