If you're making a decision about your future in Canada, you deserve to have all the key immigration information.

Starting January 21, 2025, the Government of Canada will implement new restrictions on eligibility for open work permits for family members of international students and temporary foreign workers.

Spouses of international students: Only those whose spouses are enrolled in:

• Master's programs of 16 months or more.
• PhD programs.
• Select professional programs and other eligible programs.

Spouses of foreign workers: Eligibility will be limited to those whose spouses work in:

• Occupations classified under TEER 0 or 1.
• Specific TEER 2 or 3 occupations in labor shortage sectors or those aligned with government priorities, including natural and applied sciences, construction, healthcare, natural resources, education, sports, and military sectors. (The full list will be available on January 21, 2025.)

Additionally, the foreign worker must have at least 16 months remaining on their work permit at the time of the spouse's application.

Dependent children of foreign workers will no longer be eligible for open work permits.

Work permits approved under the previous rules and still valid will remain in effect. Family members already in Canada may apply for a renewal, provided that:

• The application follows the same criteria as the current permit.
• The requested duration matches the primary applicant’s study or work permit.

Spouses of workers covered by free trade agreements and those transitioning to permanent residence will not be affected by these changes.

 “The cap on international student permits is here to stay,” announced Canada’s Immigration Minister, Marc Miller.

Starting in 2025, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will issue only 437,000 study permits annually, a 10% reduction from the 2024 target of 485,000. This move is part of a broader strategy to stabilize the intake cap through 2026. 

Impact on Study Permits   

With this change, Canada will be issuing 300,000 fewer study permits to international students in the coming years. 

Minister Miller emphasized the importance of maintaining the integrity of Canada's immigration system, stating, "Not everyone who wants to come to Canada will be able to—just like not everyone who wants to stay in Canada will be able to."

New Requirements for Master’s and PhD Students 

Under the revised cap, master’s and PhD students will now be required to obtain a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL), a significant shift from previous exemptions. IRCC will reserve 12% of study permit allocations for these advanced students, acknowledging their valuable contributions to the Canadian workforce.

 Changes to PGWP Eligibility 

 Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) eligibility is undergoing significant changes. Starting November 1, applicants will need to meet a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) score of 7 for university graduates and 5 for college graduates. These adjustments are expected to lead to 175,000 fewer PGWPs being issued over the next three years.

Limits on Spousal Open Work Permits  

Later this year, work permits for spouses of master’s students will be limited to those whose program lasts at least 16 months. Additionally, spousal work permits will now be restricted to the spouses of Canadians or permanent residents employed in critical sectors, reducing the overall number of permits issued by 50,000 over the next three years.

With Canada’s unemployment rate rising to 6.6%, the government is tightening rules around temporary work permits to protect the domestic workforce. Minister Randy Boissonnault reaffirmed that the TFWP is meant to be a last resort and should not replace Canadian workers or drive down wages. However, he acknowledged that immigration remains a crucial driver of economic growth, which is expected to rely entirely on immigration by 2032.

This year has seen significant reforms to Canada's immigration policies, including the introduction of the first-ever study permit cap in January. The PAL system was also introduced, along with new restrictions on PGWP and spousal work permits. More changes are expected as Minister Miller hinted at further adjustments to permanent immigration levels.

The Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced today that starting January 1, 2024, the cost-of-living financial requirement for study permit applicants will be raised so that international students are financially prepared for life in Canada. 

For 2024, a single applicant will need to show they have $20,635, representing 75% of LICO (low-income cut-off ), in addition to their first year of tuition and travel costs. This change will apply to new study permit applications received on or after January 1, 2024.

Ahead of the September 2024 semester, we are prepared to take necessary measures, including limiting visas, to ensure that designated learning institutions provide adequate and sufficient student supports as part of the academic experience.

In response to labour market disruptions during the pandemic and post-pandemic recovery, a temporary policy was introduced on 3 occasions to provide an additional 18-month work permit to post-graduation work permit holders as their initial work permit was expiring. 

Foreign nationals with a post-graduation work permit expiring up to December 31, 2023, remain eligible to apply. However, this temporary policy will not be extended further.