Recent Immigration Announcements

Last updated: February 2025

Below information is an overview of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announcements since December 2023.

Changes to Temporary Resident Document Cancellations, and Border Security and Integrity | Feb. 12

On Feb. 12, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) updated Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations to strengthen authorities to cancel temporary resident documents.

These changes give immigration and border services officers explicit authority to cancel electronic travel authorizations (eTAs) and temporary resident visas (TRVs) on a case-by-case basis, including when

  • a change in a person’s status or circumstances makes them or no longer eligible to hold the document (for example, the person provided false information, has a criminal history or is deceased)
  • an officer is not satisfied that someone will leave Canada by the end of their authorized period of stay
  • the document is lost, stolen, destroyed or abandoned

The changes also enable officers to cancel TRVs, eTAs, work permits and study permits issued to people when:

  • they become a permanent resident
  • they are deceased, or
  • the document was issued based on an administrative error

As such, we strongly advise students who plan to travel and re-enter Canada to have the following documents upon entry:

  • Valid Study Permit AND eTA or TRV (whichever is applicable) 
  • Verification of Enrolment for the upcoming academic semester/year or job offer
  • Unofficial transcript

If your study permit is lost we strongly advise you to apply to restore your lost document prior to leaving Canada. While outside Canada, you should always keep your documents in a safe place during your travels to avoid losing them.

Changes to Open work permits (OWP) for family members of international students and work permit holders I January 14, 2025
Effective January 21, 2025, only spouses of certain international students and foreign workers will be able to apply for a family OWP.
Canada ends Flagpoling I December 23, 2024
Work and study permits will no longer be provided to foreign nationals who flagpole at a port of entry, effective December 23 at 11:59 pm ET.
Off-campus work hours limit increase to 24 hours per week I November 15, 2024
Effective November 15, 2024, international students who meet the to work off-campus while enrolled in their study program will be eligible to work up to 24 hours per week off-campus during regular academic sessions. For detailed information, refer to
Updated process for students changing learning institutions I November 15, 2024
Effective November 15, 2024, international students who are changing their education institution (Designated Learning Institution) must apply and be approved for a new study permit before starting their studies at the new institution. For detailed information, refer to
Measures to support people affected by the crisis in Lebanon I October 30, 2024
Immediate family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents who left Lebanon on or after September 29, 2024, will be eligible to apply for an open work permit, a study permit, or a status extension at no cost once in Canada. In addition, Lebanese nationals who hold valid temporary resident status in Canada will also be eligible to apply for an open work permit, a study permit, or a status extension at no cost. For detailed information, refer to the .
PGWP, Spousal Open Work Permit, PAL and Study Permit cap changes | September 18, 2024

A number of important immigration updates were announced by the IRCC minister on September 18, 2024, these updates include:

  • Revised national cap on the number of study permits to be issued for 2025.
  • Language proficiency requirement for PGWP applicants starting November 1, 2024
  • PAL requirement for graduate students outside Canada for the 2025-26 academic year
  • Changes to Open work permit eligibility for spouses/common-law partners of certain masters students

For detailed information, refer to the and the

Through the national associations, we have been told to expect the following upcoming changes:

  • International students in Canada who are completing high school and will need to apply to extend their study permits to attend a post-secondary institution will require a PAL moving forward.
  • As of January 2025, visiting and exchange students whose program of study in Canada is more than 6 months will be exempted from the cap and will not be required to have a PAL when applying for a study permit.
Francophone Minority Pilot Program (FMCSP) I August 2024

IRCC announced the Francophone Minority Pilot Program (FMCSP) for French-speaking foreign nationals who are interested in studying in communities outside of Quebec. Applicants applying under the FMCSP will not be required to demonstrate that they will leave Canada after completing their studies in Canada. They will also be exempt from the current study permit cap and therefore will not require a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) for the study permit application process.

¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ is approved to participate in this pilot program by IRCC. Participating designated learning institution (DLI) list can be accessed

The eligibility criteria for the FMCSP program is as follows:

  • Be a citizen of an eligible country 
  • Have received a Letter of Acceptance from a participating DLI in an eligible study program
  • Meet the financial sufficiency requirements (i.e. possess sufficient financial resources to cover the cost of tuition fees and living expenses) 
  • Meet the French Language Proficiency requirements of level 5 in speaking, listening, reading, and writing by providing test results for either of the approved language tests - or  
  • Be outside Canada at the time of application submission 
  • Provide a medical exam (

Provide a Police Clearance Certificate (if applicable - check the to verify if this requirement applies to you by choosing your country of citizenship from the list)

Detailed information about the eligibility requirements and how to apply for this program can be found on the .