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The information below is a brief overview of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)’s policy announcements since Jan 22, 2024, and is current at the time of publication. A temporary measure is in place to stabilize the number of new study permits issued for 2 years. As policies will continue to be clarified in the coming weeks, we will update this page when more information becomes available.
- As of Jan 22, 2024, study permit applications from outside Canada require a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL). Some students are exempt from the PAL, such as master’s degree and doctoral degree students. Find out how to get a PAL, if you need one, and Letter of Admission for your study permit application.
- If you are a current student, your study permit validity and study permit extension application from inside Canada will not be impacted by these changes. Plan ahead if your documents expire soon and you have travel plans. You will need to get a PAL if you apply for a study permit from outside Canada.
- PGWP eligibility for UBC students will not be affected by the policy change.
- As of Feb 15, 2024, graduates of master’s degree programs which are 8 months or longer can apply for a 3-year PGWP if they meet eligibility for PGWP. (Graduate certificates and diplomas are not master’s degrees and thus do not qualify for this).
- As of March 19, 2024, only spouses of students in master’s degree, doctoral degree or professional degree programs are eligible for a spousal open work permit while pursuing studies. Extensions for current spousal work permits are not impacted so long as you remain eligible.
Review the Jan 21, 2024 backgrounder, Jan 22, 2024 news release and Feb 5, 2024 notice for more details.
IRCC also announced that the temporary policies allowing some international students to work more than 20 hours a week off-campus will not be extended beyond April 30, 2024. From May 1, 2024, to September 2024, the usual work policies will resume.
As of September 2024, it is expected that off-campus work hours will increase from 20 to 24 hours a week during academic sessions. IRCC will share more details. Check the April 29, 2024 notice for more information.
Last updated May 2, 2024 at 3:20 pm PT