Additional requirements by the IRCC
- A legitimate acceptance letter from the sponsor’s DLI
- A document from their DLI proving their enrollment
- Transcripts from the course they are taking currently.
In addition, applicants must submit documentation proving their link to the student and, if relevant, that they enrolled in one of the approved pilot programs. If accepted, the SOWP will be valid for the same period as the study permit held by their sponsor.
Other changes for temporary residents
The modifications to SOWP eligibility are part of a broader array of measures implemented by IRCC this year. Thanks to the imposition of a restriction on the number of academic permit applications the IRCC will handle in 2024 and a further decrease in that number to come in 2025, some of the most significant changes have happened in the international educational program.
The government has also imposed a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) criterion on many Post-Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) applications. University graduates must demonstrate a CLB of 7 in speaking, writing, listening, and reading, while college graduates need to obtain a CLB of 5.
The next Immigration Levels Plan, slated to be announced on November 1 this year, will provide more information about temporary resident levels. It will be the first time that the Plan, which establishes goals for the number of immigrants Canada will accept over the next three years, considers temporary resident levels. It is a move to ensure stricter measures on the number of immigrants entering the country.
Reducing the number of foreign residents in Canada
In 2023, more than 2 million temporary immigrants entered Canada. According to Minister Miller, the IRCC has pledged to cut the proportion of temporary residents in Canada from 6.5% of the population to 5% over the next three years. It includes implementing these stricter measures. He pointed out that although the policies put in place at the time to boost immigration and strengthen Canada’s labor force were successful, they are no longer required as the country’s economy has been doing well after the COVID-19 pandemic.
