Canada’s top-notch educational system and post-graduation employment possibilities have made it a popular choice for overseas students for a long time. Canada is an attractive option for students from all over the world because of its welcoming and varied society, as well as its prospects for employment. However, the Canadian government has decided to impose new rules for overseas students beginning in 2024 due to the increasing burden on real estate, resources, and infrastructure.
The IRCC has recently declared that new rules regarding overseas students will be implemented right away. The ultimate goal of these modifications is to protect international students, avoid fraud, and make sure that educational institutions adhere to the proper international student policies. Explore the article to learn about the new rules in Canada for international students.
Canada New Rules for International Students 2024
Studying abroad can help students from other nations broaden their views and achieve foreign academic qualifications. Studding abroad is a great way to obtain professional experience. It can also be a first step in building a long-term future for a person in a nation that offers a higher standard of living.
Students from all around the world who want a great education in a welcoming environment typically go to Canada. To better handle the increasing number of international students, Canada has made a number of significant adjustments to its International Student Program. The purpose of these new regulations is to address the different issues that students and educational organizations encounter.
Canada new student visa rules include changes in the post-graduation work permit, Time part working and a study permit cap.
IRCC Updates for International Students Working Hours
The total number of working hours for foreign students has increased according to the new rules in Canada for international students announced by IRCC. Similar to previous regulations, the cap just impacts the number of hours that students work outside of campus throughout the academic year.
Due to recent modifications, overseas students are now permitted to work up to 24 hours per week throughout the academic year, instead of the previous cap of 20 hours. Students are now able to enter into the Canadian workforce. This will help them in generating additional income to help pay for their living expenses and tuition.
International students are permitted to work full-time during the summer, winter, and Easter holidays.
The criteria must be clearly stated in your study permission to ensure that you are permitted to work full-time during scheduled vacations or off-campus 24 hours a week. You can contact the IRCC to request a modification to include these conditions if your permit does not already have them.
There may be severe repercussions, such as losing your student status or maybe being deported from Canada if you work more than the 24-hour restriction during the academic year.
Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) Program Updates
On October 4, 2024, IRCC announced the news of Canada to introduce changes to PGWP program for international students. The PGWP gives overseas students the opportunity to work in Canada once they graduate, giving them a chance to obtain useful Canadian job experience.
In order to expand their professional networks and gain work experience, recent graduates from qualified designated learning institutions are permitted to work in Canada for a maximum of three years.
Eligible Study Fields for PGWP:
A total of 966 academic programs fall under the eligibility criteria of PGWP. The major major categories of these programs are as follows:
Healthcare
Transport
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)
Agriculture and Agri-Food
Trade
List of excluded Study Fields for PGWP:
The list of acceptable programs does not include some popular subjects among overseas students, such as:
General Arts
Social Sciences
Tourism And Hospitality
Business Programs
Verification of the Letter of Acceptance
Strong steps are being taken by the Canadian government to guarantee the validity and authenticity of school-issued Letters of Acceptance (LOA). The verification procedure for the LOA has been successful. Between December 1, 2023, and October 6, 2024, the IRCC progress for LOA is as follows:
Nearly 529,000 LOAs were received
Verified around 492,000 LOAs
Found over 17,000 cancelled or falsified LOAs.
Changes in SOWP Eligibility
The IRCC has already made it more difficult for overseas students’ spouses to obtain work visas in early 2024. They restricted eligibility to spouses of learners enrolled in particular masters and doctoral programs at designated learning institutions (DLIs) in Canada.
According to the latest policy, only spouses of students enrolled in master’s degrees who complete the program for at least 16 months will be eligible for a work permit.
Must Read: Employment Verification Letter Types and Templates Complete Guide
Canadian Immigration Rules 2024
In the coming years, Canada wants to reduce the number of temporary residents, as stated in its 2025–2027 Immigration Levels Plan. The government said on October 24, 2024, that Canada will bring in 1.1 million new permanent citizens between 2025 and 2027, a 21 percent decrease from prior years.
The number of new permanent residents permitted in Canada under the new immigration plan would be
395,000 in 2025
380,000 in 2026
365,000 in 2027
Effects of the New Regulations on Foreign Students
New rules in Canada for international students can have certain impacts on students that are as follows:
Advantages for International Students
Better housing circumstances since overcrowding will be reduced with fewer students.
More individualized learning environments due to fewer students
Higher-quality instruction will result from smaller class sizes
Disadvantages for international students
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How early can a student arrive in Canada?
Ans: there is no decided time to arrive in Canada before your classes. However, most commonly, students arrive 30 days before the start of classes.
Q. Why did international students protest in Canada?
Ans: Montreal’s international students protested against the Quebec government’s decision to ban applications for permanent residence.
Q. Will current holders of study permits be impacted by the cap?
Ans: No, only overseas students applying for study permits on or after January 22, 2024, will be affected by Canada’s student visa cap.
