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Ottawa updated study permit validity guidelines for specific passport-exempt individuals
The Canadian Government has updated instructions regarding study permit validity periods. Officers must generally issue study permits and temporary resident visas for the full length of the study program plus an extra 90 days. However, this validity period normally cannot outlast the applicant's passport. The new update clarifies a crucial exception under subsection 52(2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations. Certain individuals do not need a passport that co
May 21


Spending scandal at Conestoga College highlights systemic failures in Canada’s international student program
A new report from the federal Auditor General has cast a harsh light on Canada’s international student surge, revealing a "hot mess" of oversight failures and potential fraud. Between 2023 and 2024, officials identified over 150,000 cases where study permit holders potentially violated their requirements, yet only a tiny fraction were ever investigated. While the Ontario Government faces criticism for a 2019 tuition freeze that pushed colleges to aggressively pursue foreign t
May 15


Statistics Canada study projects a sharp decline in international student enrolment in 2026
A new study released by Statistics Canada on May 5, 2026, indicates that federal policy changes implemented in 2024 have triggered a significant reversal in international student trends. Preliminary estimates suggest that new student cohorts will plummet by 64% in the 2025/2026 academic year compared to 2023/2024 levels. Total international student enrolment in public postsecondary institutions is projected to drop by 29% over the same two-year period, bringing population lev
May 6


Updated IRCC guidelines clarify restoration of temporary resident status for foreign nationals
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) recently updated its instructions regarding the restoration of temporary resident status to provide greater flexibility for foreign nationals. Under the revised policy, applicants can now apply to restore their temporary resident status independently, without the obligation to restore the specific work or study authorizations they previously held. This means individuals who no longer qualify for or require their former autho
May 4


A new language-to-academic pathway model to help Canada’s language training sector thrive
Canada’s language training sector is rebuilding language-to-academic pipelines after recent immigration policy changes sharply reduced enrolments in these pathways. With Provincial Attestation Letters concentrated at public institutions and new rules requiring students to obtain a new permit to change designated learning institutions, traditional multi-DLI pathways became difficult to sustain. In response, Languages Canada developed the Joint Pathway Program , a joint program
Apr 8


Canada welcomed over 24,000 new permanent residents in January 2026
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) processed 32,400 permanent residence applications and welcomed 24,100 new residents in January 2026. The department also granted citizenship to 227,300 individuals between April 2025 and January 2026. During the same month, IRCC finalized 34,200 study permit applications and 136,700 work permit applications, including extensions. These numbers reflect Canada's ongoing commitment to maintaining robust immigration pathways for
Mar 20


IRCC reports 28% drop in international student and foreign worker arrivals
New data released by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) shows a significant decline in temporary resident arrivals for January 2026. Canada welcomed 7,040 new international students and 11,850 temporary workers, marking a 28% overall decrease compared to January 2025. These figures reflect the government's commitment to reducing Canada's temporary population to below 5% through measures such as annual caps on study permits, stricter work-permit eligibility,
Mar 18


Canada reports a major drop in international student and temporary worker arrivals
According to the latest data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the country saw 53% fewer international student and temporary worker arrivals in 2025 compared to the previous year, marking a significant shift in immigration policy. New figures released for December 2025 show just 9,665 study permits and 9,735 work permits were issued that month, reflecting the government's commitment to reducing temporary resident numbers to below 5% of the total popul
Feb 18


Ottawa moves to dismiss 430 immigration cases over suspected fraud
Canada's immigration minister has filed a motion with the Federal Court seeking mass dismissal of 430 applications from Chinese nationals, citing significant irregularities. The cases, which involve study, work, and visitor permit applications, raised red flags due to identical formatting, shared contact information, and suspiciously similar wording despite claims of self-representation. Officials believe unauthorized "ghost agents" orchestrated these filings, exploiting app
Jan 26


Canada reports strong immigration progress through November 2025
Canada's immigration system continues to show robust activity , with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada processing over 414,000 permanent residence decisions between January and November 2025, welcoming 367,500 new permanent residents during this period. The citizenship program also demonstrated significant momentum, granting citizenship to 181,600 individuals from April through November. On the temporary residence front, IRCC finalized substantial numbers of applic
Jan 21


Ontario's international student allocation reveals sharp disparities across institutions
New data shows Ontario's distribution of international student permits has created significant imbalances across the province's post-secondary landscape. In 2024, colleges received 189,416 Provincial Attestation Letters but utilized only 55 percent, while universities used 82 percent of their smaller 35,460 allocation. The disparity widened further within sectors—Humber College distributed nearly its entire allotment, yet Northern College used just 28 percent. The fallout ha
Jan 14


Statistics Canada reported a sharp decline in study permit holders by the end of 2025
New quarterly demographic data from Statistics Canada reveals a notable shift in Canada's temporary resident landscape. By the fourth quarter of 2025, the country saw approximately 477,000 study permit holders, marking a substantial decrease from earlier in the year. Work permit holders numbered around 1.48 million during the same period. Meanwhile, asylum claimants and protected persons reached roughly 505,000, reflecting year-over-year growth in this category. The figures
Jan 6


Canada reports a 53% drop in international student and worker arrivals
Canada's efforts to reduce temporary resident numbers are showing measurable results, with new data revealing a 53% decrease in student and worker arrivals between January and October 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. The government has implemented stricter caps on international student permits and tightened eligibility for temporary foreign workers as part of its commitment to bring the temporary population below 5% of the total population by late 2027. Only 3,030 n
Dec 18, 2025


IRCC updated the study permit policy for international students transitioning between education levels
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada announced policy changes on November 24, 2025, affecting study permit applications for designated learning institutions. Students moving from secondary to post-secondary education can now start classes at their new institution while awaiting permit approval, provided they applied before their current permit expired. The update also clarifies requirements for joint programs leading to a single credential. These students need only o
Nov 27, 2025


Canada extended fee-free immigration support for Haitian nationals amid ongoing security crisis
The Government of Canada has announced the continuation of special immigration measures for Haitian nationals and foreign family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents beyond November 20, 2025. The extension allows eligible individuals to apply for study permits, open work permits, temporary resident permits, or status extensions without application fees. Initially launched in May 2024 in response to Haiti's deteriorating security conditions, these measures ref
Nov 21, 2025


IRCC updated study permit rules for protected persons and their families
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced that protected persons and their family members can now apply for study permits from within Canada, regardless of whether they have submitted permanent residency applications. This policy update, effective November 13, 2025, expands access for various groups, including students at all educational levels, work permit holders, temporary residents, refugee claimants, and families of foreign government officials. The
Nov 14, 2025


Canada’s 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan
Canada's partial release of its 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan alongside Budget 2025 reveals a strategic recalibration of the country's immigration framework. Temporary resident admissions will decline from 516,600 to 385,000, reflecting efforts to balance infrastructure capacity with population growth amid housing pressures and institutional constraints across Canadian provinces. International student spaces will face a 50% reduction to 155,000 in 2026 (150,000 in 2027 a
Nov 7, 2025


Canada's international student numbers see a steep decline in 2025 as approval rates plummet
Canada is experiencing a dramatic decrease in international student enrollment, with study permit applications down approximately 50% in...
Sep 29, 2025


IRCC updated Quebec study permit requirements to enhance clarity for international students
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced significant updates to the study permit guidelines for students...
Sep 15, 2025


IRCC updated processing times for September 2025
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has released its latest processing times data as of September 10, 2025, revealing...
Sep 12, 2025
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