Back to School for International Students

With the end of summer here, many students are preparing to go back to school this fall and return to in-person classes; something that has not been the “norm” for the past two years.

For international students, COVID-19 may be keeping them away from in-person learning due to the increasing backlog and delays in issuing study permits.

On August 25th, the IRCC posted on their website that they will be making temporary changes to the Post-Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) application rules to allow international students to continue studying online without impacting PGWP as long as they submitted a study permit application prior to August 31, 2022. Additionally, if an international student begins a program between September 1, 2022 to August 31, 2023 they can complete up to 50% of their program online from outside Canada without it affecting their PGWP eligibility.

Hopefully these measures provide some relief for international students who are unable to study in-person in Canada due to a delay in the processing of their study permit application.

Unfortunately, these measures only help international students in post-secondary learning institutions that provide online courses as many have moved back to only in-person classes. Many international students without study permits will be forced to either delay their classes by a semester, or full school year until they can reside in Canada.

To get ahead of the delays, it’s imperative that you keep on top of the application process and apply with plenty of time before the school year starts.

If you are coming to Canada to study, are experiencing challenges with your study permit application or have questions regarding your study permit or PGWP, we are happy to help. Contact us at FH&P Lawyers LLP for a consultation today!