At the CBIE seminar, IRCC officials address the study permit backlog and fresh proposals. The paper advocates greater openness and coordination among the IRCC, provinces, and authorized learning institutions.
An unprecedented rise in foreign student demand for study permits is reported by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). According to ICEF Monitor, the numbers are growing as immigration restrictions are relaxed across the world and students return to Canada to begin or continue their post-secondary education. The surge in study permit applications was discussed at a recent virtual symposium organized by the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE). At the CBIE seminar, IRCC officials address the study permit backlog and fresh proposals.
Processing backlog for study permits
In 2021, IRCC reported a 56% increase in study permit applications over 2020 as well as receiving 175,000 applications in the first quarter of 2022 alone. This has resulted in long processing times for study permit applications.
However, ICEF Monitor recently reported IRCC data that indicates a total of 621,565 study permits were held by international students attending programs of at least six months duration in 2021, which is still below pre-pandemic levels.
More transparency and greater collaboration
Furthermore, the proposals call for greater openness in displaying the criteria used by IRCC when choosing students, as well as greater flexibility in the evidence required to demonstrate that an application fits the financial criterion. The research also stated that more coordination is needed between IRCC, provinces, and authorized learning institutions to oversee recruiters who travel and recruit from overseas, as well as to ensure that they provide potential students with information on how to recognize fraud and scams. According to Ralickas, the IRCC takes these proposals “when Reports like that are published in Parliament. The government must respond by carefully analyzing each of the suggestions. ” And think about how each one pertains to the work that is being done and the directions that we are taking.”