The Ontario provincial government is prioritising public post-secondary programs that will help prepare international graduates for in-demand jobs that support the province’s labour market needs and boost economic development.
The Ontario government announced an allocation distribution for international study permits in 2024. In this allocation, 96% will go to Ontario’s public universities and colleges to attract the brightest international students to study in areas critical to its economy. According to a report in the CIC news, the remaining 4% will be split between language schools, private universities, and other institutions in the province. Career colleges will not receive any applications.
This allocation is in response to IRCC’s (Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada) announcement earlier this year, a cap on the number of study permit applications it will consider in 2024 and 2025. The Canadian immigration department will consider a maximum of 606,250 study permit applications in 2024. The number of study permits approved for international students in 2024 is 360,000, a 35 percent reduction from 2023. This measure from IRCC is primarily focused on international students at the undergraduate level.
Ontario is home to some of the top universities and colleges in the world, and studying in the province increases the chances of Ontario Provincial Nomination. The nomination adds up to 600 points in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) of the Canada Express Entry, thereby boosting the chances of getting permanent residence in Canada and settling with the family. Discover your options for studying in Ontario and other provinces of Canada with top immigration consultants in Dubai.
Priority areas for study permit applications
The Ontario government will allocate applications to the institutions by prioritising programs in several high-demand areas, which include skilled trades, hospitality, childcare, health human resources, engineering and mathematics, science, and technology.
It will also prioritise French-language enrolment as employers in Ontario compete for workers with French-language skills. The IRCC has also preferred French Language proficiency by inviting 11,000 applicants in three French-language category draws among the total 26,695 candidates invited so far in 2024 across general and category-based Express Entry draws to apply for permanent residence in Canada.
The institution’s allocation of study permits can be, at most, the number of permits it issued in 2023. Additionally, the ratio of international permits can be at most 55% (excluding high-demand areas) of the institution’s 2023 first-year domestic enrolment.
All public Ontario universities will keep application levels at the 2023 level—only Algoma University in Sault Ste. Marie will see a decline from last year’s intake levels. Ontario’s 11 public colleges, out of a total of 24, will also maintain application levels at the 2023 level. The colleges with public-private college partnerships, like Conestoga College, will see the largest decline in application volume.
Get your provincial letter of attestation
It is mandatory for International students to produce a provincial letter of attestation along with their study permit application. This letter proves that the candidate has been accounted for within the maximum allocations set by the Canadian government.
After graduating from an eligible designated learning institution (DLI) in Canada, students may apply for a post-graduation work permit. The Ontario government approves DLIs jointly with the federal government under the International Student Program. DLIs are eligible to enroll international students in programs of study lasting six months or longer on a study permit issued by IRCC. How international graduates can benefit from the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program is explained in this old blog. Get more information about study in Canada and reach out to us for more details.
