Breaking News: Canada Overhauls Visa Approval Rules

Highlights:

• Canada has introduced significant updates to its visa approval rules, expanding exemptions and enhancing access to the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) program.
• These changes aim to attract and retain international talent, fostering economic growth and innovation in Canada.
• The updates provide more flexibility for international students and workers, facilitating their transition into the Canadian workforce.

Canada has announced sweeping updates to its visa approval regulations, unveiling expanded exemptions and improved access to the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) program. These changes, effective immediately, mark a pivotal shift in the country’s immigration policies, geared towards attracting and retaining global talent to bolster Canada’s economy and promote innovation.

Among the series of updates, Canada’s IRCC has invited feedback from colleges and universities on a suggested proposal to reduce the duration of time universities have to verify Letter of Acceptances within 10 days, and hence enable speedier Study visa processing. 

The verification rule for every letter of acceptance received was announced in October to combat fraud and introduced from December.

IRCC said it had received concerns from multiple stakeholders that many study permits would not be issued in time for the spring Intake in May.

While we expect that many students who intend to come to Canada for the May semester will have applied for a study permit before January 22, we are aware that not all will have done so,” the spokesperson explained.

The IRCC is therefore suggesting an update to remove the temporary extension to 15 days granted to DLIs to verify Letter of Acceptance. “Officers are currently instructed to wait 15 calendar days before processing study permit applications, but to cut down those times we’re proposing to go back to the originally intended 10 days”.

“So the IRCC officers can start processing study permit applications much earlier. This will also be helpful should there be a jump in study permit applications in April once all processes are in place,” the spokesperson clarified.

Canada’s updates to its visa approval rules, exemptions, and access to the PGWP program signal a proactive approach to addressing the evolving needs of its labor market. By simplifying processes and offering greater flexibility to international students and workers, Canada aims to strengthen its position as a global leader in attracting top talent while fostering economic growth and innovation.