Study permit acceptance verification rule

Summary#

These are ministerial instructions from the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act that change how some study permit applications are processed. Starting December 1, 2023, applicants must list a Designated Learning Institution that confirms whether they were accepted, and applications will be returned (and fees refunded) if the institution does not respond in time.

What it does#

• Requires applicants for study permits made before entry to Canada (and submitted on or after the start date) to identify the Designated Learning Institution on their application.
• The identified school must indicate whether the applicant was accepted within 10 calendar days of the department receiving the application.
• For applications submitted electronically, the school must use the Letter of Acceptance Verification Tool to give that response.
• The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration can grant one extension of up to 30 days to that 10‑day period in cases like power failures, natural disasters, public health emergencies, or labour disputes.
• If a school does not respond in the required time, officers are instructed to return the application unprocessed and the application fee (under the regulations) will be refunded.

Who's affected#

• People applying for a study permit to enter Canada who submit their application on or after December 1, 2023 (applications made before entry to Canada).
• Designated Learning Institutions, which must respond through the verification tool and may request an extension in limited situations.
• Officers at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada who process these applications.
• It is unclear from the notice whether any other groups (for example, representatives or third‑party service providers) are directly affected beyond ensuring the school can and will respond.

Why it matters#

• The change aims to make acceptance by a school easier to check and to reduce fraud or fake acceptance letters.
• For prospective international students, the change means their chosen school must confirm acceptance quickly or their application will be returned and they will need to reapply.
• For schools, it creates a new administrative step: using the verification tool and meeting the response deadline (or asking for a limited extension).
• For applicants, delays or a non‑response from the school could slow down getting a study permit, even though the application fee will be refunded if the application is returned.