The good news about the study permits of Canada has arrived finally. Canada has so far approved 56,000 study permits for international students. Furthermore, Canada is also lifting travel restrictions on international students. Canada’s Immigration Minister “Marco Mendicino” provided upgoing information for international students through a webinar hosted by the International Council of Canada. He said Canada has already issued 56,000 first-stage approvals for study permit applications. He also mentioned that the federal government continues to work with designated learning institutions (colleges and universities) to make sure how to physically welcome international students to the campus during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The minister said, “I firmly believe that immigration will play a significant role in our economy, as it has in recent years.”
From 20 October 2020, international students enrolled in Canadian colleges or universities (DLI’s) will be able to travel to Canada and study on campus if their institutions have a readily available plan (approved by the government) for Covid-19. In his tweet on 2 October 2020, the Canadian immigration minister tweeted, “starting in late October, international students attending a designated learning institution that has been identified by their provincial or territorial government as having a COVID‑19 readiness plan will also be able to enter Canada”.
What are DLI’s (designated learning institutions)?
DLIs are universities, colleges, and other educational institutions that have received approval from the federal and provincial governments to receive international students. Some DLIs have indicated an interest in welcoming international students during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, due to Canada’s travel restrictions, most international students are currently unable to travel to the country.
The minister also tweeted on 22 September by saying, “International students enrich our culture & communities, and contribute $22B to Canada’s economy.”
The purpose of the discussions between Health Canada, the Provinces, the Territories, and the DLI is to identify whether the DLI can safely create quarantine and socially distance plans that allow students to come. International students are likely to be welcomed in the coming months. Under Canadian law, most travelers must be quarantined for 14 days immediately upon arrival in Canada. In addition, there are strict social distance measures to help control the spread of Covid19 across all provinces and territories of Canada. As per new reforms, Canada announced the implementation of a two-step study permit in the summer to reassure students that they could begin their studies abroad. In addition, international students can study abroad online but can still work in Canada under the Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) after the epidemic is over. Read here the complete policy of the Canadian government for international students during the Covid-19 pandemic.