DEPARTMENT OF CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION

IMMIGRATION AND REFUGEE PROTECTION ACT

Ministerial Instructions with respect to the processing of certain applications for a study permit made by a foreign national as a member of the student class

These Instructions are published in the Canada Gazette in accordance with subsection 87.3(6) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

These Instructions are given, pursuant to section 87.3 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, by the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration as, in the opinion of the Minister, these Instructions will best support the attainment of the immigration goals established by the Government of Canada by

• permitting Canada to pursue the maximum social, cultural and economic benefits of immigration; and
• enriching and strengthening the social and cultural fabric of Canadian society, while respecting the federal, bilingual and multicultural character of Canada.

Overview

These Instructions establish that study permit applications within the scope of these Instructions require an attestation letter from the respective province or territory where the applicant intends to study.

The intent of these Instructions is to ensure that in 2025 the number of study permit applications accepted into processing by the Department of Citizenship and Immigration (the Department) within the scope of the Instructions does not exceed the number of applications remaining in the cap ending on January 21, 2025, at 11:59 P.M., as set out in the Ministerial Instructions (MI79) for the period from January 1, 2025, at 12:00 A.M. EST to January 21, 2025, at 11:59 P.M. EST, and that the number of applications does not exceed 550 162 for the period between January 22, 2025, at 12:00 A.M. EST and ending December 31, 2025, at 11:59 P.M. EST. Provinces and territories have been allocated a share of the 550 162 applications, as communicated by the Minister in letters to their provincial and territorial counterparts. As established in these Instructions, certain categories of study permit applications are excluded from the conditions and the associated application cap established by these Instructions.

Definitions

The following definitions apply in these Instructions:

“Act”

means the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. (Loi)

“exchange student”

means an international student who attends a designated learning institution under an exchange arrangement between the designated learning institution and the foreign national’s learning institution outside of Canada, where the exchange student does not pay tuition fees to the designated learning institution in Canada. (étudiant participant à un programme d’échange)

“level of study”

is categorized as follows:

• primary and secondary education,
• post-secondary education (including vocational and technical training, and undergraduate programs), and
• graduate education or above. (niveau d’études)

“provincial attestation letter”

means a letter issued by a provincial government confirming that an applicant has a space within the provincial allocation for study permit applications, and that must include the following information of the foreign national:

• full name,
• date of birth, and
• address. (lettre d’attestation provinciale)

“Regulations”

means the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations. (Règlement)

“territorial attestation letter”

means a letter issued by a territorial government confirming that an applicant has a space within the territorial allocation for study permit applications, and that must include the following information of the foreign national:

• full name,
• date of birth, and
• address. (lettre d’attestation territoriale)

Scope

These Instructions apply to applications for a study permit made under the student class, referred to in Part 12 of the Regulations, except for study permit applications that are

• referred to in paragraphs 215(1)(a) and (b) of the Regulations and are presented by an applicant seeking to renew their study permit at the same designated learning institution and in the same level of study as the existing study permit;
• referred to in paragraphs 215(1)(d), and (e) of the Regulations;
• referred to in paragraph 215 (1)(g), if the applicant is described in paragraph 207(b), (c) and (d) of the Regulations;
• received from foreign nationals applying for a study permit as an exchange student at a designated learning institution;
• received from foreign nationals applying for a study permit at the primary school or secondary school level;
• received from foreign nationals planning to study at a designated learning institution referred to in subparagraph 211.1(a)(i) of the Regulations;
• received from foreign nationals who are recipients of a scholarship for non-Canadians administered and funded by Global Affairs Canada;
• received from foreign nationals who have been selected to participate in the Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot;
• received from foreign nationals who are in Canada or entering Canada and are exempt from certain study permit requirements as set out in the provisions of a public policy issued by the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration under section 25.2 of the Act as part of a migration response to a crisis or other pressure; or
• received from foreign nationals who are exempt from certain study permit requirements as set out in the provisions of the Temporary public policy to exempt certain Indigenous persons and their family members from temporary residence requirements.

Conditions

In order to be accepted for processing, any study permit application subject to these Instructions that was made at 12:00 A.M. EST on January 22, 2025, or after, must include a provincial or territorial attestation letter issued for the 2025 allocation year. Study permit applications that do not include a provincial or territorial attestation letter will not be accepted for processing and processing fees will be returned.

Transitional provision

Applications received between January 1, 2025, 12:00 A.M. EST and January 21, 2025, 11:59 P.M. EST, but that have not received a final decision, will be examined in accordance with the Ministerial Instructions with respect to the processing of certain applications for a study permit made by a foreign national as a member of the student class, published on October 19, 2024 (MI79).

Applications received before January 1, 2025, 11:59 P.M. EST, but that have not received a final decision, will be examined in accordance with the Ministerial Instructions with respect to the processing of certain applications for a study permit made by a foreign national as a member of the student class that were in force at the time of receipt.

Maximum number of study permit applications to be accepted for processing in a year

In 2025, these Instructions authorize the number of applications remaining in the cap ending on January 21, 2025, at 11:59 P.M. as set out in the Ministerial Instructions (MI79), that are within the scope of those instructions, to be the maximum accepted for processing during the period January 1, 2025, to January 21, 2025, at 11:59 P.M. They also authorize a maximum of 550 162 study permit applications, within the scope of these instructions, to be accepted for processing between January 22, 2025, at 12:00 A.M. EST and ending December 31, 2025, at 11:59 P.M. EST.

This maximum number of study permit applications accepted for processing may be amended in accordance with any subsequent Instructions the Minister may provide.

Study permit applications that are within the scope of these Instructions received by the Department after the maximum number of study permit applications has been reached will not be accepted for processing, and processing fees will be returned.

Effective Period

These Instructions take effect on January 22, 2025 at 12:00 AM EST and expire on December 31, 2025 at 11:59 PM EST.

The Hon. Marc Miller, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Citizenship and Immigration

Dated on December 23, 2024