With the fall season quick approaching, Honourable Marco E. L. Mendicino, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship announced temporary measures to support international students. The announcement made on July 14, outlines the new measures including temporary 2-stage approval process.

This temporary process will provide relief to students and they can enrol and begin their studies this fall online, even if they are not able to submit all required documentation due to COVID-19 related closures.

1. To whom will the temporary process apply?

The temporary process changes are applicable to students starting a program in the fall semester who:

• submit a study permit application before September 15, 2020, and,
• are planning to study Canadian learning institution that is offering the program online due to COVID-19 related restrictions.

2. What is the temporary 2-stage approval process?

Stage 1 – Approval-in-principle

Applicants who

• show that they have been accepted at a Canadian learning institution
• have the required available funds
• are otherwise eligible for the study permit

will be notified of a first-step approval and will be considered as pass in the approval-in-principle stage.

Once the approval-in-principle is issued, applicants can begin studying online abroad and have that time count towards their post-graduation work permit (provided they meet other criteria and that they eventually receive full approval of their study permit).

Stage 2 – Eligibility/Admissibility

An applicant will receive final approval once they have met all eligibility and admissibility requirements, including submitting biometrics and necessary documents such as an immigration medical exam and a police certificate.

An applicant will be able to travel to Canada only once a final approval is received.

3. What are the advantages of these temporary measures to applicants?

• Priority study-permit processing for students who have submitted a complete application online, to ensure that permits are processed as quickly as possible.
• Allowing students to count the time spent pursuing their studies online abroad toward their eligibility for a post-graduation work permit, if they have submitted a study permit application and if at least 50% of their program is completed in Canada.
• Providing allowances to international students who cannot submit all of the documentation needed to complete processing of their applications, and who choose to pursue programs through distance learning, by implementing a temporary 2-stage approval process.
• These changes will give students more certainty about their ability to enter Canada once travel and health restrictions are eased in Canada and their own home countries.
• Students will be eligible to work in Canada after graduation, even if they need to begin their studies online from overseas this fall.
• The temporary process will allow applicants to count the time spent studying online abroad towards their post-graduation work permit once they receive an approval-in-principle, as long as they are able to satisfy all requirements and receive the full approval of their study permit application at a later date.

4. What the cons or risks of these temporary measures to applicants?

• Commencing studies online from abroad following approval-in-principle of a study permit application is not a guarantee that the students will receive a full approval of their study permit application, or be authorized to pursue their studies in Canada.
• It is still possible that an applicant could receive a negative final decision on their study permit based on factors such as inadmissibility for criminality or security reasons, and the inability to predict how the COVID-19 situation and any associated travel restrictions will evolve.

Source : IRCC Website

Disclaimer : Information provided in this blog article cannot be deemed as legal advice.