Author: Azadeh Haidari-Garmash, RCIC
In the middle of summer 2024, a series of regulatory modifications were suggested by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to revamp the nation's international student system. These new directives necessitate a heightened level of conformity reporting by Canadian educational bodies and institutions. These include:
- Empowering the IRCC to halt the processing of study permits for institutions that do not adhere to compliance;
- Mandating students to lodge a fresh application for a study permit upon shifting to a different institution; and
- Increasing the cap on off-campus employment during the study period from 20 hours weekly to 24 hours.
On the 15th of November, 2024, the IRCC formally declared the immediate implementation of all these newly introduced directives, encompassing the augmentation of off-campus work rights to a ceiling of 24 hours each week. Regarding the new expectations for compliance, the IRCC elucidated, "Designated learning institutions are required to submit a biannual report to the IRCC, disclosing the enrolment status of each associated study permit holder. Students who discontinue their enrolment could be scrutinized and subject to enforcement measures, as they may be violating the terms of their study permits."
The key takeaway from this revision for all parties involved is that the IRCC is now, in effect, stepping up its supervisory role, and ability to impose penalties, over Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs) more than it has done in the past.
