Overview of important changes for future International Students to Canada
The Government of Canada announced changes for international students and Canadian post-secondary institutions impacting future study permits and post graduate work permits.
Changes to post graduate work permits (PGWP) eligibility for new Study Permit applicants after November 1, 2024:
- Applicants will need to demonstrate a Canadian Language Benchmark level of 7 for university graduates and 5 for college graduates at time of applying for a PGWP.
- Graduates from public colleges (Bow Valley College is a public college) will remain eligible for a PGWP of up to 3 years if they graduate from a field of study linked to occupations in long-term shortage. Study Permit holders and applicants with applications submitted prior to November 1st 2024 will be excluded from this new PGWP condition.
Will Post-Graduate Work Permits (PGWP) be available for international students at Bow Valley College?
Bow Valley College students will still be eligible for a PGWP. Bow Valley College certificates and post diploma certificates are eligible for 1-year PGWP and diplomas and advanced diplomas are eligible for 3-year PGWP.
Which programs are eligible for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP)?
The following programs are confirmed to be eligible for PGWP at Bow Valley College. This preliminary list may be updated through collaborative efforts with the provincial government to add programs in areas with job demand in Calgary and Alberta. Please check this page frequently as information will continue to evolve.
- Addiction Studies Diploma
- Advanced Game Development Diploma
- Business Administration - Supply Chain Management Diploma
- Cloud Computing Post-Diploma Certificate
- Cybersecurity Post-Diploma Certificate
- Data Management and Analytics Post-Diploma Certificate
- Digital Design Diploma
- Digital Marketing Post-Diploma Certificate
- Early Childhood Education and Development Diploma
- Health Care Aide Certificate
- Health Data Analytics Diploma
- Information Technology Systems Diploma
- Interdisciplinary Therapy Assistant Diploma
- Perioperative Nursing (program not open for international students)
- Pharmacy Technician Diploma
- Practical Nurse Diploma (program not open for international students)
- Recreation Therapy Aide (program not open for international students)
- Software Development Diploma
- Software Development Post-diploma Certificate
Study Permit Cap and Provincial Attestation Letter
The Government of Canada announced changes for international students and Canadian post-secondary institutions. The changes included:
- A cap on the number of study permits for 2024 and 2025. Each province will receive a specific cap.
- A new provincially issued Attestation letter will be required to accompany your initial study permit application to the IRCC.
- Spouses of new undergraduate international students will no longer be eligible for spousal open work permits.
Will these changes affect current students?
The caps will not impact current study permit holders or study permit renewals (extensions). Spouses of current students are not affected by the change spousal open work permits.
What changes in Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) programs will impact students at Bow Valley College?
These changes will not impact Bow Valley College because it is a public institution and does not operate any PPP programs.
What is an attestation letter?
An attestation letter is a supporting document from the province or territory where the student plans to study. Bow Valley College will request the attestation letter from the Government of Alberta and forward it to you. You will need this attestation letter to apply for your study permit with IRCC. For more information, visit: Study permit: Get the right documents - Canada.ca
National reduction in the number of study permits available for 2025 and 2026. 2025 will be reduced by 10% over 2024 to a target of 437,000. The 2026 target will also be 437,000. The number of study permits available will be by province and details will be confirmed in the coming weeks.
Master’s and doctoral students will now be required to submit a Provincial Attestation Letter and will be included in the new Study Permit caps for 2025. Bow Valley College does not have Masters or Doctoral programs.
