IRCC Updates

New changes announced by the Government of Canada to the international student program include:

• International students are now allowed to work off campus up to 24 hours a week. This is an increase from 20 hours a week.
• International students must apply and be approved for a new study permit before changing learning institutions.
• Graduates from public colleges will be eligible for work permits for up to three years only when their field of study is identified as an area where Canada is experiencing a labour shortage. IRCC identified five broad categories:
  • Agriculture and agri-food
  • Health care
  • Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)
  • Trade
  • Transport
• IRCC is taking steps to include PGWP-eligible fields of study related to early childhood educators and assistants in this list.

The Government of Canada announced further changes to the international student program. These include:

• A further 10 per cent reduction in study permits for 2025 and 2026.
• Reduced eligibility for spousal work permits to only those students in doctoral, some master’s programs, some professional programs, and specific pilot programs. They will also include spouses of workers in sectors where Canada is experiencing key labour shortages, such as health care and construction.
• Starting in 2025, all students previously exempted from the study visa cap will now require a PAL, with the exception of a few categories that are not relevant to MITT.
• Language requirements for Post-Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) applicants will be implemented and standardized. A Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 will be required for any college graduate applying for a post-graduation work permit on or after November 1, 2024. A CLB 7 will be required for university graduates.
• International students are allowed to work off campus up to 20 hours per week. This number is expected to move to 24 hours later this fall, but for now, please remind your students that the limit is still 20 hours.
• Graduates from public colleges will be eligible for work permits for up to three years only when their field of study is identified as an area where Canada is experiencing a labour shortage. Note that IRCC has not yet released a list of acceptable programs and this is expected later this Fall.

The Manitoba provincial attestation letter process is now in place.

The Client Service Specialist, Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation, and Sales and Event Coordinator programs have undergone administrative change and will now be fully administered and operated by MITT.

On January 22, 2024, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced changes to Canada’s international student program.

The new measures include:

• A cap on new study permit applications
• A requirement for most study permit applicants is to include a letter of attestation from their destination province with their study permit application.
• Changes to post-graduation work permit eligibility.
• Changes to spousal open work permit eligibility.

These changes do not impact current MITT international students or those who already have work permits. Additionally, students currently enrolled in a program at MITT will continue to be eligible for a post-graduation work permit.