Study Permit Attestation and Online Applications

Summary#

These Government Notices from the Department of Citizenship and Immigration set new rules for some study permit applications and for how people outside Canada must submit temporary-residence applications. The main practical effects are a requirement for a provincial or territorial attestation letter for many new study-permit filings and a cap of 606,250 study-permit applications accepted for processing in a one-year period starting January 22, 2024, at 8:30 EST; and a rule that many applications from people outside Canada must be filed online. Both sets of instructions took effect October 10, 2024.

What it does#

• Study-permit processing limits and attestation

  • Requires a provincial or territorial attestation letter for study-permit applications covered by these instructions that were received on or after January 22, 2024, at 8:30 EST.
  • Limits the number of such study-permit applications accepted for processing to 606,250 for the one-year period beginning January 22, 2024, at 8:30 EST.
  • Applications in scope received after the cap is reached will not be accepted and any processing fees will be returned.
  • Applications in scope that do not include an attestation letter will not be accepted and fees will be returned.
  • Lists several categories that are excluded from these conditions (examples include returning students switching status, applicants planning primary or secondary school, students in graduate programs, recipients of certain scholarships, participants in the Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot, and people covered by specific temporary public policies).

• Online filing requirement for applicants outside Canada

  • Requires that new applications for a temporary resident visa, work permit, or study permit from people who are outside Canada be submitted by electronic means (apply online).
  • Provides specific exceptions for people who cannot apply online, including those who need an accommodation for a disability, certain holders of special travel documents, seasonal agricultural workers under an international arrangement, and people covered by the Temporary public policy to exempt certain Indigenous persons and their family members.
  • Applications from outside Canada that are not submitted online (and that do not meet an exception) will not be accepted and processing fees will be returned.
  • Repeals the previous online-submission instruction MI62 (that began April 1, 2023).
  • Both online-submission rules come into force October 10, 2024.

Who's affected#

• Prospective international students whose study-permit applications fall within the scope of the new instructions.
• Provinces and territories, because they must issue the attestation letters that many applicants now need.
• Designated learning institutions may be indirectly affected because their prospective students may need attestations.
• People outside Canada applying for a temporary resident visa, a work permit, or a study permit — most must now apply online.
• People with disabilities or specific travel documents, seasonal agricultural workers covered by international agreements, and people covered by certain temporary public policies are listed exceptions.

If it’s unclear whether a particular application is “in scope,” the instructions list many specific categories that are excluded; applicants and institutions should check the detailed list.

Why it matters#

• The attestation and cap aim to control how many new study-permit applications the department accepts for processing. That can slow or limit the number of new international students accepted for processing during the one-year window.
• Requiring attestation shifts some gatekeeping to provincial and territorial governments; those governments will decide who gets a slot. That could affect where prospective students choose to apply.
• The online-only rule for people outside Canada centralizes and speeds intake in many cases, but it could create extra steps for applicants who need help or who do not have reliable internet access — although some exceptions exist.
• Both measures affect real people planning study or travel to Canada now or in the near future. If you are applying, check whether your application needs an attestation letter and whether you must apply online.