CANADA Key Immigration Changes
FOR VISITORS
📍 End of Visitor Visa to Work Permit Policy:
The temporary policy allowing visitors to apply for work permits from within Canada has ended.
🔵 FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
📍Proof of Funds Update:
Starting January 1, 2024, the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) increased the required proof of funds for study permit applicants.
Students must now demonstrate $20,635 for living expenses, a significant rise from the previous $10,000 requirement in 2023.
📍Cap on Study Permits:
On January 22, 2024, IRCC imposed a limit of 360,000 study permits for the year, a 35% reduction from 2023.
This cap aims to address the rapid growth of international student numbers, protect students, reduce pressure on public services, and maintain program sustainability.
The target for study permits in 2025 has been set at 305,900.
📍Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL):
IRCC introduced the PAL, requiring most study permit applicants to submit a letter confirming alignment with the province or territory they intend to study in.
📍Increased Work Hours for International Students:
From November 15, 2024, international students can work off-campus for up to 24 hours per week, an increase from the previous 20 hours.
Students are allowed unlimited work hours during official school breaks.
📍End of Flagpoling for Work and Study Permits:
IRCC ended the practice of "flagpoling" at the border to process work and study permits.
📍Fast-Tracked Judicial Review for Study Permit Refusals:
On October 1, 2024, the Federal Court launched a pilot project to expedite judicial reviews of refused study permit applications.
This initiative reduced wait times for such cases from 14-18 months to just 5 months, addressing the backlog of immigration cases.
🔵 FOR SPOUSES OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
📍Restrictions on Spousal Open Work Permits (SOWP):
SOWPs are now limited to spouses of international students enrolled in Master’s, PhD, and select programs.
Additional restrictions are anticipated for SOWPs, particularly for Master’s programs lasting 16 months or more.
🔵 FOR POST-GRADUATION WORK PERMIT (PGWP) APPLICANTS
📍Language Test Requirement:
PGWP applicants must now meet a language proficiency requirement.
📍Eligibility Criteria Based on Level of Study and Labour Shortages:
Graduates from public colleges in fields experiencing long-term labour shortages remain eligible for a PGWP of up to three years.
Flagpoling is no longer an option for PGWP applications.
🔵 FOR TEMPORARY FOREIGN WORKERS (TFWs)
📍Changes to Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs):
LMIAs for the Low-Wage stream will no longer be processed in census metropolitan areas with unemployment rates of 6% or higher.
📍Limit on Low-Wage Stream Hires:
Employers can now hire a maximum of 10% of their workforce through the TFW Program in the Low-Wage stream.
📍Reduction in Employment Duration:
The maximum duration of employment for Low-Wage stream workers was reduced from two years to one year.
📍Minimum Wage Increase:
A 20% increase in the minimum wage was implemented for Temporary Foreign Workers under Canada’s High-Wage stream.
These updates reflect Canada’s efforts to balance immigration levels, address economic challenges, and support sustainable growth.
