IRCC recently made declarations regarding international students in Canada, many of which will come into effect on January 1, 2024. Considering these declarations, students hoping to apply for their Canadian study permit might find some advantages of applying for a study permit in December 2023. Read on to know more about the advantages of applying for a study permit. 

Save CAD 10,000 On Cost-Of-Living Criteria 

IRCC announced that it would be increasing the cost of living requirement for international students in Canada, i.e., from CAD 10,000 to CAD 20,635. Well, these changes come in response to the increasing cost of living in the country. 

Moreover, the previous figure was set in the early 2000s & hasn’t been adjusted to reflect inflation since that time. It is vital to note that irrespective of when the students apply, they will have to demonstrate that they have funds with respect to the cost of living criteria amount, along with the proof that their first year of tuition & travel costs is already paid in order to be eligible for the study permit. 

However, this change in the cost of living requirement will be effective on January 1, 2024. Therefore, individuals who apply for a study permit before that deadline, even if they begin their studies later in 2024, will just have to pass a $10,000 cost of living requirement. 

In addition, it should be noted that IRCC has doubled the previous cost of living criteria in order to ensure that international students have the financial means to support themselves in Canada. 

Students who apply with the $10,000 requirement might find that this amount is not enough to cover the living costs, a fact which is likely to be considered by newcomers who take various advantages of applying for a study permit before the new cost of living criteria comes into effect. 

Spend Time Studying Abroad, Which Counts To Your PGWP  

Along with the previous declarations, IRCC declared its intention to extend the facilitative measure, thus enabling international students to study at Canadian postsecondary schools from abroad. In addition, the Post-Graduation Work Permit is Canada’s official work pathway for international graduates & is issued with the same validity as the length of the student program of study. 

Under this measure, students might continue to count their time in remote learning towards their PGWP eligibility, provided that: 

  • The study program begins before September 1, 2024. 
  • Less than 50% of the total time of the students in their study program is spent in remote learning from outside of Canada. 

Due to this, international students applying for their study permit in December might be best placed to take advantage of these distance learning abilities, further saving money on room, board, food, & other expenses by living at home. 

What Do I Need To Apply For A Study Permit? 

In order to be eligible for a study permit, applicants must: 

  • Have a letter of acceptance from a DLI
  • Have a valid passport for all individuals included in an application 
  • Attach two passport-sized photos of each student/ dependent in an application 
  • Demonstrate that they have enough financial support to cover the first year of tuition, living & travel expenses
  • Be criminally admissible to Canada
  • Be medically admissible to Canada
  • Have a Quebec Acceptance Certificate if they are studying in Quebec
  • Provide further immigration/ travel documents requested by IRCC
  • Satisfy the immigration officer that they will leave the nation at the end of their authorized stay. 

Is There A Way to Hasten My Study Permit Application? 

Because of potentially long wait times, IRCC has instituted a secondary stream for study permits, known as SDS, i.e., Student Direct Stream. 

This stream is open to candidates from specific nations & has its own set of eligibility criteria, which students must meet in order to be eligible for a study permit. IRCC’s processing standard for these applications is within 20 calendar days, thus making the SDS a crucial study permit stream for eligible individuals who require a study permit quickly. 

Applying With Expertise 

While study permit applications might seem relatively straightforward, their approval process can be more complex & trickier than anticipated, with immigration officers given room to exercise their judgment on how candidates meet the eligibility criteria. It is possible for students to include all the required documentation & meet admissibility standards but still have their application rejected if immigration officers do not feel they will leave Canada at the end of the day. 

For this specific reason, many individuals choose to recruit an immigration lawyer to advertise their best practices in order to maximize their chances of approval & to represent their interests to the government.