International Students

Since March, Canada has sought to help international students experiencing disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

If you have a work permit that is going to expire or you want to make changes to the conditions of your work permit, you must submit a new application at least 30 days before your work permit expires. You are legally allowed to stay in Canada while Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) processes your application.

International students hoping to remain in Canada on a Post-Graduation Work Permit now have six months to apply once they obtain their notice of graduation and are no longer required to have a valid study permit.  

In March and April 2024, 50,000 international students—including 20,000 from India—enrolled in Canadian colleges and universities but didn’t attend classes, raising concerns about immigration fraud and misuse of the student visa system.

Canada's international student population has recovered quickly amid the pandemic.

Canada saw nearly 450,000 new study permits take effect last year, a staggering figure that easily broke the previous all-time record set in 2019.

According to a recent report by The Globe and Mail, nearly 50,000 international students were labeled as "non-compliant" during March and April 2024 by IRCC. These students, despite receiving study permits, did not enroll or attend the colleges and universities they were assigned to, making up 6.9% of the tracked international student population.

Through various inter-governmental agreements and initiatives, the province of Quebec allows several groups of international students to benefit from an exemption from international tuition fees.

Through various inter-governmental agreements and initiatives, the province of Quebec allows several groups of international students to benefit from an exemption from international tuition fees.

British Columbia

More than 167 candidates received invitations to apply for a provincial nomination in these draws.

A new immigration pathway for international graduates of post-secondary institutions in Manitoba is now open to Expressions of Interest from eligible candidates.

Canada is one of the world's most attractive destinations for international students.

Last year, Canada welcomed 450,000 new international students, an all-time record.

Marc Miller, has expressed concern over the rising number of international students seeking asylum to stay in the country, calling it an "alarming trend."

International graduates from Alberta post-secondary will have two new options to immigrate to Canada.

The Government of Alberta is extending a temporary transition period for applicants to the Alberta Opportunity Stream who hold a Post-Graduation Work Permit.

In 2022, Canada admitted a record of 551,405 international students from 184 countries and as the end of 2022; there were 807,750 international students with valid study permits in Canada.

Alberta
Alberta announced it is launching a new expression of interest portal and a new immigration pathway for recent international student graduates from Alberta post-secondary institutions.

British Columbia has introduced new guidelines that will cap international student enrollment at public Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs) to 30% of total enrollment. Private DLIs are exempt from this cap.

In the face of a severe shortage of registered nurses, British Columbia and Ontario are working to remove obstacles for internationally educated nurses.

Immigration Minister Sean Fraser has announced a new temporary measure aimed at alleviating Canada's historic labour shortages. Fraser says this will allow over 500,000 international students already in Canada to potentially work more hours.

Eligibility for Spouses of International Students
Under the new policy, Family Open Work Permit (OWP) will only be available to spouses of international students who are enrolled in: