Canada has announced key Changes to International Student Program to protect students

On October 27, 2023, Canadian Immigration Minister Mark Miller unveiled noteworthy adjustments to Canada's International Student Program, with the goal of improving its overall integrity and safeguarding legitimate students from potential fraudulent activities.

Canada has long been a preferred destination for international students due to its trustworthy educational institutions, inclusive and diverse society, as well as the prospects for post-graduation work or permanent immigration. Although international students have significantly enriched the campus life in the land of the maple leaf, they have also encountered substantial difficulties when engaging with Canada's International Student Program.

Key Changes to International Student Program

A few key Changes announced in International Student Program include the following:

1. Effective December 1, 2023, post-secondary designated learning institutions (DLIs) will be required to directly authenticate each applicant's letter of acceptance (LOA) with the IRCC. This advanced verification process has been put in place to safeguard prospective students against fraudulent letter of acceptance incidents, thereby preventing similar challenges that some students encountered earlier this year due to fraud investigations. Moreover, it will make certain that study permits are exclusively issued based on genuine letters of acceptance.
2. By the fall semester of 2024, the IRCC will employ a "recognized institution" framework tailored to benefit post-secondary DLIs that maintain elevated standards for services, support, and outcomes for foreign students. These DLIs will get advantages, i.e. priority processing of study permits for students intending to enrol in their institution.
3. Over the upcoming months, the IRCC will conduct a inclusive evaluation of the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program criteria and initiate reforms aimed at aligning it more efficiently with the demands of the Canadian labour market, as well as regional and Francophone immigration objectives.

Also read- Study in Canada: Colleges, Scholarships, Fees, Courses

Speaking about the new changes announced Minister Miller said,

“International students are talented, bright and deserving of a positive experience as they pursue their studies in Canada. We will continue to improve Canada’s International Student Program by protecting students and weeding out those who try to take advantage of them. Whether an international student stays and works after graduation or returns home, we want their time as a student in Canada to have been beneficial to their growth and aspirations.”

The Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) acknowledges the considerable social, cultural, and economic advantages that international students bring to Canada. To make certain the continuation of these benefits, it is imperative to meet the challenges to the integrity of the International Student Program. These changes are aimed at combating deceitful individuals who exploit genuine students for financial gain, promptly identifying any fraudulent letter of acceptance upon submission.

Institutions that show robust support for international students will get recognition, and their candidates will be prioritized for processing. This approach will allow IRCC to more efficiently select and retain students who are best suited to fulfil Canada's economic and immigration goals.

These vital reforms represent the initial changes recognised through the review of the International Student Program and the broader engagement effort known as "An Immigration System for Canada's Future."

This covers IRCC’s ongoing collaboration with institutions, provinces, territories, and organizations representing Canadian colleges and universities, with the shared aim of improving fraud detection and upholding the integrity of government’s immigration programs.

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For the most up-to-date information on immigration updates in Canada and to initiate your visa application process in Canada for the current year, please get in touch with Visas Avenue, a prominent and reliable visa consultancy service based in India. Feel free to reach out to our Migration Expert via our Toll-Free No. 78-18-000-777 or you can drop us an e-mail at info@visasavenue.com.

- Rajneesh Kumar