Hello future Canadian scholars! With recent changes on the horizon, it's essential to stay up-to-date and prepared for the opportunities that lie ahead. From adjustments to the cost-of-living requirement for study permit applicants to new procedures involving provincial attestation letters, there's a lot to navigate.
We're here to guide you through every step of the process. Additionally, changes in post-graduation work permits and spousal work permits bring new possibilities for your academic and personal growth in Canada. Let us look into the details.
Canada Student Visa Updates
Cost-of-Living Adjustment:
- Starting from January 1, 2024, international students who want to study in Canada need to show they have 20,635CAD for single applicant to obtain GIC instead of 10,000CAD, that hasn’t changed since early 2000s.
- This change is to make sure students have enough money to support themselves while they're studying in Canada.
- Starting on January 22, 2024, if you want to apply for a study permit to study in Canada, you'll need an extra document, called an Attestation Letter.
- You'll need to get it from the province or territory where you plan to study.
- The process of issuing Attestation Letter is not in effect for now but the provinces and territories are working on how to give out these letters, and they should have a process ready by March 31, 2024.
- Most post-secondary study permit applicants (excluding Canadian citizens or permanent residents).
- Most non-degree granting graduate programs (such as certificate programs and graduate diplomas).
- Any other individuals not listed in the exceptions below.
- Primary and secondary school students
- Students pursuing Masters and/or doctoral degrees
- Visiting or exchange students
- In-Canada study permit and work permit holders (including those applying for an extension)
- Family members of study permit or work permit holders residing in Canada
- Students whose applications were received before 8:30 a.m. ET on January 22, 2024
- Starting September 1, 2024, international students studying at Public-Private Partnership (PPP) colleges won't be able to get post work permit after they graduate.
- Starting February 15, 2024, an extended 3-year post-graduation work permit will be available for the students who are pursuing a masters degree program duration of 2 years and who meet all the other eligibility criteria of PGWP.
- For other programs besides masters degrees, the work permit will be the same length as your study program, up to a maximum of 3 years.
- Effective immediately, open work permits will only be available to spouses of international students enrolled in masters and doctoral programs.
- Spouses of international students in other levels of study, including undergraduate and college programs, will no longer be eligible for open work permits.
Provincial Attestation Letter Requirement:
Who requires a provincial attestation letter?
Who doesn’t require a provincial attestation letter?
Changes to Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWP):
Spousal Work Permits Update:
Study Permit Intake Cap:
- To help control the number of new international students coming to Canada, Minister Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced that the Canadian government will set a limit on how many study-permits they will approve.
- For 2024, they plan to approve about 360,000 study permits, which is 35% less than last year.
Do not hesitate to contact an Ivy representative to clear your doubts. Call us today.
