Canada Student Visa Cap: Recent Changes and Their Effects

In the recent Canada immigration news, the country has rolled out a statement saying that it remains steadfast in its adherence to international students in Canada despite the current uncertainty and policy shifts. The recent Canada student visa cap brings about a wave of uncertainty among international students, making students hesitate to enrol in Canadian universities. To avoid any further misconceptions among international students around the world wanting to come to Canada to attend their higher education, the country has clarified that it remains open to international students. 

The CEO of CBIE, Larissa Bezo, acknowledged the challenges that the exponential growth in the student population in the country possesses. He also underlined the need to address issues about unethical factors and believes that the situation was also manageable before the Canada student visa cap was implemented. Bezo strongly supports searching for ways to promote strategic recalibration and advocates for a collaborative, inclusive, and whole-sector approach to ensure sustainability is taken care of.

The Vice President of International Partnerships at Colleges & Institutes Canada, Alain Roy, appreciates the efforts and measures taken to ensure sustainability but questions the effectiveness of imposing such hard caps on Canada student visa applications. Although there are challenges in this direction, Roy believes there is still scope for resilience within this sector as it has varied innovative capabilities. Gonzalo Peralta, Executive Director at Languages Canada, has expressed concerns on the insufficient mconsultations taken while making the study visa cap decisions. They haven’t measured the impact this would have on language school students. He calls for a unified approach to this decision to reserve the reputation and diversity of the sector. 

In a recent town hall meeting set up to discuss the recent student visa Canada policy changes, a spokesperson confirmed that each province and territory in the country had received their respective cap allocation letters. These letters have come through Immigration Minister Marc Miller. Although, the provinces have not disclosed the student visa cap numbers yet. To deal with the fraud, a confirmation rule was introduced in the month of October, which was then taken into effect in December. This brings in the mandate of having a study permit along with the letter of acceptance. 

Furthermore, There are multiple concerns also about the delay in the issuance of study permits, mainly for the spring semester starting in May. To combat this situation, a proposal has been made to reduce the current 15-day period to the original 10-day timeframe for Designated Learning Institutions in Canada to verify the Letters of Acceptance. IRCC has also clarified the rules regarding students who are visiting for small period of time, specifically for less than 6 months. This Canada student visa cap doesn’t include exchange students who are planning to stay for less than 6 months in the country. However, if the students plan to extend their stay beyond the specified period, they may be required to apply for a study permit to stay in Canada and still be exempted from the cap and PAL process. 

All in all, the recent Canada student visa updates reflect efforts to highlight the varied concerns raised by various people involved in the process. The wait remains for the country to streamline its visa processes for international students. However, the spontaneous actions taken to combat fraud and simultaneous proposals to expedite the process are a clear indication of Canada’s commitment to efficiency and transparency. For more Canada student visa updates, follow AmberNews!