New Rules on the Way for International Students

Canada’s immigration system is transforming rapidly, and this week, new regulations were announced that would affect current and prospective international students. As always, if you find that these changes apply to you or someone you know, get in touch with us, and we will be delighted to help you.

These new regulations are scheduled to come into effect on June 1, 2014. Here are some of the major changes:

• Applicants will be required to enroll in and continue to pursue studies in Canada, instead of simply showing an intent to do so;

• Study permits will become invalid 90 days after the completion of studies, even if the expiry date comes later;

• Applicants will only be able to apply for study permits to study at educational institutions designated to receive international students;

• Most study permit holders will be able to work without a work permit part- time during their studies, and full-time during their breaks as well as while they are waiting for their post-graduate work permits;

• In the old system, visitors could not apply for a study permit from within Canada. Certain eligible visitors, including those who are in grade school and those who have completed courses as a condition for acceptance at a designated institution, will be able to apply for a study permit inside Canada.

Immigration Seminars

We will be explaining how these and other recent developments will affect international students on Monday, March 3rd, at a seminar hosted by the University of Toronto Graduate Students’ Union (GSU). This event will only be open for members of the GSU. For more information about the seminar, please contact Stephanie Shaw at stephanie.shaw@mail.utoronto.ca.