By admin (September 19, 2024)
IRCC Tightens Study Permit Quotas and Make Change on PGWP Eligibility
Immigration Minister Marc Miller defended the limit on international student permits. It stated Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will issue 437,000 study permits in the year 2025, down 10% from the 485,000 targeted in 2024. The department said this would mean 300,000 fewer study permits over the next few years, with intake stabilizing in 2026.
Miller said that not everybody who wants to come to or remain in Canada will be able to and that a managed and sustainable immigration system will conserve the integrity of the system to support the success of newcomers.
Now Master’s and PhD Student will Require a PAL
Most importantly, master’s and Ph.D. students from now on also have to make an application for a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL), the same as college and undergraduate students.
An amount of 12% of the total quota of the study permits issued will be reserved for the graduate degree students once the role of the students in the workforce of Canada is taken into account.
Eligibility Criteria for PGWP Change
The Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) will be changed by tightening its eligibility criteria, requiring that university graduates obtain a minimum Canadian Language Benchmark score of 7 and that college graduates obtain at least 5 for applications going in on or after November 1. Thus, “this means fewer than 175,000 PGWPs are issued over the next three years,” says Miller.
Limits on Open Work Permit for Spousal
In addition, the spousal open work permits will be issued to the spouses of the master’s students who are enrolled into the programs that require at least 16 months; accordingly, the spouses’ work permits will be reduced to 50,000. The spousal work permits will be limited to the spousal partners of Canadians or permanent residents who are involved in key sectors and not connected to the international student program.
Impact on Temporary Foreign Workers Program (TFWP)
In response to the increase in the rate of unemployment in Canada, this time between April and August 2024, from 6.4% to 6.6%, more restrictions have been imposed on temporary residents under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) said Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, Randy Boissonnault.
It’s a program that should be resorted to only when absolutely necessary and not in a manner to supplant or depress the wage levels of Canadians. Still, he added that in any case, immigration is responsible for 99% of the country’s economic growth, a number that could rise to 100% by 2032.
Changes in Permanent and Temporary Resident Level in Canada
The year has also witnessed some of the most extensive changes Canada has ever put in its immigration policies, most notably a cap on study permits and restrictions on work permits for holders of PGWP and spouses.
In March, Minister Miller announced the inclusion of temporary resident levels in the 2025-2027 Immigration Levels Plan to further efforts in cutting down the count of temporary residents.
Other steps to address temporary residency include plans to repeal COVID-related policy regarding visitors applying from within Canada for work permits based on job support and to pause further processing of Labour Market Impact Assessments for low-wage jobs in communities experiencing 6% or higher unemployment. Finally, eligibility for PGWPs will be based on educational programs aligned with the key sectors of the Canadian economy.
Minister Miller has stated previously that he will also be open to look at options of addressing permanent immigration level’s to Canada land. The Minister also noted that though it would be also important that not to “overcorrect” permanent immigration level, the changes he was expecting would be “significant” and not simply “cosmetic”. More information will be expected in the coming weeks