From: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n International students enrich Canada’s cultural and social fabric while contributing over $21 billion to the economy. In response to the pandemic, the Honourable Marco E. L. Mendicino, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, has implemented several temporary policy adjustments to aid international students and educational institutions.<\/p>\n July 14, 2020\u2014Ottawa\u2014<\/strong>The Minister has introduced new measures for international students starting online programs this fall at Canadian institutions. This initiative allows students to continue their education safely and ensures they can enter Canada once restrictions ease.<\/p>\n These updates offer clarity on students’ future opportunities in Canada, including the ability to work post-graduation, even if they start studies online from abroad. They uphold Canada\u2019s status as a top destination for international education and highlight the significant role international students play in the country.<\/p>\n Students who submit a complete application online will receive expedited processing to facilitate quicker study permit issuance.<\/p>\n Time spent studying online from abroad will count towards a post-graduation work permit if students complete at least half of their program in Canada and have applied for a study permit.<\/p>\n For students unable to submit all documents due to pandemic-related disruptions, a temporary approval process allows them to start their studies online. Once conditions improve, they must submit remaining documents to secure full study permit approval.<\/p>\n This temporary process applies to students starting programs in the fall semester who apply for a study permit by September 15, 2020. It assures students they can start their studies online, despite documentation delays.<\/p>\n While COVID-19 presents global challenges, Canada aims to protect public health while minimizing economic and social impacts. These measures ensure international students continue to enrich Canada and its communities.<\/p>\n However, students should note that beginning studies online after receiving conditional approval does not guarantee full study permit approval. Factors like inadmissibility for security reasons may affect the final decision, and evolving travel restrictions could pose additional challenges.<\/p>\n \u201cThe pandemic has significantly impacted international students and Canadian host communities. We’ve introduced measures to support them because we value their pursuit of a high-quality education in Canada. Our goal is to minimize the impact of these challenges on their aspirations.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2013 The Honourable Marco E. L. Mendicino, P.C., M.P., Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Contacts for media only<\/strong><\/p>\n Kevin Lemkay<\/strong> Media Relations<\/strong> The measures include expedited study permit processing, counting online study time towards work permits, and a two-stage approval process for study permit applications.<\/p>\n Yes, students can begin their studies online from abroad if they have received conditional approval and applied for a study permit by September 15, 2020.<\/p>\n No, online studies from abroad will count towards a post-graduation work permit if students meet all other criteria and complete at least half of their program in Canada.<\/p>\n To learn more about these changes, read our immigration guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" International students make immense cultural and social contributions to Canada, and generate more than $21 billion in economic activity. Since the onset of the pandemic, the Honourable Marco E. L. Mendicino, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, has made a number of temporary policy changes to support and reassure international students and learning institutions. … <\/i>Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":5264,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[89],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5266","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-immigration"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/applytocanada.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5266","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/applytocanada.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/applytocanada.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/applytocanada.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/applytocanada.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5266"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/applytocanada.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5266\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/applytocanada.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5264"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/applytocanada.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5266"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/applytocanada.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5266"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/applytocanada.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5266"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}News Release<\/h2>\n
Key Changes for International Students<\/h2>\n
Priority Study-Permit Processing<\/h3>\n
Post-Graduation Work Permit Eligibility<\/h3>\n
Temporary Two-Stage Approval Process<\/h3>\n
Quotes<\/h2>\n
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Quick Facts<\/h2>\n
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Associated Links<\/h2>\n
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Contacts<\/h2>\n
Minister\u2019s Office
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
613-954-1064<\/p>\n
Communications Branch
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
613-952-1650
IRCC.COMMMediaRelations-RelationsmediasCOMM.IRCC@cic.gc.ca<\/a><\/p>\nFAQs<\/h2>\n
What are the new measures for international students during the pandemic?<\/h3>\n
Can international students start their studies online?<\/h3>\n
Will online studies affect post-graduation work permit eligibility?<\/h3>\n