September 07, 2022

Canada Extends Remote Learning at the Last Minute Over Visa Delays

T The country's immigration services have implemented a "transition period" for distance learning in response to a summer of visa processing delays, extending pandemic-era measures even though Canada is eager for international students to return to in-person learning.

There was a backlog of 2.1 million applications in June, which disrupted the plans of international students.

While admitting that some applications have not been processed in time for the start of the new academic year, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, which is in charge of processing visa applications, claimed that it has given priority to study permit applications for students whose courses begin in September.

…this late announcement has left many institutions across Canada scrambling at the last minute to provide online classes and for some fields of study this last-minute change may not be possible, and as a result students may have to defer to January 2023 or to September 2023, if that is an option for them...

Students who have already applied for a study permit before August 31 or those who are already studying online from outside of Canada will be able to finish their entire programme online without jeopardising their eligibility for post-graduate work permits.

Between September 1, 2022, and August 31, 2023, individuals who begin a course or submit an application for a study permit are permitted to complete 50% of their programme from outside of Canada without losing their PGWP eligibility.

All study time completed outside of Canada will, starting in September 2023, be subtracted from the duration of a graduate's work permit.

“Overall, it is a feeling of welcome relief for many students who have been stressed about the start to their term,” said Philipp Reichert, global engagement director at The University of British Columbia. He added, “This late announcement has left many institutions across Canada scrambling at the last minute to provide online classes and for some fields of study this last-minute change may not be possible, and as a result students may have to defer to January 2023 or to September 2023, if that is an option for them.”

Posted in News and tagged News, Canada, Visa, Remote Learning, International Students, PGWP, University of British Columbia
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