Provincial attestation and cap for study permits

Summary#

The government published Ministerial Instructions that change which new study permit applications will be accepted for processing. New applications in the specified student category must include a provincial attestation letter, and the Department will accept at most 606,250 such applications for one year starting on January 22, 2024; applications without the letter or received after the cap is reached will not be processed and fees will be returned.

What it does#

• Requires a provincial attestation letter from the province or territory where the applicant plans to study. The letter must confirm the applicant has a space in that province’s allocation and include the applicant’s full name, date of birth, and address.
• Applies to study permit applications in the student class under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act / regulations (Part 12), with specific exclusions:
  • applications covered by subsection 215(1) of the regulations;
  • applications covered by subsection 215(2) of the regulations;
  • applicants planning to study at the primary or secondary school level;
  • applicants planning to study in a graduate degree program at the master’s or doctorate level.
• Sets a one-year processing cap of 606,250 study permit applications within the scope of these Instructions, beginning on January 22, 2024. Once that number is reached, further in-scope applications will not be accepted for processing and processing fees will be returned.
• The Instructions took effect on signature (dated January 22, 2024 in the notice).

Who's affected#

• Prospective international students who apply for study permits in the student class (except the excluded categories above).
• Provincial and territorial governments, which must issue the required attestation letters and manage whatever allocation system they use.
• Colleges, universities, and training programs may be indirectly affected because students will need a provincial attestation to have their application accepted.
• It is not explained in plain language what the legal categories covered by subsection 215(1) and subsection 215(2) include; those are technical regulatory references.

Why it matters#

• This adds a new step for many study-permit applicants: they now need confirmation from the province or territory before their federal application will be processed.
• There is a fixed one-year limit (606,250) on how many of these applications the Department will accept. Applicants who don’t have the attestation or who apply after the cap is reached could see their applications returned and fees refunded, which could delay plans to study in Canada.
• Provinces may become de facto gatekeepers for access and might set or manage their own allocations, potentially affecting where and how many students can come to Canada.