Nigerians And Other International Students, Spouses, Are Subject To New Work Permit Restrictions Announced By Canada

Canada's Immigration Minister, has announced critical measures to limit number of international students coming into Canada

The number of new study permits granted to Nigerians and other international students will be capped at two years, according to the Canadian government.

According to Immigration Minister Marc Miller, who made this announcement on Monday, January 22, the cap is anticipated to result in about 364,000 approved study permits in 2024, a 35% decrease from 2023.

The Canadian government will also demand an attestation letter from a province or territory from overseas students requesting a permit, in addition to the cap.

A post-graduation work permit will no longer be available to international students who enroll in a program that is a part of a curriculum licensing arrangement, in which a private college has been granted permission to deliver the curriculum of a related public college. This announcement was made by Miller in relation to modifications to the post-graduation work permit program.

See Also: Canada Unveils New Visa Requirements And Fund Increment

The application process for a three-year work permit for graduates of master's and other “short graduate-level programs” will “soon” open. Additionally, only spouses of international students enrolled in master's and doctoral programs will be eligible for open work permits.

As per his statement, “These measures are to ensure that as future students arrive in Canada, they receive the quality of education that they signed up for and the hope that they were provided in their home countries.

“It would be a disservice to welcome international students to Canada knowing that not all of them are getting the resources they need to succeed in Canada. Allowing bad actors to continue their operations would be a disservice to all of the good institutions who pride themselves on providing a top-tier academic experience.

“It is unacceptable that some private institutions have taken advantage of international students by operating under-resourced campuses, lacking supports for students, and charging high tuition fees all the while significantly increasing their intake of international students.”