Following a Superior Court ruling, Quebec’s immigration department has lifted its suspension of applications to 10 specific learning institutions for the Foreign Student Program.
The Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration (MIFI) announced on December 30, 2020, the temporary suspension of the receipt and processing of study permit applications for the 10 institutions, which were all being audited or investigated by the Ministry of Higher Education (MES).
The suspension was until March 31, 2021, and included the processing of applications already submitted, as well as the receipt of new applications. A MIFI statement said the suspensions were in place because of potential dubious practices used to recruit foreign students.
However, following a legal challenge by Cégep de la Gaspésie et des Îles – one of the institutions on the list – the Quebec Superior Court ruled on January 11 that the processing and receipt of applications should resume.
MIFI said that while the court found the department’s mistrust of certain institutions not unreasonable, “the suspension constitutes a significant inconvenience for these students. who organized their lives in order to study in Quebec this winter.”
The 10 institutions are:
- M College of Canada
- Matrix College of Management, Technology and Healthcare;
- Canada College inc.;
- Herzing College (Institute);
- CDE College;
- Montréal College of Information Technology;
- Institut supérieur d’informatique (ISI);
- Universel College – Gatineau Campus;
- Collège CDI;
- Montréal Campus of Cégep de la Gaspésie et des Îles.
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Certain International Students Allowed To Start Work
Meanwhile, Quebec allowed certain international students who completed their programs to start work while their application for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) is being processed.
The right to start work is specifically for International students whose Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) and study permit expired on December 31, 2020 after being automatically extended due to COVID-19.
These students were allowed apply for the PGWP and start work even if they had not yet received all of the documentation indicating they had completed their undergraduate studies.
The application for the PGWP had to be submitted to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada before the end of 2020 with a letter explaining in detail:
- The reason they were submitting an incomplete application.
- The fact that their CAQ and study permit were automatically extended due to COVID-19.
- If applicable, the changes that occurred in their studies due to COVID-19.