FAVOURABLE CHANGES FOR INT’L STUDENTS - SEPT 2020 INTAKE

International students make immense cultural and social contributions to Canada, and generate more than $21 billion in economic activity. 

In 2019, Canada hosted over 650,000 international students at the post-secondary education level.

More than 58,000 former international students have become Canadian permanent residents.

The changes will continue Canada’s reputation as a premier destination for international students and demonstrate the importance of the international student program and the contributions international students make to Canada.

The new measures include

• providing priority study-permit processing for students who have submitted a complete application online, to ensure that permits are processed as quickly as possible
• allowing students to count the time spent pursuing their studies online abroad toward their eligibility for a post-graduation work permit, if they have submitted a study permit application and if at least 50% of their program is completed in Canada
• providing reassurances to international students who cannot submit all of the documentation needed to complete processing of their applications, and who choose to pursue programs through distance learning, by implementing a temporary 2-stage approval process

The temporary process will allow applicants to count the time spent studying online abroad towards their post-graduation work permit once they receive an approval-in-principle, as long as they are able to satisfy all requirements and receive the full approval of their study permit application at a later date. 

This process is available to students starting a program in the fall semester who submit a study permit application before September 15, 2020. This measure will reassure students that they can enrol and begin their studies this fall online, even when they are not able to submit all required documentation due to pandemic-related closures