Updated on June 13, 2024 by canadian immigration experts
Minister of Immigration Marc Miller announced a 35% reduction in study permit issuance, with the remaining 65% distributed over two years. Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will oversee this change, with potential adjustments if needed. Allocations to provinces are based on population size to support international students, addressing past challenges in accommodating them. So, if you are planning to move to Canada to study, this article will help you choose the best province based on numbers and understand the new study permit system.
How The Allocations Will Be Distributed:
The IRCC has integrated its distribution system to evaluate how the provinces and territories will manage the flow of international students.
It’s surprising because some provinces will receive more students than they did before the cap. However, the IRCC is confident that the increase won’t be overwhelming for these provinces.
Even if some provinces have fewer resources in their university or college infrastructure, the IRCC has reduced the allocations for those provinces to avoid any negative effects.
The cap for the provinces estimated to have more international students than last year will be around 10% of the province’s population. Final adjustments were made for provinces with an approval rating of 60%, increasing allocations for those provinces so they can meet their expected number of approved study permits.
Ontario Receives The Largest Amount Of Allocations:
According to the IRCC’s list, Ontario will receive most of the study permit allocations. Ontario is Canada’s most popular province for international students and houses 530 designated learning institutions (DLIs). However, while the province receives 235,000 study permit allocations, most will go towards public universities and colleges, more specifically 96% of that 235,000. Only a handful of private universities in Ontario can accept international students.
Allocations By Province, What To Expect:
Here’s a table that lays out the study permit allocations for each province/territory. It shows how the allocations have been distributed and the projected approved study permits, along with the differences from 2023:
Province/Territory | PT Allocations | Projected Approved Study Permits | Changes from 2023 (%) |
Alberta | 40,894 | 24,537 | +10 |
British Columbia | 83,000 | 49,800 | -18 |
Manitoba | 15,233 | 9,140 | -10 |
New Brunswick | 9,279 | 5,567 | -10 |
Newfoundland & Labrador | 2,365 | 1,419 | +10 |
Northwest Territories | 333 | 200 | +4900 |
Nova Scotia | 12,906 | 7,744 | -10 |
Nunavut | 333 | 200 | +6567 |
Ontario | 235,000 | 141,000 | -41 |
Prince Edward Island | 2,004 | 1,202 | -10 |
Quebec | 72,716 | 43,629 | +10 |
Saskatchewan | 12,043 | 7,226 | +10 |
Yukon | 417 | 250 | +205 |
IRCC Caps The Permits That Are Processed, Not Issued:
To mitigate the number of international students Canada gets, the IRCC couldn’t just give a specific number for who can or cannot come to Canada to study. Given the strain on our current educational infrastructure due to the high number of international students, implementing a systemic cap on processing is the only practical solution.
Processing and issuing study permits are two very different processes. Where students who are processed aren’t guaranteed a study permit, they have the peace of mind that their application was received and will be reviewed. Miller stated that the IRCC has no authority to cap the number of approved permits, so they can only limit the number of permits that can be reviewed.
Hopefully, this article provided more insight into the study permit cap, from why it was created to the amount of allocations each province will receive. If you have any further questions about the cap or want to apply for a study permit, Jane Katkova & Associate’s team is happy to help. With over 20 years of experience dealing with complex cases and successfully bringing students into Canada to study, we can help you navigate the application process and build a robust case for all your future success.
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