The New Deal for Study Visas
Recently, Canada's immigration minister, Mark Miller, revealed to the Globe and Mail that the actual number of study permits offered to international students at the tertiary and undergraduate levels this year is about 292,000. This is a "further cut" from the 360,000 originally announced. The aim is to curb the "unsustainable growth" of international student programs in Canada.
In order to further improve the quality of international students in Canada, the Department of Immigration has not only doubled the living expenses requirement for a single study visa applicant to $20,635, but also required most new post-secondary international students at the college or undergraduate level to provide a Provincial Certificate Letter (PAL) from the province or territory when applying for a study permit.
Who Needs a Provincial Certification Letter?
● Most post-secondary visa applicants;
● Most non-degree-granting graduate programs (e.g., certificate programs and graduate diplomas);
● Any other person who is not included in the following exceptions (i.e., no provincial attestation letter is required).
Who doesn't need a provincial attestation letter?
● Middle and elementary school students;
● Master's or doctoral students;
● Visiting or exchange students;
● Study permit and work visa holders in Canada (including study permit holders applying for extension);
● Family members in Canada of study permit or work visa holders;
● Students who applied before January 22, 2024.
A new deal for work permits
1. Canada's post-graduation work permit policy for public-private partnership colleges and universities came into effect in advance
On March 22, 2024, Immigration Canada announced that international students graduating through public-private partnership institutions will no longer be eligible for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) policy, which will come into effect earlier than May 15, 2024, instead of the previously announced September 1, 2024.
2. The new policy for spouse work visas in Canada
As of March 19, partners and spouses of international students are eligible for the Spouse Open Work Permit (SOWP) only if their sponsor is enrolled in a master's or doctoral degree program at a Canadian university or polytechnic.
However, spouses of undergraduate students from some of the following professional degree programs can still apply for SOWP:
● Dentists
（DDS、DMD）；
● Bachelor of Laws or Juris Doctor degree
(Lb、JD、PCL);
● Doctor of Medicine
（MD）；
● Doctor of Optometry
(FROM);
● Pharmacy
(Doctor of Pharmacy,
理学学士、BPharm）；
● Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM);
● Bachelor of Science in Nursing
(BSCN、BSN、BNSC);
● Bachelor of Education
(B. Ed.);
● Bachelor of Engineering
(B. Eng.、BE、BASc)。
3. Master's degree graduates can apply for a 3-year graduation work permit
From February 15, 2024, master's degree graduates with a duration of no more than 2 years (at least 8 months) can apply for a 3-year post-graduation work permit, which is not applicable to certificate or diploma programs.
4. The validity period of LMIA has been reduced from 12 months to 6 months
From May 1, 2024, the validity period of the newly issued LMIA (Ministry of Labor Approval) will be reduced from the original 12 months to 6 months. Employers must give preference to all candidates in Canada, including refugees on work permits, before applying for a new LMIA.
The New Deal for Immigration
1. Immigration Canada announced a "big cut" to temporary residents
On March 21, 2024, Canada's Federal Minister of Immigration, Mark Miller, announced that Canada will reduce the proportion of temporary residents in the country's population in the next three years!
He said that the number of temporary residents in Canada has increased dramatically every year in recent years. As of 2023, temporary residents make up 6.2% of Canada's population, and the government wants to reduce this to 5% by 2027, a decrease of 1.2%. Based on a population of 40 million, it is to reduce the number of temporary residents by more than 400,000.
2. Canadian immigration trends: Priority is given to domestic work permit or study permit holders
On March 24, 2024, Canada's Minister of Immigration, Mark Miller, proposed in a video released that Immigration Canada would open more "onshore" categories in the immigration pathway (Draw) to increase the "domestic attractiveness" of temporary residents who are already in Canada seeking permanent residency (PR). These draws, which will be for individuals with work or study visas, are designed to ease pressure on sectors such as housing and health care while retaining the talent Canada needs.
In addition, Minister Miller hopes that provincial nominees in provinces and territories will follow suit.
3. Canada's two new immigration pilot programs will be implemented this year
On March 6, 2024, Canadian Minister Mark Miller announced two new immigration pilot projects for rural and French-speaking minority communities, the Rural Community Migration Pilot and the Francophone Community Migration Pilot. In addition, Miller announced the permanent use of the Rural and Northern Pilot Program (RNIP).
The Department of Immigration says rural and French-speaking minority communities are critical to Canada's long-term growth, and regional immigrants play a key role in strengthening their economies. In particular, the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot Program (RNIP) has successfully connected businesses and employers in remote communities with the skilled newcomers they need to thrive.
4. BC Provincial Master's and Doctor's Direct Program Reform
On March 19, B.C. announced that it would reform the Provincial Nominee BCPNP. Among them, the most important content is to cancel the existing master's and doctoral programs, merge and reorganize the international graduate program, and unify the reform.
According to the official website, the BCPNP will usher in a major update from January 2025, and more specific details will be announced at the end of 2024.
(1) The existing Master's and Doctor's programs and the International Graduate Program will be replaced by 3 new programs
● Bachelor's Program: will be open to recent graduates who have earned a bachelor's degree from an eligible university or institution. Graduates with full-time job offers can enroll in this category.
● Master's Program: It will be open to recent graduates (regardless of major) who have obtained a master's degree from an eligible post-secondary institution. Graduates with at least one year of full-time job offer in a skilled occupation can enroll in this category.
● Doctoral program: Doctoral students and doctoral candidates who have graduated from qualified higher education institutions can apply directly for this program.
(2) Increase degree requirements
Students who have completed a diploma or certificate program in Canada may not be eligible for these new graduate programs, but they can still apply for other programs in the BCPNP.
(3) New language requirements
In addition to the medical channel, the language requirements of the entire BCPNP will be comprehensively improved. Among them, the language requirement for the new graduate programme will be at least CLB8. Converted to IELTS, it is 6.5 in reading/writing/speaking and 7.5 in listening!
5. Alberta suspends the AOS channel, and employers demand to increase
On February 15, 2024, Alberta announced the temporary suspension of the AOS Opportunistic Immigration Program under the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP), which will allow the program to address the current inventory issue and focus its limited immigration nominations on priorities, such as filling labor shortages in healthcare, technology, construction, agriculture, tourism and hospitality, and other in-demand industries.
On March 1, 2024, the new immigration stream launched by the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) - Tourism and Hospitality Management category will start accepting applications.
On March 18, 2024, the Alberta Immigration Department's official website updated the requirements for employers under the Alberta Provincial Nominee Program (AAIP), which not only increases the company's revenue, number of employees and years of operation requirements, but also limits the number of nominees sponsored by the company.
6. Entrepreneur immigrants in Saskatchewan, Canada, suddenly announced a "coupon"
On March 14, 2024, Saskatchewan Entrepreneur Immigration suddenly announced a "coupon"! On the official website of the Saskatchewan Department of Immigration, a new note was added: From March 14, Saskatchewan's provincial nomination SINP under the sub-program entrepreneur immigration has undergone major changes, mainly reflected in the "eligibility and selection criteria".
Canada's only program that does not require a language will add eight new requirements, including language, business visits, extension of business years, restrictions on business succession between nominees, and mandatory interviews.
Canada visa processing time
(Updated as of April 2)
If you apply for a study permit in China, the processing time is 11 weeks.
If you apply for a study permit from within Canada, the processing time is 10 weeks.
If you submit your study permit in Canada, the renewal time is 77 days.
If you apply for a work permit or extend it in Canada, the processing time is 102 days.
If you submit a work permit application in China, the processing time is 13 weeks.
If you submit a travel visa application in China, the processing time is 36 days.
If you submit a travel visa application in Canada, the processing time is 13 days.
If you submit an application for a travel visa renewal in Canada, the processing time is 74 days.
Canada immigration processing time
(Updated as of April 2)
CEC Canada Experience Class (EE Express Entry) - 5 months
FSW Canada Federal Skilled Worker (EE Express Entry) – 5 months
Atlantic Immigration Program AIP - 6 months
Provincial Nominee (EE category, EE Express Entry) – 6 months
Provincial Nominee (Traditional Stream, not EE Express Entry) – 12 months
Federal Self-Employed Immigrants - 52 months
Federal Entrepreneur - 37 months
Skilled workers in Quebec - 9 months
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