IRCC announced a cap of 292,000 new study permits for college and undergraduate students out of an overall intake of 360,000 for 2024, aimed at managing "unsustainable growth" in the international student program.
The cap includes specific exemptions and is part of an effort to ensure system integrity. Implementation details revealed by Immigration Minister Marc Miller indicate that the cap will be managed through application processing limits, with provinces playing a key role in distributing Provincial Attestation Letters (PALs) to eligible students at Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs).
British Columbia and Alberta have already outlined their PAL distribution systems. Given the caps and the provincial role in implementation, students are advised to act quickly to secure their study permits.