Stricter rules for Designated Learning Institutions

Summary#

These are the final Regulations Amending the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (Designated Learning Institutions). They give Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada new powers to verify and discipline post‑secondary institutions that accept international students, require some students to apply for a new study permit when changing schools, and raise the off‑campus work limit from 20 to 24 hours per week. The rules came into force on November 8, 2024.

What it does#

• Strengthens reporting and verification for post‑secondary Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs):
  • DLIs must confirm an applicant’s letter of acceptance within 10 days when asked.
  • DLIs must provide a compliance report on enrolment when asked within 60 days, and correct it within 10 days.
• Gives officers the power to check DLI records and request documents or interviews to verify compliance.
• Creates a procedural fairness process:
  • DLIs get a notice of preliminary finding and can make written submissions within 30 days.
  • If non‑compliance is confirmed, the Minister can put a DLI on a public suspension list for up to 12 months.
  • While suspended, new study‑permit applications naming that DLI must be returned to applicants (with their documents and fees).
• Changes how students switch schools:
  • Study‑permit holders who want to attend a different DLI must apply for a new study permit that names the new DLI.
  • Students may be allowed to start at the new DLI before approval only if their original DLI closed, discontinued the program, was suspended, or lost designation — otherwise they must wait for the new permit.
  • A person who applies for a new permit because of one of those involuntary reasons may continue studying at the new DLI while the application is decided if they meet certain conditions.
• Tightens enrolment condition: holders must enroll and remain enrolled at the DLI named on their permit; falling out of enrolment (other than finishing) affects permit validity.
• Changes to letters of acceptance: a post‑secondary DLI’s confirmation is now required before IRCC issues a study permit. Applications lacking that confirmation must be returned.
• Raises the limit on off‑campus work during regular academic sessions from 20 to 24 hours per week for eligible full‑time students.

Who's affected#

• International students on study permits — especially those who want to change DLIs or who work while studying.
• Post‑secondary Designated Learning Institutions, including public, private and small private colleges that must verify letters of acceptance and file compliance reports.
• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) — responsible for running the new verification, compliance and suspension processes.
• Provinces and territories, which still designate institutions but will be informed and consulted when federal action occurs.
• Employers in low‑wage sectors may see a larger pool of student workers because students can work an extra 4 hours per week.
• Quebec DLIs will be brought into the biannual reporting system on a phased basis (onboarding expected to take about one year).

Why it matters#

• Better fraud control and oversight: mandatory verification of letters of acceptance and regular enrolment reports aim to catch fake offers and students who are not attending the schools listed on their permit.
• Real consequences for non‑compliant schools: DLIs that don’t meet reporting rules can be publicly listed and temporarily prevented from having study permits issued for new students. That can affect a school’s revenue and applicants’ plans.
• More paperwork and potential delays for students who switch schools: many students who change DLIs will need a new study permit and could face extra application fees, extra time, possible missed semesters, or travel costs while they wait. These effects were anticipated and quantified by IRCC in its analysis.
• Small but meaningful increase in permitted work hours: raising the off‑campus limit from 20 to 24 hours per week gives eligible students a modest boost to earnings to help with living costs.