Study Permit Verification and Agri-food Amendments

Summary#

• The Department of Citizenship and Immigration published two main ministerial instructions on immigration: one that amends rules for the Agri-food Immigration Class and one that changes how study permit applications are processed.
• The study-permit rules require a Designated Learning Institution to confirm a student’s acceptance through the Letter of Acceptance Verification Tool within 10 calendar days (with limited exceptions); these study-permit instructions came into force January 30, 2024.

What it does#

• Ministerial Instructions Amending the Ministerial Instructions Respecting the Agri-food Immigration Class, 2023

  • Clarifies the work experience that counts for the agri-food permanent-residence class. Work done under certain work permits now counts if the permit was supported by an assessment that covered a period of at least 12 months, even if the issued permit was shorter.
  • Adds a rule that treats some applicants who are already in Canada as having met certain application requirements, under specified conditions.
  • Says these amendments apply to agri-food class applications that were pending when the amendments take effect.

• Ministerial Instructions with respect to the processing of study permit applications

  • Require that a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) identified on an application must indicate, within 10 calendar days, whether it has accepted the applicant for the program named on the application before officers proceed with processing.
  • Require that, for electronic applications, the DLI use the Letter of Acceptance Verification Tool to respond.
  • Allow the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration (on request by a DLI) to grant one extension of up to 30 days if the DLI’s ability to respond was prevented by a power outage, natural disaster, public health emergency, or labour dispute.
  • Require refund of the study-permit fee if an application is returned unprocessed because the DLI did not respond.
  • Repeal earlier study-permit processing instructions published December 2, 2023.
  • These study-permit instructions apply to applications submitted on or after they came into force (January 30, 2024).

Who's affected#

• Prospective international students applying for post-secondary study permits or renewals — especially those applying electronically.
• Designated Learning Institutions, which must use the verification tool and respond within the time limit.
• Immigration officers who process study-permit applications.
• Workers and applicants under the Agri-food Immigration Class — especially those with work history from certain work permits supported by assessments in the immigration regulations.
• Employers in the agri-food sector may notice effects indirectly through their workers’ immigration cases.

If it’s unclear whether a particular situation meets the revised agri-food criteria, the source does not provide further detail beyond the changes to the instructions.

Why it matters#

• For international students: applications can be returned and fees refunded if the school does not confirm acceptance in time. That could delay someone’s study plans or require reapplication. The government says this measure is meant to ensure acceptance is checked reliably and to deter fraud.
• For Designated Learning Institutions: they must use a specific verification tool and meet response deadlines, or risk returned applications for their prospective students.
• For agri-food workers seeking permanent residence: the amendments clarify what kinds of work permits and assessments count as qualifying work. That clarity could help some applicants know whether their past work will count toward an agri-food permanent-residence application.
• Overall: the changes aim to speed up and tighten checks on study and agri-food immigration pathways, while giving DLIs limited time and exceptional extensions to respond.