IRCC Minister Transition Binder 2023: International Students
Context
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada manages the International Student Program and issues study permits to foreign nationals seeking study in Canada.
The objectives of the international student program are for Canada to be a destination of choice for international students, and to establish a pool of talent for workers and/or permanent immigrants, ultimately providing economic and social benefits to Canada.
The International Student Program is demand-driven. In 2022, there were over 1MFootnote 1 study permit holders in Canada.
Provincial/Territorial ministries of education are solely responsible for designating institutions eligible to host students, while IRCC processes study permits for applicants accepted to the Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs) identified by the provinces and territories.
For international students that meet program requirements to work in Canada during or following the completion of their studies or to transition to permanent residence, the International Student Program represents the first phase in a continuum:
Study
Work
Stay
Impacts
International students are a significant and growing contributor to the economy.
Over $22.3B annually in 2018, greater than exports of auto parts, lumber or aircraft.
There was a 195% increase in study permits issued between 2016 and 2022.
In a study by a global not-for-profit organization representing international education, Canada ranked 3rd in study destinations in 2022, up from 7th in 2015.
The education sector has become increasingly reliant on international students as a source of revenue.
International students are also a promising pool of talent to be tapped for temporary work or permanent residency. However, the volume of international students in Canada now significantly exceeds the available levels space for permanent residence.
International Student Profile for 2022:
Primarily from:
India (39%)
China (12%)
France (4%)
Destined to:
Ontario (50%)
British Columbia (21%)
Quebec (13%)
Studying at:
College (42%)
University (40%)
Primary/secondary (13%)
Language (3%)
Current Program
Study Phase
Foreign nationals destined to academic, professional or vocational training programs that are longer than six months in duration require a study permit.
A student must meet all requirements:
Be accepted at a designated Canadian educational institution.
Meet admissibility requirements (i.e., financial, security and medical).
All study permit holders are required to enroll at a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) and actively pursue their studies for the duration of their studies.
Unaccompanied minor international students must have a custodianship arrangement in place at the time of application for a study permit to ensure there are adequate arrangements in place for the care and support of the child while in Canada.
IRCC conducts program monitoring to ensure students respect these requirements.
Post-secondary DLIs report to IRCC twice annually on the enrollment status of international students, allowing IRCC officers to investigate those who may be non-compliant and take action against them.
Facilitated processing is available through the Student Direct Stream for those who meet upfront criteria (e.g., health, financial) in select markets (e.g., India, China, Philippines, Colombia, Vietnam).
Work Phase
Eligible students can work on- and off-campus and participate in co-op programs during their studies.
International student graduates of public universities and colleges are eligible for an open work permit up to a maximum of three years, based on the duration of their program of study (i.e., Post-Graduation Work Permit).
The Post-Graduation Work Permit Program is a component of the International Mobility Program, which enables employers to hire temporary foreign workers without a Labour Market Impact Assessment.
Private Career Colleges are excluded, with the exception of those in Quebec.
Accompanying spouses may be eligible for work permits.
Stay Phase
All pathways to permanent residence (e.g., economic, family immigration programs) are available to international student graduates.
Bonus points are awarded in Express Entry for Canadian study and work experience in permanent residency programs (e.g., Canadian Experience Class).
Recent Developments
Rapid and significant growth in the International Student Program:
While international students make an economic contribution to DLIs and communities, increasing volume has brought to light challenges around housing pressures, program integrity, student vulnerabilities, and operational issues.
Long-term solutions are required to enhance client service, better protect international students, and address capacity constraints, in view of maintaining Canada’s reputation as a destination of choice.
Program integrity and compliance efforts require ongoing collaboration with provinces and territories.
Composition of student migration is changing and being monitored:
International students are largely from India.
Increasingly, students are destined to short-term college programs and with a growing concentration in Ontario.
Access to work and permanent residence appears to be driving student demand and the proliferation of some course offerings, which may be affecting the quality and integrity of some programs.
There are reports of non-genuine behavior and increasing submissions of fraudulent documents.
Review of the International Student Program:
A review of the International Student Program is underway, to modernize it to better select and retain students that can meet Canada’s economic and social-cultural needs, including francophone immigration, regionalization and labour market objectives.
Engagement on IRCC’s Strategic Immigration Review is happening concurrently with stakeholders – collecting feedback on topics relevant to this program.
The Department is also undertaking a formal evaluation of the International Student Program, which will be completed in September 2024.
Key Takeaways
Attracting, selecting, and retaining international students is an important and growing responsibility for IRCC.
Significant growth and strong linkages across all three phases of the continuum (i.e., study, work, and stay) brings opportunities and challenges.
Canada’s approach to international students involves the education sector and provinces and territories, and is well positioned to support economic, immigration and labour market objectives post-pandemic and over the longer term.
