In a recent press release, the IRCC announced that they would be making major changes in order to better help international students who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic pursue their education in Canada. 

The IRCC seeks to assist international students as follows: 

• In order to facilitate faster processing, IRCC will be prioritizing the processing of study permits for students who were able to submit a complete application online. 
• In order to reassure students who cannot yet submit a complete application but wish to begin their Canadian education online, IRCC will be introducing a temporary 2-stage approval process. This process is available to students who want to begin their program during the fall semester or earlier, and who can submit or have submitted their study permit application on or before September 15, 2020. 
• In order to allow students to count time in their online classes towards eligibility for a Post-Graduate Work Permit, IRCC will continue students who have been able to submit a complete study application and who are able to complete 50% of their education in Canada to remain eligible for the PGWP.

While IRCC has yet to make an announcement, it is highly likely that those who have already been able to submit a completed application should expect to have their applications processed in time for the September 2020 academic year. 

Meanwhile, international students seeking to take advantage of the temporary 2-stage approval process should take note of the following: 

The temporary stages of approval are eligibility and admissibility, and those who qualify will receive an approval-in-principle from IRCC. 

During the eligibility stage, officers will review:

• Letter of acceptance or Certificat d’acceptation du Québec (for those destined for a learning institution in Quebec
• Proof of funds
• That the applicant is a bona fide student who will leave Canada when they no longer have legal temporary or permanent status
• Family ties to Canada

During the admissibility stage, officers will assess the following:

• Immigration medical examination
• Security-Police certificates
• Biometrics

Despite the pandemic heavily impacting IRCC’s ability to process applications and resulting in growing uncertainty for international students, these new measures were created to help students pursue their goals in Canada. 

Canada is a top destination for international students, and many come from different countries all over the world to obtain a quality education in Canada. Many international students also seek out Canada for the work opportunities the country can offer during and after their studies, and in the hopes of becoming permanent residents and eventually, Canadian citizens. 

In turn, international students bring a wealth of global talent to Canada, which is why the country seeks to attract them. In the time before the pandemic, Canada hosted over 650,000 international students. Nearly 60,000 former international students obtain permanent residency in the country each year, economically, socially, and culturally enriching Canada.