In an effort to enhance the integrity of the international student program, Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has implemented measures including the launch of an online portal for Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs). DLIs, the only schools authorized to accept international students in Canada, will now have to verify Letters of Acceptance (LOAs) submitted by students through this portal.
As per reports from CIC News, under the new framework, DLIs must validate LOAs within 10 calendar days; failure to do so, or if the letter is deemed fake, may result in the cancellation of the student visa application.
DLIs lose access to LOA verification once the deadline passes. These changes follow past abuses, including a case involving 700 Indian students who were nearly deported due to false acceptance letters.
IRCC's proposed "Trusted Institutions Framework" introduces a two-tiered system for issuing study permits, expected to be implemented in the fall of 2024. Trusted institutions will receive benefits such as faster study permit processing.
2024 will see additional changes, including an increased cost-of-living requirement for students, a reconsideration of the 20-hour work cap, the end of counting time spent abroad towards the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), and new changes to the PGWP program, according to CIC News.
IRCC aims to connect international student enrollment and PGWP issuance with labor market and demographic needs. These changes reflect Canada's commitment to maintaining the integrity of its international student program housing nearly one million students.
