New rules for post‑secondary DLIs

Summary#

These are proposed amendments to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations that would give Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada new powers over post‑secondary designated learning institutions (DLIs) and change some student rules. Key effects would be stronger DLI reporting and verification, a public suspension list for non‑compliant DLIs, a requirement for students who switch schools to submit a new study‑permit application, and raising the off‑campus work limit from 20 hours to 24 hours per week. This is a proposal and interested people can comment within 30 days.

What it does#

• Requires post‑secondary designated learning institutions (DLIs) to confirm acceptance of applicants within 10 days when asked.
• Requires DLIs to provide a compliance report about students’ enrollment status within 60 days, and to correct or add information within 10 days when asked.
• Lets an IRCC officer verify DLI compliance, request documents and question a DLI’s representative.
• Creates a process where IRCC issues a notice of preliminary finding, allows DLIs 30 days to respond in writing, and can issue a final determination.
• Allows IRCC to publish a public suspension list and keep a DLI on it for up to 12 months; while listed, any study‑permit application naming that DLI will be returned unprocessed.
• Requires students in Canada who want to switch to a different post‑secondary DLI to submit a new study‑permit application before the new program start date. Students who stay in Canada can attend the new DLI while that application is pending.
• Codifies and expands the letter‑of‑acceptance (LOA) verification system so DLIs must confirm LOAs used in study‑permit applications.
• Raises the permitted off‑campus work limit during regular academic sessions from 20 hours to 24 hours per week.

Who's affected#

• International students at the post‑secondary level.
• Designated learning institutions (DLIs) across Canada, including DLIs in Quebec (the rules bring Quebec DLIs into the reporting regime through an information‑sharing arrangement).
• Private and small DLIs, which face new administrative costs.
• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), which would handle more verification, enforcement, and possibly higher application volumes.
• Employers in industries that commonly hire students (for example, accommodation and food services) who may see a larger pool of available student workers.
• Provinces and territories (PTs), because they designate schools and will continue to play a role in that process.

Why it matters#

• Better detection of fraud and non‑genuine admissions: codifying LOA checks and requiring enrollment reports aims to reduce fake acceptance letters and protect students who might be defrauded.
• More tools to hold schools to account: IRCC could suspend DLIs that fail to report or that provide inaccurate information, which would stop new international applications naming those schools while they are suspended.
• Costs and paperwork for students who change schools: students who transfer will need to submit a new study‑permit application and pay the fee (currently $150), which could add time, money and uncertainty even though they can attend the new program while the application is pending.
• Small DLIs face new compliance work and costs. The government estimates broader costs and benefits, but individual schools and students may feel the impacts differently.
• A modest lift in work hours (an extra 4 hours weekly) could help some students with living costs but may raise concerns about study‑work balance and competition for low‑wage jobs.

Note: these measures are proposed regulations, not final law. The Canada Gazette notice invites public comment and sets out how the rules would work if they are adopted.