Canada has moved the deadline for issuing work permits for international students who graduate from public-private partnership programs between September 1st and May 15th.
On March 22, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced that this measure was put in place to prevent schools from changing their admission dates in anticipation of the policy change.
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In order to control population growth and handle housing difficulties, the Canadian government intends to impose a two-year cap on the number of overseas students admitted beginning in 2024. Furthermore, after graduation, the regulation will only allow postgraduate students to be issued employment visas.
A post-graduation work visa would no longer be granted to overseas students who complete college courses given through a public-private curriculum licensing arrangement, the Immigration and Refugee Committee of China (IRCC) said on January 22, 2024.
A few educational institutions have announced that the new school year will start in June or August. Foreign students were previously admitted to public schools under the public-private partnership and then paid to switch to private ones.
With a public school diploma in hand, these kids would be qualified to apply for work permits after graduation.
Students can now apply for alternative work permits despite the ban, especially in fields where there is a shortage of labor.
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The decision is expected to have a major effect on Ontario province, which is home to at least 14 public-private partnership schools and will lose some 133,000 international students.
96% of Ontario’s international study permits, according to Jill Dunlop, chair of the province’s university and college management authority, would go to public schools.
Citing a rise in immigration, Canada has been imposing tougher rules for foreign students since October 2023.
They allege that this has led to a lack of accommodation and an increase in rent.
In an attempt to relieve strain on housing, healthcare, and other services, the IRCC plans to permit 360,000 new students, a 35% decrease from the previous year.
Canada and the United States are two of the most popular countries for overseas students to study, in part due to the simplicity with which work permits may be obtained after graduation.
The government receives an annual contribution from the international education sector of about US$16 billion.
