IRCC has updated its standards, which list the mandatory elements that Canadian Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs) must include in the Letter of Acceptance (LOA) that they send to a foreign student. It is imperative that international students studying in Canada establish the validity and authenticity of their letter of authorization by making sure all the essential information is included. Here we will learn about recent IRCC guidelines for Canadian DLIs, ensuring genuine LOA for international students with essential components included.
LOAs, together with the recently implemented provincial attestation letters (PALs), are essential to the foreign national study permit application procedure. Because LOAs help IRCC confirm that a student has actually been accepted into a course or program of study offered by a DLI, this significance ensued.
LOAs are particularly important at a time when Canada’s system for international students is under a lot of stress. Moreover, they are an essential tool that the IRCC uses to maintain the integrity of its program in the face of increasing demand. These materials are a component of a larger range of tactics that the IRCC has been using to maintain and strengthen the legitimacy and dependability of Canada’s framework for international students.
Essential components of a genuine LOA for international students – Guidelines from IRCC
In its most recent update, the IRCC recommends that DLIs incorporate the following 17 components into the LOA provided to overseas students.
- Student’s full name, date of birth, and mailing address.
- Institution’s name and official contact details.
- DLI number of the institution.
- Institution’s telephone, fax, website, and email information.
- Type of school or institution (e.g., private or public).
- Field or program of study, level, and year of acceptance.
- Estimated duration or completion date of the course.
- Start date of the selected course of study.
- Deadline for student registration.
- Academic year of study the student will enter.
- Full-time or part-time status of the course or program.
- Tuition fees.
- Details regarding scholarships and financial aid (if applicable).
- Expiry date indicating the validity of the LOA.
- Any conditions related to acceptance or registration (e.g., academic prerequisites, language proficiency).
- Clear identification of the educational institution and licensing information for private institutions (if applicable).
- Requirement of a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) for study in Quebec.
Please be aware that the information above consists of a set of suggestions that the IRCC gave to Canadian DLIs. Your Letter of Authorization does not become void or fraudulent just because it does not contain any of the specified content.
The updated LOA verification procedure established by IRCC
The IRCC updated the LOA verification method, which will take effect on December 1, 2023, to further safeguard international students from fraud.
Furthermore, DLIs across Canada are required to personally authenticate each LOA they receive by calling the department after this revised policy goes into effect. All Letters of Agreement (LOAs) submitted by overseas students living outside of Canada are subject to this verification requirement. DLIs now have up to ten calendar days to use the IRCC web portal to validate each LOA.
It should be emphasized that only authorized representatives of each DLI can use this portal.
Enhancements in Ensuring Integrity within Canada’s International Student System
The majority of new post-secondary international students attending colleges or universities must submit their study permit application with a PAL from a province or territory as of January 22, 2024, according to a policy put in place by the IRCC.
The IRCC emphasizes that, without a valid exemption, it would return any study permit application filed without a PAL. Under the national cap, PALs are intended. They serve to prove that the student has been accounted for within a province or territory allotment.
Please take note that by March 31, 2024, provinces and territories across the country must set up a process for issuing PALs, per the IRCC.
British Columbia is the only province that has released information about their PAL issuance procedure as of this writing.
Other steps that Canada has taken recently to address concerns about the integrity of the program for international students include:
- Implementation of an intake cap on study permit applications for international students over the upcoming two years.
- Introduction of an elevated financial requirement for cost-of-living expenses for international students.
- Establishment of a new Trusted Institutions Framework.
- The eligibility criteria for the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) program have been revised. This includes rendering certain students ineligible and extending eligibility to Master’s graduates for a three-year permit.
- Amendments to the eligibility criteria for Open Work Permits (OWP).
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