Letters of enrollment in Canadian higher education now need to be verified
Amendments to the International Student Program are coming into effect.
On December 1, 2023, changes to Canada's International Student Program will come into effect, specifically in the conditions for issuing a study permit. There is a new step in the process of obtaining a study permit, namely the authentication of the letter of enrollment.
What does the process look like now?
- Upon admission, the institution must provide the applicant with a Letter of Acceptance (LOA).
- This letter must be attached to your application for a study permit — to enter and remain in the country legally.
- After submitting your application, the college or university administration will now have exactly 10 calendar days to confirm the validity of your acceptance letter.
- If your school does not respond within 10 days to the Ministry's request, your application will be returned, and you will also be refunded the processing fee.
- You can then reapply, but the Department of Immigration recommends that you check with the school beforehand that they are willing to authenticate your letter of admission this time.
What is this done for?
The measure is to ensure that study permits will only be issued on the basis of genuine letters of enrollment. Previously, there have been cases of letter fraud in Canada, with the most high-profile case occurring in the spring of 2023 — at which time hundreds of students were victimized. To avoid this in the future, the Department of Immigration has decided to verify the authenticity of every enrollment letter.
What does this mean for prospective students?
On the one hand, Canada does keep potential victims of fraudsters away. On the other hand, an additional step in any bureaucratic process is another additional opportunity to make a mistake.
Students who apply on their own should carefully check the reliability of universities and also remember to monitor deadlines. In addition, it is better to work out a backup plan in advance in case something goes wrong.
For students using licensed immigration counselors, nothing will change — experienced professionals take control. In particular, our counselors work only with reliable partner universities and know exactly how to handle unforeseen circumstances.
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