The Canadian government introduced a series of adjustments impacting international students within the country. With the impending conclusion of the provision allowing international students to work more than 20 hours per week by the year-end, the Immigration Minister of Canada declared an extension of this policy until April 30, 2024.
Simultaneously, Immigration Minister Marc Miller disclosed increased cost-of-living financial prerequisites for study permit applicants. Set to rise from CAD 10,000 to $20,635 for a single applicant in 2024, this adjustment aims to align with the current cost of living. The Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) highlighted that the cost-of-living requirement had remained stagnant since the early 2000s, leading to a disparity between the financial threshold and the evolving cost of living.
As per the IRCC’s media release, the change in the cost-of-living threshold for study permit applicants is intended to be an annual adjustment, bringing it in line with other Canadian immigration programs. Commencing on January 1, 2024, this modification seeks to better equip international students for life in Canada, with the threshold being subject to annual revisions, mirroring the approach of other immigration initiatives.
In addition to the updates on working in Canada, Minister Miller extended the pandemic-era provision permitting international students to include online study time towards eligibility for the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). This extension applies as long as online study constitutes less than half of the total program duration and remains effective for students commencing a Canadian study program before September 1, 2024. Notably, the measure will not be sustained beyond that date, given that most international students are currently pursuing in-person studies in Canada.
Continuing from a prior pandemic-related provision, IRCC had previously granted PGWP holders with expiring work permits an 18-month extension to stay in Canada. The latest announcement confirms that Canada will again allow PGWP holders with permits expiring on or before December 31, 2023, to apply for an extension, marking the final extension of this particular policy.
