IRCC officials spoke about the backlog for research permits and fresh recommendations. during CBIE symposium

The IRCC, the provinces, and designated learning institutions should collaborate more and be more transparent, according to the report.International students are requesting study permits at an unprecedented rate, according to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

ICEF Monitor reports that as pandemic restrictions are relaxed globally and students are returning to Canada to start or finish their post-secondary education, the numbers are still rising.At a recent online symposium hosted by the Canadian Bureau for International Education, the rise in study permit applications was discussed (CIBE).

In order to explain the volume of applications they have received as students leave online programmers and return to Canadian classrooms, representatives from IRCC were there.According to Cynthia Ralickas, a director for IRCC, "While COVID had quite an impact on our immigration programmers, we've seen a good comeback." With over 500,000 research permits awarded in 2021 and more than 600,000 study permits active in Canada as of the end of 2021, recent study permit statistics have surpassed per- pandemic levels.

The majority of applications during the first four months of 2022 came from Nigeria, Colombia, the Philippines, Nigeria, and India. Two of the top countries from which people immigrate to Canada are India and the Philippines.For international students, Canada is known for being an attractive location to study. According to CBIE's most current report on international students, foreign students frequently base their decision to study abroad on Canada's reputation for safety and stability.

Delay in processing study permits

In addition to receiving 175,000 applications in the first quarter of 2022 alone, the IRCC reported a 56% increase in study permit applications in 2021 compared to 2020. As a result, applications for study permits are now being processed slowly.

The number of study permits held by international students enrolled in courses lasting at least six months in 2021 was 621,565 according to ICEF Monitor's most recent report on IRCC statistics, which is still below per- pandemic levels.Nearly 200,000 people were still waiting as of July 17 for their initial study visa application to be processed. According to the IRCC processing time tool, it typically takes 12 weeks for study permits for those outside of Canada to be processed if they are not applying through the Student Direct Stream.

Parliamentary Recommendations

A report by the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration has been presented to the House of Commons in Ottawa with 35 important suggestions to reduce processing times and enhance immigration policy.

1. Increase student direct stream traffic

In as few as 20 days, those who qualify for the Student Direct Stream can receive their permit. The report urges the IRCC to broaden the list of nations that qualify and revisit the standards so that they are equitable for everyone. West African nations are specifically mentioned in the study as being qualifying countries.

2. Greater teamwork and more openness

The suggestions also demand that the documentation required to prove that an application satisfies the financial requirements be given greater latitude and that IRCC be more open about the processes it uses to choose students.

The Student Direct Stream, which can serve as an accelerated application process for applicants who are legal residents of one of twenty qualifying countries, should be reviewed and expanded by IRCC, according to one of these proposals.

The report also stated that in order to regulate recruiters who travel to and recruit from abroad and ensure that they are providing prospective students with information on how to spot fraud and scams, there needs to be more collaboration between the IRCC, the provinces, and designated learning institutions.

According to Ralickas, IRCC considers these recommendations carefully. "The government does have an obligation to respond when reports like that are published in Parliament. It must seriously analyze each proposal and think about how each one applies to the work being done and the directions we are pursuing inside the department."

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