Canada announces important new measures for international students

The Government of Canada has announced the new measures on post-graduation work permit eligibility for international students plan to begin classes online.

The prospective students are reportedly facing uncertainty due to travel restrictions posed by the Coronavirus pandemic. The Canadian government, however, says that it recognizes the problem faced by students and ensures that Canada immigration programs will respond to the uncertainties with “3 new measures on post-graduation work permit eligibility for students beginning program online”.

The three changes as reported on the government website are:

Students may now study online from abroad until April 30, 2021, with no time deducted from the length of a future post-graduation work permit, provided 50% of their program of study is eventually completed in Canada.
Students who have enrolled in a program that is between 8 and 12 months in length, with a start date from May to September 2020, will be able to complete their entire program online from abroad and still be eligible for a post-graduation work permit.
Students who have enrolled in a program with a start date from May to September 2020 and study online up to April 30, 2021, and who graduate from more than one eligible program of study, may be able to combine the length of their programs of study when they apply for a post-graduation work permit in the future, as long as 50% of their total studies are completed in Canada.

Moreover, the report clarifies that to be eligible for the measures, students must have submitted a study permit application before starting a program of study in the spring, summer, or fall 2020 semester, or the January 2021 semester.