Latest Updates on Visa Cap & PGWP –

For 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will issue a reduced number of study permits, capping them at 437,000. This reflects a 10% reduction from the 2024 target of 485,000 and will stabilize the cap at this level for 2026. This may result into 300,000 fewer study permits being issued over the next few years.

Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) Requirement

IRCC will now require a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) from all master’s and doctoral students.

Starting November 1, 2024, new language proficiency requirements will be implemented for Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) Eligibility:

University Graduates: Must demonstrate a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) score of 7

College Graduates: Must show a CLB score of 5

What is a UKVI post-study work visa?

The UKVI stands for UK Visas & Immigration. The UKVI post-study work visa allows students to stay in the country for a minimum of 2 years after completing their course.

PhD or doctoral students are allowed to stay for 3 years.

To get a Permanent Residency (PR) in the UK after studies, students must apply for a post-graduation work permit and then work in the country for a minimum of 5 years.

Things you can do with post-study work visa:

• Work in most jobs.

Explore self-employment opportunities.
Look for work.
Do voluntary work.
Travel to another country and return to the UK.
Stay with dependents if eligible.

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• Post-study work visa eligibility criteria:
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To apply for a post-graduation work permit, here are some of the requirements:

• You should be in the UK.
• You should be a student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa holder.
• Must have studied a post-graduate or other degree program.
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Post-study work visa processing time:

After applying for the post-graduate work permit and submitting the necessary documents, you will get a decision within 8 weeks if you meet their criteria.

§  Students can work part time 48 hours/fortnight (duration of 2 weeks) when their course is in session.

§  Students not having exhausted 24 hours of part time work in a week can work extra in the following week in such a manner that the total duration 

   over two weeks should not exceed 48 hours.

§  Students can work full time 48 hours/week during semester breaks and vacations.

§  Students are usually paid around A$ 23.23/hr.

 Blood relatives:

– Parents and Siblings

– Grandparents (Maternal and Paternal)

– Maternal Uncle, Maternal Aunt

– Paternal Uncle, Paternal Aunt

If any of the relatives is providing the funds, following is needed:

• – Evidence of relationship with them
• – Their identity documents
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Note:

• It is suggested that the quantum of sponsorship from any relative, apart from Parents/Siblings, should be restricted to 30%.
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What type of funds are accepted?

– Savings

– FD’s

– Education Loan (Need not be 3 months old)

– PPF (no other PF is accepted)

What type of banks are accepted?

– Nationalized banks

– Private sector banks

– International banks

Note:

– If the financial support provided involves a business, show the proof the business is operating.

– If student is providing evidence of deposits of money, explain their source.

Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) in Canada for the International Students

Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) is an Open work permit for International students who have graduated from a Canadian Designated Learning Institutions (DLI). It gives them an opportunity to work in Canada between 8 months to 3 years depending on the program duration that has been pursued by the student. Students are strongly advised to check upfront before applying that the programs or colleges they are applying to provide them with the PGWP opportunity.

PGWP gives you an opportunity to obtain valuable work experience in Canada and makes students eligible to work for any employer, anywhere in Canada. This may also lead to Permanent Residency of Canada once students have gained work experience in Canada and become eligible to apply for Permanent Residency under numerous immigration opportunities available in different provinces.

Eligibility Requirements –

1. 50% of the classes must be conducted via in-person to make you eligible for PGWP.

2. Students must be over 18 Years and should have completed a full-time program in Canada of at least 8 months.

3. You can apply for PGWP only once so use it sensibly and apply for it only after the longest period of study as it will give you a longer period of PWGP, up to a maximum of 3 years. 

 Please note that PGWP is a great way to further advance your career as it gives you an amazing opportunity to work and gain permanent residency in Canada. 

Latest Updates as on January 22, 2024 – 

1. The Canadian government announced a temporary two-year cap on Canadian study permits, which will be limited to around 364,000, to be allocated by province.

2. Master’s, PhD, and K-12 students, current study permit holders, and those looking to extend their studies are fully exempt from this study permit cap.

3. International students who have graduated from masters programs or other short graduate level programs will be able to apply for a 3-year work permit.

4. As of September 1, 2024 students who enroll at public-private partnership institutions will no longer be eligible to access post-graduation work permits after graduating. 

5. New Students are required to provide a Provincial Attestation Letter as part of their study permit application. Applications missing an attestation letter will be returned.

6. Province or Territory (PT). PTs are required to establish a process for issuing these Attestation Letters no later than March 31, 2024.

7. Master’s, PhD, and K-12 students are fully exempt from the study permit cap and do not need to provide a Provincial Attestation Letter.

8. Open work permits will only be available to spouses of international students enrolled in master’s, doctoral programs & professional programs such as medicine & law.

 Academic –

The Writing section of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic Test is an examination taken by students who want to pursue higher education in an English-speaking country. This test gauges a candidate’s ability to put into words– ideas and reflections. It precisely monitors how articulate the candidate is when it comes to non-verbal communication.

The Academic Writing test consists of two writing tasks. In Task 1, you are asked to pen down a precise report on the given info graphic. You need to write no less than 150 words (there is no upper limit) in about 20 minutes. In Task 2, you are instructed to write an essay. You need to write your response in at least 250 words (there is no upper limit) in about 40 minutes.

Overall Time Duration is 60 minutes.

General Test –

The General test is for people dreaming of going to work in or emigrate to the UK, Ireland, Australia, Canada or New Zealand. It is widely accepted for:

Visa and employment applications

Education at high-school level

Non-academic training such as practical vocational courses

It is different to the IELTS Academic test which is required by universities and professional registration bodies.

Test Format

Task 1 (20 minutes) – You are required to write a letter requesting information or explaining the situation in relation to a specific circumstance.

The letter must be in one of the following styles as appropriate to the situation:

Formal – to someone you don’t know

Informal – to a friend or close family member

Task 2 (40 minutes) – You will be required to write an essay on a topic of general interest. Your essay will be a response to a specific point of view, problem or argument that will be stated in the question.

Overall Time Duration is 60 minutes.