The Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship (IRCC) today at Brampton announced plans to implement several measures aimed at strengthening Canada’s International Student Program and protecting genuine students from fraud.
These measures include:
Effective December 1, 2023, post-secondary designated learning institutions (DLIs) will be required to confirm every applicant’s letter of acceptance directly with IRCC.
In time for the fall 2024 semester, IRCC will adopt a “recognized institution” framework to benefit post-secondary DLIs that set a higher standard for services, support and outcomes for international students.
In the coming months, IRCC will complete an assessment of Post-Graduation Work Permit Program criteria.
Recall that on September 20, 2023, four members of Canada’s Senate released a report outlining how the integrity of the country’s international student program can be strengthened. The measures announced today, touch on some of the recommendations put forward in the report.
What the new measures announced mean:
First, the new, enhanced verification process aims to protect prospective students from letter‑of‑acceptance fraud and to help them avoid similar problems that some students faced earlier this year as a result of fraud investigations, and will also ensure that study permits are issued based only on genuine letters of acceptance.
The second measure seeks to ensure that these DLIs part of the recognized institution framework will benefit, for example, from the priority processing of study permits for applicants who plan to attend their school.
Third, the assessment of Post-Graduation Work Permit Program criteria will enable IRCC introduce reforms to better calibrate the program to meet the needs of the Canadian labour market, as well as regional and Francophone immigration goals.
Through these measures, Canada is taking action against nefarious actors who have preyed on genuine students for financial gain by identifying every fraudulent letter of acceptance soon after it is submitted. Institutions that demonstrate strong support for international students will be recognized and their applicants will move to the front of the line for processing, and those students that are best suited to meet the needs of Canada’s economy and immigration goals can be better selected and retained.
What next?
International students are major assets to Canada economically, socially, and culturally. At InfoPlace Canada, we strive to ensure our international student clients are well-positioned to succeed in Canada. Book a Consultation with our Consultants to get expert guidance and the comprehensive insights you need to make your dream of studying in Canada a reality.