Canada immigration updates for foreign students, workers and entrepreneurs

20.11.2024

The immigration authorities in Canada have recently announced a series of changes that may impact some foreign students, workers and entrepreneurs.

End of the Student Direct Stream and Nigeria Student Express

On 8 November 2024, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced that the Student Direct Stream (SDS) and Nigeria Student Express (NSE) initiatives ended as of that day.

Prospective students are invited to apply through the regular study permit stream, which accepts Guaranteed Investment Certificates as proof of financial support.

Eligible SDS and NSE applications received before 2:00 p.m. ET on November 8, 2024, will be processed under these streams. Study permit applications submitted on or after this time will be processed under the regular study permit stream.

This change will not adversely affect eligibility for those who wish to apply for a study permit from a country where the SDS or NSE initiatives have been offered. All students, regardless of whether they were eligible for the SDS or NSE, are required to meet Canada’s study permit application requirements.

Background:

The SDS was launched in 2018 to provide faster processing for eligible post-secondary students. The SDS was eventually opened to legal residents of Antigua and Barbuda, Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, India, Morocco, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Senegal, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and Vietnam. Prospective university students from Nigeria had a similar process with the NSE.

Upcoming new qualifying conditions for Québec Experience Program

As of 23 November 2024, in order to qualify for the Québec Experience Program, applicants must have completed an eligible program of study in French, i.e., 75% of courses or credits have been completed in French:

Vocational and college training: 75% of program courses must be completed in French,
University programs: 75% of program credits must be completed in French.

Theses, Master’s dissertations, internships and research laboratories may be completed in a language other than French. However, the 75% threshold must be met for other courses or credits.

Please note that courses taken abroad, as part of an exchange program for example, count towards the threshold.

Applicants who have not completed the qualifying program of study in French must have completed three years of full-time secondary or post-secondary studies in French in Québec or abroad.

The Programme de l’expérience québécoise (PEQ – Québec experience program) is for foreign students who are a Québec graduate or a temporary foreign worker. It allows qualifying applicants to obtain a Québec selection certificate to settle in Québec permanently.

Note that, from 31 October 2024 until 30 June 2025 at the latest, the government of Québec will not accept any new applications for permanent selection under the “Québec graduate” stream of the PEQ; nor will it accept invitations under the Regular Skilled Worker Program(RSWP) or the Skilled Worker Selection Program (SWSP), which will replace it as of 29 November 2024.

The “Temporary foreign worker” stream of the PEQ is not affected by the suspensions.

Closure of Entrepreneur Stream in Ontario

Following the pause on accepting Entrepreneur Stream applications that took effect on 4 December 2023, the government of Ontario is implementing amendments to the program to wind-down and close the stream.

All Entrepreneur Stream applications currently in process will continue in accordance with the updated regulations. Under the updated regulations, current applicants may be eligible for a nomination for permanent residence based on the commitments they have made to establish their business in Ontario.

The authorities will contact all current applicants to the Entrepreneur Stream, and their authorized representatives, with more information and next steps regarding their applications.