Enhanced Protection for International Students: Updated Requirements in Canada – 2023 Insights

Canada is the first choice for international students as they get a high-quality education from the institutions, a social welcome and its diverse society, and a chance to get some work during their study or a permanent job after completing graduation. International students have shared to add a spark in college campuses, innovations, and also some difficult situations during the educational phase in Canada.

Today, the Honourable Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Marc Miller announced that from 1st January 2024, international students will have to pay more for their study permits and other life expenses in Canada. This increment will be adjusted each year when the Statistics of Canada updates the low-income cut-off (LICO). This term indicates the minimum income required by an individual so that they do not spend more than the average income on essential items. 

The study permit cost for applicants has not changed from 2000 to till now. Earlier, it was a cost of $10,000 for a single applicant.  The financial requirement was not changed for this cost of living for a long time, and this resulted in the arrival of students who possess insufficient funds.  From 2024, a student has to show 75% of LICO i.e. $20,635 as a total amount including their first year of tuition and travel costs. These changes will be applicable for those new study permits received on or after 1st January 2024.

The impact of these changes may be different for different students and help students to prevent exploitation and vulnerability. Next year, we have an objective to implement some pilot projects to test ideas and aim to help underrated international students complete their studies in Canada.

This announcement contains some important reforms of the International Student Program announced earlier on October 27, 2023, stating the reform of new guidelines to recognize the educational institutions that provide the best facilities to international students like housing and other support. We expect educational institutions to accept a suitable number of students to whom they can provide facilities easily. 

In welcoming international students, we are responsible for ensuring that students get complete support. After the September 2024 semester, we plan to execute important measures including limited visas, and ensure that educational institutions provide full support to students. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to work with provincial and territorial governments, educational institutions, and other educational stakeholders, to ensure the setting up process of students in Canada.

An update from Minister Miler is published, stating about affecting of 3 temporary policies for international students, that are about to expire at the end of 2023. This will include the following: 

• The renunciation of the 20-hour-per-week limit is applied for international students working off campus. The academic session will be extended to 30th April 2024. International students who have already applied for a study permit till December 7 2023 will only be able to work off campus for a duration of more than 20 hours per week. We monitor the option for this policy in the future to increase the off-campus work hours to 30 hours per week for international students while the class is in session. 
• The distance learning facilitation will continue for those students who started their study program before September 1, 2024. No facility will be provided to students who start the study program on or after this date. The distance learning program was started earlier in 2020 during the pandemic time. 
• During the pandemic and post-pandemic recovery, For labor market disruptions, a temporary policy was introduced. This policy provides an additional 18-month work permit to post-graduation work permit students if their initial work permit is expiring. Foreign students are eligible to apply for a post-work permit if it is expiring within 31 December 2023. This temporary work policy will not be operated further.  

International students bring cultural, economic, and social benefits to Canada and seek to continue these benefits. All the issues will be resolved that made some international students fragile and have challenged the integrity of the International Student Program.  Despite, the extreme increment in the cost of living items, still students are moving to Canada and will have a stronger monetary balance when they start their studies.

For more information, You can contact us at info@gkworks.in or call 9643362320 to Schedule an appointment or Contact your nearest branch now

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