On 22 January 2024, the Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), announced significant measures to stabilise the growth of study permits and protect the integrity of Canada's international-student system. The government will cap new international study permits at approximately 360,000 for 2024 — about a 35% decrease from the previous year.
A two-year cap, weighted by province
The cap runs for two years, with each province and territory receiving its own limit weighted by population. From 22 January 2024, study-permit applications submitted to IRCC require a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) from the relevant province or territory. Provinces experiencing the fastest growth see the biggest reductions — Ontario is expected to be the hardest hit, with an anticipated ~50% drop in numbers.
Changes to the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)
From 1 September 2024, several PGWP changes take effect:
- Graduates of master's and other short graduate-level programs became eligible to apply for a three-year work permit — a longer runway to gain Canadian work experience.
- Open work permits are now available only to spouses of international students in master's and doctoral programs.
- Students who begin a program under a curriculum-licensing arrangement are no longer eligible for a PGWP.
Current study-permit holders are not affected. IRCC has said it will reassess new study-permit numbers in 2025, working with provinces and institutions on a sustainable long-term framework.
Planning a Canadian application? These rules make document preparation and timing more important than ever — talk to an AGI counsellor before you lodge.