Canada to crack down on study permit loopholes: New rules to safeguard international students

Canada's federal government plans to halt the processing of study permits for post-secondary students if institutions do not properly monitor the enrollment of international students.

Under the proposed regulations, colleges and universities would be required to inform the federal Immigration Department about students' attendance and adherence to study permit conditions.

This initiative aims to protect international students from scams and prevent the misuse of study permits as a backdoor entry for work in Canada.

The proposed rules would require colleges and universities to inform the federal Immigration Department about whether a student is enrolled and adhering to all study permit regulations.

Under the plan published in the Canada Gazette, students must also apply for a new study permit whenever they want to switch schools, and before the start date of the new study program.

One significant change would mandate that students who received a letter of acceptance for a DLI (Designated learning institution) other than the one indicated on their study permit and wish to switch institutions must apply for a new study permit before starting the new program.

Until a decision is made on this application, students are allowed to attend the new institution as long as they remain in Canada and comply with all other study permit conditions.

The proposed regulations would also amend the existing provisions regarding the issuance of a study permit such that DLIs would be required to confirm the letter of acceptance (LOA) provided by an applicant.

The proposed regulations would also tweak the existing provision for accompanying family members so that they are exempt from the LOA verification as long as their study or work permit is approved before their entry into Canada.

However, once in Canada, if that family member moves to a post-secondary DLI, the proposed regulations would require the accompanying family member to have an LOA that is required to be verified.

The proposed regulations would also add a new provision instructing not to process a study permit application and return it to the student, along with supporting documents and processing fees, if a DLI does not provide confirmation of a student’s acceptance to a post-secondary institution as required under the conditions on DLIs.

The proposed regulatory amendments apply exclusively to post-secondary DLIs and post-secondary international students.

According to the proposed regulations, current stipulations require study permit holders to enroll at the designated learning institution (DLI) specified on their study permit and maintain continuous enrollment until they finish their studies.

Amendments to the provisions regarding study permit invalidity would additionally specify that the permit may become invalid on the day the permit holder ceases to be enrolled at the DLI named on the permit.

The limit on off-campus work during regular academic sessions would also be increased from 20 hours per week to 24 hours per week.

"The administration of the International Student Program is a shared responsibility between Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and Canada’s provinces and territories.

Regular compliance reporting to IRCC by designated learning institutions (DLIs) is a key feature of the proposal. Additionally, institutions must provide timely responses to inquiries and requests as stipulated in the new regulations," the proposal said.

Source : https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/nri/study/canada-to-crack-down-on-study-permit-loopholes-new-rules-to-safeguard-international-students/articleshow/111707859.cms