
Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has just announced that in January 2014, the following changes will take effect for student visas (also known within Canada as “Study Permits”):
1. All Study Permit holders will be required to be enrolled and actively pursuing a course or programmer of study at a designated education institution after arrival in Canada, in order to maintain legal status;
2. Provincial/territorial governments will designate institutions that are eligible to receive international students, and only students admitted to those institutions will be able to secure a Study Permit;
3. Designated institutions will have to report to provinces/territories and CIC on international student enrolment and good standing status;
4. Only those students attending designated education institutions will be granted access to Work Permit programmers;
5. Work Permit programmers will also only be accessible by full-time students who are enrolled in and actively pursuing an academic, professional or vocational programmer leading to a degree, diploma, or certificate;
6. Full-time international students with valid Study Permits will be allowed to work off-campus for a maximum of 20 hours per week without a Work Permit (that is, Off-Campus Work Permits would no longer be required for such students).