Study Permit Attestation and Online Filing Rules

Summary#

This Canada Gazette notice (published October 19, 2024) collects several government decisions and formal notices. Key practical effects include new rules that limit how many study permit applications are accepted and require most temporary resident applications from abroad to be filed online, plus a chemical import condition, a port land addition, a bank amalgamation, and public appointment opportunities.

What it does#

• Study permits

  • New Ministerial Instructions tied to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act require a provincial or territorial attestation letter for many new study permit applications received on or after January 22, 2024 at 8:30 EST.
  • The instructions set a cap of 606,250 study permit applications that can be accepted for processing during the one-year period that began January 22, 2024 at 8:30 EST.
  • Applications that lack the attestation will not be accepted and fees will be returned.
  • Several categories are excluded from these rules (for example, some students already in Canada, many primary/secondary and graduate-level cases, certain scholarship recipients and specific public-policy exemptions). The source lists many specific exclusions.

• Online applications for people outside Canada

  • New instructions require most applications for a temporary resident visa, a work permit, or a study permit submitted from outside Canada to be filed online (apply online).
  • Exceptions are allowed for people who cannot apply online for reasons such as disability, people with certain types of travel documents, seasonal agricultural worker arrangements, and certain Indigenous exemptions.
  • Paper or non-electronic applications received after the rules come into force will not be accepted and fees will be returned, except where an exception applies.
  • These online rules take effect October 10, 2024 and repeal earlier related instructions.

• Chemical import/manufacture condition

  • Under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, the government allows the manufacture or import of a specific listed substance only under limits and conditions.
  • The conditions include impurity limits of less than 0.01% for one listed impurity and less than or equal to 1.5% for another, a ban on use in leave‑on cosmetics above 0.6%, and record-keeping requirements.
  • Records must be kept for 5 years. These conditions come into force on October 9, 2024.

• Trois‑Rivières Port Authority land

  • The port authority’s letters patent are amended to add a parcel described as lot 5 861 361 with an area of 57,843.7 m². The change takes effect when the deed is registered in Quebec’s land register.

• Bank amalgamation

  • CIBC Mellon Trust Company and CIBC Mellon Global Securities Services Company Inc. are amalgamated and will continue as CIBC Mellon Trust Company. The amalgamation is effective November 1, 2024.

• Governor in Council appointments

  • The Privy Council Office published many current appointment opportunities to federal boards and agencies. Some listed closing dates include October 24, 2024, November 5, 2024, and November 19, 2024. Each vacancy is open for at least two weeks from its posting.

Who's affected#

• Prospective international students who plan to apply for a study permit.
• Provinces and territories, which must issue attestation letters to fit within their allocated share of applications.
• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and its application-processing systems and staff.
• People outside Canada applying for temporary resident visas, work permits, or study permits who must file online unless they meet an exception.
• Cosmetic manufacturers and importers and chemical suppliers that deal with the specified substance.
• Trois‑Rivières Port Authority and nearby landowners or developers related to the newly added lot.
• CIBC Mellon and its customers or counterparties affected by the corporate amalgamation.
• Canadians interested in or eligible for federal Governor in Council appointments.

Why it matters#

• Prospective students may face new hurdles. They now usually need a provincial or territorial attestation letter before their study permit file will be accepted. Applications beyond the cap of 606,250 can be refused for processing and fees returned. That can delay or block study plans.
• Requiring online applications for people outside Canada makes filing faster in many cases, but it can be a barrier for people without reliable internet access or who need accommodations. The rules say some exceptions exist, but those exceptions are limited.
• The chemical conditions limit how the listed substance can be used in products. Cosmetic makers and importers will need to check formulations and keep records for 5 years to stay compliant.
• The port land addition and the bank amalgamation are administrative steps that can affect local planning or corporate structure. The port land change may enable development or operational changes. The bank amalgamation consolidates business under one corporate name.
• The appointment notices give the public a chance to apply or be considered for leadership roles on federal boards and agencies, which can influence public policy and services.