British Columbia has introduced the Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) system for international students, effective March 4, 2024. This system requires international students to submit a PAL along with their study permit application to demonstrate that they have been accepted by a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) within the province’s allocation limits. The B.C. government has been granted a total allocation of 83,000 undergraduate study permit applications from Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). This allocation is expected to result in approximately 50,000 approved study permit applications for 2024, which is a reduction from the previous year. The PAL system is the first to be released following IRCC’s introduction of a cap on the number of study permits to be issued in 2024. The cap is part of the government’s efforts to address the unsustainable growth of international student programs in Canada.
According to IRCC, the cap will target bad actors within the system by shrinking their source of income. The cap applies to new study permit applications, with renewals and master’s or doctoral degrees not affected by the policy. Additionally, there have been changes to the eligibility criteria for Post Graduation Work Permits (PGWPs) and upcoming changes to Spousal Open Work Permits (SOWP).
British Columbia’s PAL system is expected to have the biggest impact on private institutions, as the province aims to address the unsustainable growth of the international student program. For example, the province has introduced measures to pause approvals for new post-secondary institutions seeking to enroll international students until February 2026. B.C. will also ensure that private degree programs meet higher standards for approval, including higher assessment criteria for degree quality and language requirements for students at private institutions.
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