IRCC proposes study permit reapplication for school transfers. Because of suggested modifications to Canada’s international student program, a recent announcement by IRCC in the Canadian Gazette has received a lot of attention. One particularly notable proposal among these changes is the requirement that overseas students apply for a new study permit if they plan to transfer from one Designated Learning Institution (DLI) in Canada to another. Only DLIs are allowed to admit international students in Canada, and they must follow the guidelines set by IRCC. The purpose of this suggested modification is to guarantee that students will follow these rules while they are studying in Canada.

In Canada, provincial governments currently have authority over designated learning institutions (DLIs), and these institutions are subject to provincial laws. There is no formal system in place at the federal level to guarantee that every university complies with the new admissions requirements. Because there is no federal control, different provinces may comply with national norms and rules differently.

IRCC’s Proposed Requirements for International Students Seeking to Change Schools in Canada 

According to the recent release, IRCC is proposing several changes, including:

  • Prior to the start of their new program, international students who want to transfer from one DLI to another must apply for a new study permit.
  • As long as students stay in Canada and continue to adhere to all other requirements of their current study permit, they can attend the new DLI even if they do not have a valid study permit while IRCC processes their application.

Potential Impact of Proposed IRCC Changes on International Students in Canada

An impact assessment detailing the advantages and disadvantages of the policy for several parties impacted by it, especially DLIs and overseas students, is part of the IRCC’s proposal.

The additional standards come with time and cost implications for international students. Every new study permit application requires a $150 financial outlay in addition to 30 to 45 minutes of preparation work. Present Value (PV) estimates put the entire cost over a ten-year period—one session for every twelve months—at $55.5 million. Furthermore, there’s a chance that the amount of applications may cause processing delays to increase. While IRCC plans to reallocate resources to minimize this issue, the administrative complexity and accompanying uncertainty of the new requirement may disrupt students’ academic goals.

However, as a necessary part of the new study permit application procedure, the verification of Letters of Acceptance (LOAs) will result in compliance and administrative costs for DLIs. Over a ten-year period, the anticipated total cost of DLIs is $4.8 million PV. At first, each application should take about three minutes to check each LOA; however, as institutions get more accustomed to the procedure, this time should drop to thirty seconds.

Will IRCC’s Proposed Changes for International Students Be Adopted? 

Even while it is impossible to say for sure if or how much the IRCC will accept the suggested adjustments, looking at historical patterns can give some indications about what might happen.

The 30-day “consultation” period for the proposed modifications to the study permit requirements is now in effect. IRCC has been holding consultations on different proposals aimed at improving the International Student Program since the fall of 2022. Numerous parties have participated in these consultations, including individual DLIs, national education groups, student representation organizations, and provincial and territory administrations in charge of immigration and education. IRCC has implemented a number of policies that were previously consulted on, indicating a pattern where the department advances with modifications after receiving input.

For example, the verification procedure for Letters of Acceptance (LOAs) was one of the topics of current policy discussions. Feedback from provincial and territorial officials, as well as national education groups, emphasized the efficacy of the current ministerial instructions for LOA verification. They also recommended improving this procedure to enhance information sharing and lower fraud. The amendments to the policy, which reflected these recommendations, went into effect on December 1, 2023.

The present proposed modifications to the study permit criteria will be open for comments until July 29, 2024. After this time, the IRCC will consider the comments it has received and decide what to do next with these policy revisions.