AMENDING DLI
Immigration law
24 Feb
Under agreements
called Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs), provinces and territories (PTs) work
with IRCC to set basic rules for naming schools as designated learning
institutions (DLIs). These DLIs are approved to enroll international students.
IRCC handles the applications for study permits from international
students who have been accepted by a DLI.
In other words
-Imagine provinces and territories (PTs) and IRCC in a buddy cop movie where
they sign Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) to set the ground rules for naming
schools as designated learning institutions (DLIs). These DLIs are like cool
clubs for international students. IRCC then becomes the gatekeeper for study
permit applications from these lucky students who got into one of these
exclusive clubs.
Managing the
International Student Program involves both IRCC and the Provinces/Territories
(PTs). IRCC makes rules about how international students can come to Canada,
what rules they must follow while studying here, and who gets permission to
study in Canada.
To get the nod
from Canada's educational institutions (DLIs) for international students,
they've got to impress their local province or territory. Each one has its own
set of standards laid out in agreements, making sure DLIs measure up. And when
provinces want to shuffle the DLI deck, they give IRCC a head-up—except Quebec,
doing its own cool thing with its own rules.
The suggested
regulatory changes pertain specifically to post-secondary DLIs and
international students at the post-secondary level. Whenever DLIs are mentioned
in this document, it pertains only to institutions operating at the
post-secondary level.
Three issues have been identified that affect the integrity of the current program.
- The government can't force schools to report, which means they can't always tell if students are actually going to class or if acceptance letters are legit. It's like trying to catch a bus that never shows up—how are you supposed to get where you need to go?
- Currently, IRCC can't impose consequences on schools that misbehave, like putting them in time-out by pausing study permit approvals. So, they have to keep issuing study permits to students even when those schools aren't reporting student enrollment or verifying acceptance letters. It's like trying to give out awards to students in a class that's always skipping attendance—how do you reward them when you don't even know who's there?
- Also, under the current rules, IRCC can't make international students raise their hand if they switch schools. So, they can't always be sure if students are showing up or following the study permit rules when they switch schools. When students hop between schools without a heads-up, it's like trying to count sheep that keep jumping over the fence—it messes things up for everyone involved!
THE PROPOSED REGULATIONS would make it mandatory for post-secondary DLIs to meet the specified conditions using the electronic tools handpicked by the Minister. They're really into their gadgets!
- Within 10 days of the Minister's "quick, tell me!" memo, confirm that a student has actually signed up for that course they applied to study.
- Send in a status report within 60 days of the Minister's polite reminder, detailing who's really into their studies and who's just here for the campus food.
- If the Minister spots any slip-ups in your report, fix them pronto or add in the missing bits within 10 days of the heads-up.
- Whenever the Minister gets curious (which is often), provide whatever else they fancy—like juicy details about study permits and who's got their name on them.
Alright, listen
up international students! You can change your school whenever you want, but
Canada's immigration folks suggest you drop them a note on their fancy secure
website. It's like a polite heads-up, not a law yet, but it's good manners, you
know? These are set under the suggested regulatory changes. If you switch
schools without sending them a quick note, they might think you're skipping
class at your old school and start asking questions. That could get you in
trouble, maybe even mess up your chance of getting another study permit down
the road.
So, for
everyone's sake — you, your school, and the government — keep 'em in the loop
about where you're studying. It's like updating your status on Facebook, but
for immigration purposes!"
Verification of
DLI compliance with conditions - The suggested rules would enable an IRCC
officer to check if a DLI is meeting its obligations in these situations:
The proposed
regulations give IRCC officers the green light
to play detective: they can investigate if a DLI isn't toeing the line (maybe
they've been fibbing a bit), suspect a letter of acceptance was issued under
dubious circumstances, or just decide to pick a DLI for a surprise audit. It's
like the immigration version of "CSI: Educational Institutions."
If a DLI drops
the ball on a condition under the proposed regulations, they
might catch a break if they can prove they tried their darnedest or genuinely
thought they were doing the right thing.
Also under these
proposed rules, if an officer catches a DLI
breaking a rule, they have to send them a "preliminary finding"
notice. It's like a formal "hey, you messed up" memo that includes
the DLI's name, what rule they broke (oops!), how long they might be in
timeout, and why they're in trouble. Oh, and they get 30 days to explain
themselves in writing, but the notice is considered "received" 10
days after they mail it out. It's bureaucratic time travel, well! Kind of.
And more so
under the proposed regulations, DLIs can submit
written responses and relevant documents within 30 days of receiving a
preliminary finding notice. The Minister may grant a 30-day extension if
exceptional circumstances prevent or impede the institution from submitting on
time.
Suspension list
and period - When it comes to deciding if a DLI
deserves a time-out on the suspension list and for how long, the
proposed rules seem to put the Minister in the judge's seat. They'll
consider how often and how seriously the DLI messed up, whether they made a
decent effort to follow the rules (or not), how cooperative they were during
inspections, and what kind of excuses they wrote up in response to getting
caught red-handed.
To really drive
the message home, there's even a public "suspension list" where the
Minister will name and shame them, detailing the DLI's name, address, website
(so everyone knows where not to click), the specific rule they broke, and how
long they'll be in the penalty box—up to a maximum of 12 months.
During this
time, any hopeful students applying for a study permit involving that DLI will
have their applications tossed back like a hot potato—no processing, no fee,
nothing. It's like a school's principal office, but for colleges and
universities.
Consequences for
not complying with the conditions - In a
surprising turn of events, Canada is set
to make its study permit regulations more... precise. According to the proposed
amendments, study permit holders must now stick like glue to the
Designated Learning Institution (DLI) listed on their permit. No more
educational wandering!
The permit will
now play hardball—invalidity could strike the moment you dare to drift from
your DLI home base.
So, dear
international students, remember - In Canada, you enroll, you stay enrolled,
and your permit stays valid. The stakes? Your educational journey—and possibly
your ability to stay in the Great White North. Better hit those books, eh?
In a move that's
got international students buzzing (politely, of course), Canada is looking to
up the ante on work-life balance. The Great White North is proposing to boost the weekly
off-campus work limit from 20 hours to a cool 24 hours during regular academic
sessions. This tweak promises to give students not just more study time, but
also a chance to earn their poutine money in the bustling Canadian workforce.
It's all part of Canada's plan to enrich the educational journey of
international scholars while keeping an eye on the maple-scented bottom line.
Who knew crunching numbers could be so... sweet?
The proposed
regulatory changes would give IRCC the
superpowers needed to squash integrity issues and wrangle those pesky unethical
behaviors that try to trip up the program's good name.