LANG – International Students – Facilitation Measures – March 28, 2022

Key messages

The Government of Canada recognizes that international students provide tremendous social, cultural and economic benefits to campuses and communities across Canada.
International students contribute over $22.3B per year to the Canadian economy – greater than exports of auto parts, lumber or aircraft.
International graduates are also a source of key talent to help support Canada’s future economic growth and counteract the country’s aging demographic.
The Government of Canada is committed to the success of the international student program and will continue to adapt and respond to the challenges posed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The Department met its spring 2021 commitment, by processing over 99% of complete study permit applications received before May 15 in time for the fall 2021 semester, in order to facilitate enrollment.
The Department will continue to finalize complete applications, and proactively communicate with applicants who are able to submit biometrics/medicals where visa application centres (VACs) are open.
We understand that processing times are a concern for students, our partners, and stakeholders. Recent increases in study permit applications exceeded our projections and we are working internally to address these increases.

Through the pandemic, the Department has made temporary policy changes to encourage students to continue pursuing their Canadian programs of study.
In November 2021, the Department announced an extension to temporary measures on distance learning and the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) Program. These special measures allow international students to complete up to 100% of their studies at a Canadian designated learning institution online from outside Canada and remain eligible for a PGWP. Studies completed online from abroad between spring 2020 and August 31, 2022, count toward the length of a PGWP.
This extension will support the international education sector in adjusting to ongoing border measures. The extension will also provide students and institutions with time to adapt to the transition back to the original PGWP policies on distance learning.

Under normal circumstances, 50% of a program of study at a Canadian designated learning institution (DLI) must be completed in Canada and in class and time spent studying from outside Canada is not counted towards the length of a post-graduation work permit.
Temporary policy changes have been made to ensure international students can remain eligible for the PGWP if they study in Canada or outside Canada via distance learning:
- In Canada:
  - Students who are studying in Canada and whose classes have been moved online due to the pandemic will remain eligible for the PGWP. There is no specific end date to these temporary policy changes.
- Outside Canada:
  - On November 26, 2021, the Department announced an extension to August 31, 2022 to temporary measures which allow students enrolled in a PGWP-eligible program to complete up to 100% of their studies online from outside Canada, and have them count towards PGWP eligibility and length. These measures apply to all programs undertaken and ongoing between March 2020 and the summer 2022 semester.

Effective January 15, 2022, international students aged 18 years and older may only enter Canada if fully vaccinated. Those under the age of 18 are exempt from this measure and may be permitted entry even if unvaccinated or partially vaccinated when destined to a DLI with an approved COVID-19 readiness plan. Each traveller should ensure they are eligible for entry through Travel Wizard and leverage the ArriveCAN app to submit their vaccination details.

On January 8, 2021, the Department announced a temporary public policy to issue open work permits of up to 18 months to foreign nationals with an expired or expiring PGWP. The public policy was open to applications from January 27, 2021 to July 27, 2021.

In May 2021, the Department launched a temporary pathway to grant permanent residence for foreign nationals in Canada, outside of Quebec, with a recent credential from a Canadian post-secondary institution. Intake to the pathway closed shortly after opening when the cap of 40,000 spaces was reached.
An uncapped parallel pathway was established for French-speaking and bilingual international students from Canadian institutions intending to live outside Quebec. Approximately 7,000 applications were received when the pathway closed in November 2021.

In July 2020, a public policy was introduced to exempt foreign nationals from the requirement that they apply for restoration within 90 days of losing their status. Eligible former students whose status expired between January 30, 2020 and May 30, 2021, and who remained in Canada, were eligible for this public policy exemption. This public policy expired on August 31, 2021.
Since July 15, 2020, the Department has exempted temporary residence applicants applying from within Canada, from having to provide their biometrics. Biometrics are required for students applying from outside of Canada.

Dual intent is present when a foreign national, seeking to enter Canada as a temporary resident, may be considering applying for permanent residence despite being required to leave at the end of their authorized stay. The possibility that an applicant for temporary residence may later be approved for permanent residence does not absolve them from the requirements for becoming a temporary resident.
Permanent residence may not be an option for every international student and those who are not accepted or do not want to remain in Canada are expected to return home.

Between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021, the Department received 556,700 study permit applications (76% increase from 2020), finalized 557,700 study permits (153% increase from 2020), and confirmed^{Footnote *} 317,100 study permits (390% increase from 2020).