Canada Starts Sending Study & Work Permits by Mail

International students and people who have their LOIs (Letter of Introductions) but no chance to travel to a port of entry to claim their permits, now have a good news. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is now ready to open up its web form to take requests from them.

Applicants for study and work permits who have earned their letters of approval no longer have to go to the border to enable their permits. Foreign nationals who are in Canada and have received their approval to work or study can now be sent to them by mail with their permits.

The new measure also applies to persons who earned their LOI under the Foreign Experience Canada program.

Many of these LOI holders have been left in limbo by Coronavirus travel restrictions. Even if they have been allowed to work or study, they can’t get their permits if they go to a port of entry. Since it is not considered necessary travel, they do not go to a port of entry. Therefore, they do not get their work or study permit, which means that even if they have already been accepted, they cannot legally start working or studying.

The new procedure will allow these individuals to request their studies or work permits online and have their papers sent to them by mail. This option is valid until March 31, 2021, according to the IRCC.

Read More: Canada Support Immigrants to Reduce Financial Burden of Pandemic

The New Procedure to Get Your Work or Study Permit in Canada

If LOI holders are coming to work or study, they would have a slightly different process.

When filling out the IRCC web form, study permit applicants must write:

A11EXAM: I am requesting an examination and the issuance of my study permit from within Canada. My application number is [S#########]. I have received my letter of introduction, which is valid until [DATE].

My correct contact information in Canada is:

Telephone:
Mailing Address:
Residential Address:

I continue to be accepted at [DLI Name] and will be/am registered in the [Name] Program.

Officials will then review the study permit application to confirm that the name of the Designated Learning Institution named in the request matches the letter of acceptance. They will also check to see if the applicant’s school is still accepting international students and that their program has not been cancelled. Finally, they have to be satisfied that funding for tuition, living expenses and return home is still available.

Work permit applicants can use the following message:

A11EXAM: I am requesting an examination and the issuance of my work permit from within Canada. My application number is [W#########]. I have received my letter of introduction, which is valid until [DATE].

My correct contact information in Canada is:

Telephone:
Mailing Address:
Residential Address:

Applicants may also include one of the following paragraphs, depending on whether they’re applying for an employer-specific work permit or an open work permit.

Employer-specific work permit: My employer, [name], located at [address], may be contacted at [contact telephone or email] to confirm my continued employment offer. I intend to begin work for this employer as soon as my work permit is received.

Openwork permit: I attest that my circumstances remain the same, and I still meet the requirements of the open work permit program I was approved for.

The immigration department will verify that the employer’s name in the Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or LMIA-exempt bid is consistent with what the applicant presented in their application. After the approval has been given, they will also search for any issues, or case notes entered.

To confirm the job offer, officers can contact the employer. They can also contact the applicant for an interview if they believe it is appropriate.

While they can search open-source information to validate the employer, the procedural fairness mechanism must follow up on any information if they find something that may lead them to deny the permit.

If the work or study permit is denied, officers must include case notes explaining why they have made a negative decision based on the submission. They must either inform the applicant that they must leave Canada when their status expires, or inform them of the next steps if the foreign national is out of status.

Applicants who have been accepted for their permits will obtain their certificates or documents by mail and will eventually be able to study or work in Canada.

Read More: Canada Opening Border for International Students from October 20

Canada’s Immigration Minister: 56,000 Study Permits Approved in the First Stage

Canada’s Immigration minister Marco Mendicino made two notable revelations on September 22 during an international student update he provided via a webinar. Mendicino specified that Canada has already issued 56,000 first stage approvals for study permit requests.

Second, as previously stated by CIC News, the minister announced that the federal government, led by Health Canada, is continuing to collaborate with designated learning institutions to determine how they can physically welcome foreign students to their campuses during the coronavirus pandemic.

According to Mendicino, Minister Patty Hajdu is working to ensure each designated learning institution (DLI) has checked the public health requirements of the province and territory they are located. This strategy would protect the health and safety of global students and Canadian students.

DLIs are universities, colleges, and other educational institutions that have received federal and provincial government permission to accept foreign students. Some DLIs also have shown an interest in accepting foreign students during the pandemic. However, most foreign students are currently unable to fly to the country due to Canada’s travel restrictions.

Discussions between Health Canada, provinces, territories, and DLIs aim to decide whether DLIs can safely establish quarantine and socially distancing plans that would allow them in the coming months to potentially accept international students. Most travellers must be quarantined for 14 days immediately under Canadian law when they arrive in Canada. Besides, provinces and territories across Canada have stringent social distancing measures in place to help curb the spread of COVID-19, but in recent weeks the case tally of Canada’s coronavirus has risen significantly.

Read More: Canada Boosted Application Processing for Spousal Sponsorship

Meanwhile, many significant policy changes have been announced by Canada to encourage foreign students to pursue their Canadian studies despite the pandemic. Among the changes, Canada announced a two-step study permit process in the summer to offer assurance to students so that they can start their studies while overseas.

Also, foreign students can study online while abroad, but they can still work in Canada under a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) once the pandemic is over.

The minister said that 56,000 international students have been approved under stage one so far for a study permit. This implies that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has provided students with approval after reviewing each applicant’s letter of acceptance from a DLI, proof of funds that they can financially support themselves and their studies, among other requirements.

Students need to complete a medical exam, criminal background check, and biometrics to get stage two study permit approval after being able to travel to Canada.

Mendicino made the remarks during a webinar organized by the Canadian International Council, an organization that brings together Canadians to explore foreign affairs issues.

Mendicino made sure to confirm Canada’s ongoing commitment to welcoming immigrants, international students, and global talent in general.

“I steadfastly believe that immigration will play a vital role in our economy, as it has in recent years.”