Note from Glenn Vollebregt, SLC President and CEO:
We know that many students and SLC community members have questions and are uncertain about the proposed reforms announced by IRCC on Monday, January 22. We are concerned that the short-sighted reforms will have long-lasting impacts on the Canadian post-secondary sector. We are also disheartened that international students may lose opportunities to study, live, and work in Canada, contributing their talents and perspectives to our economy and workforce.
We will continue to advocate for students from round the globe to be able to study and learn in Ontario, and we are seeking concrete details about how the proposed reforms will be implemented. We know our graduates are welcomed and needed by employers in our region, and we know our programs and campuses are enriched by the perspectives all students bring to the classroom, the lab, to placement, and beyond.
As details continue to emerge about the proposed reforms announced by IRCC, SLC is committed to supporting our students and sharing updates as they become available. FAQs on this page will be updated as information is confirmed.
FAQs
Study permit extension requests for current students are not impacted. Please visit Additional information about International Student Program reforms - Canada.ca to learn more.
Students who applied for a study permit on or after January 22, 2024, are subject to the new requirements, including a provincial attestation letter (PAL). Please find out more on the attestation process here.
IF YOUR SPOUSE/PARTNER IS APPLYING FOR AN OPEN WORK PERMIT ON OR AFTER MARCH 19, 2024:
Starting March 19, 2024, spouses or common-law partners of SLC students are NOT eligible for an open work permit.
These are only available if you have a valid study permit and you are studying in either a master’s or doctoral degree program in a university or polytechnic institution. SLC does not offer these programs, therefore, our students' spouses and partners are not eligible to apply for an open work permit if they apply on or after March 19, 2024.
IF YOUR SPOUSE/PARTNER APPLIED FOR AN OPEN WORK PERMIT BEFORE MARCH 19, 2024:
Your spouse or common-law partner may be eligible for an open work permit if you meet the following 3 requirements:
- You have a valid study permit.
- You’re eligible for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP).
- You’re a full-time student at a public post-secondary school, such as a college or university, or CEGEP in Quebec. (SLC students fall under this category)
IF YOUR SPOUSE/PARTNER NEEDS TO EXTEND THEIR OPEN WORK PERMIT:
Your spouse or common-law partner may be eligible to extend their existing open work permit under this stream if you meet 3 requirements:
- You have a valid study permit.
- You’re eligible for a PGWP.
- You’re a full-time student at a public post-secondary school, such as a college or university, or a CEGEP in Quebec
If they’re not eligible for this open work permit, they may be able to get another type of work permit. Find out about other work permit options.
How long the open work permit will be valid? Most of the time, your spouse or common-law partner’s work permit will be valid for the same period of time as your study permit.
Please visit Help your spouse or common-law partner work in Canada - Canada.ca for further information.
From January 22, 2024, onward all study permit applications submitted to IRCC will require a provincial attestation letter (PAL) from the province or territory the student has applied to study in. Applications without the attestation letter will be returned to the applicant by IRCC. Once St. Lawrence College has the ability to distribute PALs, we will be informing our prospective students. PALs will be provided to you through your account in the OCAS-IAS portal. Continue to monitor your OCAS-IAS portal for further information. Please visit Additional information about International Student Program reforms - Canada.ca to learn more.
Current students will still be eligible for PGWPs. The IRCC has announced that graduates of programs that are at least two years in length may be eligible for a three-year PGWP. The length of PGWPs will continue to align with the length of the study program, to a maximum of three years. Please visit Additional information about International Student Program reforms - Canada.ca to learn more.
Please see the federal government news release for details.
New international students at St. Lawrence College's Kingston, Cornwall, and Brockville campuses will be eligible to receive PGWPs that continue to align to the length of study program, to a maximum of three years. Graduates of programs that are at least two years in length may be eligible for a three-year PGWP.
New students at our Toronto-based public-private partner, Alpha College, beginning their studies after May 15, 2024, will not be eligible for the PGWPs. For more information, please visit the IRCC website.
St Lawrence College (SLC), including Kingston, Cornwall, and Brockville campuses, is a public model institution. Toronto-based Alpha College is a public-private institution, established through the Ontario provincial public-private partnership model. Students across all campuses receive a St. Lawrence College credential.
All SLC students contribute much-needed talent and expertise to Ontario labour markets. Whether during their programs, on placement, or afterwards as part of a work permit, college students help fill positions in key industries like healthcare, hospitality and tourism, emerging technologies and green industries, manufacturing, construction, trades, and more. In particular, many international students come to SLC with prior education seeking to be further trained and they contribute as top talent to key sectors of the local and provincial workforce.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada will not require an attestation letter from the Government of Ontario. Upload a copy of your proof of study permit application to the OCAS International Application Portal as soon as possible. If your visa application is approved, you must pre-register for the Spring 2024 term and upload your approval letter or visa stamp to the OCAS International Application Portal. If your visa application is refused, you should withdraw and request a refund in the OCAS International Application Portal (upload your visa refusal letter as part of your request). Please visit Additional information about International Student Program reforms - Canada.ca to learn more.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada will require a provincial attestation letter (PAL) from the Government of Ontario. Do not submit your study permit application until you have an attestation letter. At some point during the application process, St. Lawrence College will submit a request for a PAL for you. When the request is approved by the Ministry of Colleges and Universities (MCU) and the PAL is available, you will be notified by the institution, and you will receive a copy of the letter. The PAL will be provided to you through the OCAS-IAS portal. To be clear, you will not be required to request a PAL. The college will do this on your behalf. After you receive your PAL, you must submit it to the IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) with your study permit application, payment receipt, and Letter of Acceptance from the institution.
Please visit Additional information about International Student Program reforms - Canada.ca to learn more.
For students on the Kingston, Brockville, or Cornwall campus, Student Success is available to help students with concerns related to academic programs, and the Student Wellness and Accessibility department has extensive resources and services, from self-serve to one-on-one counselling. The International Student Advisory team is being equipped with updates, to ensure they are best able to support our international students.
For students in programs offered at the Alpha campus, the Front desk is available to help students with concerns related to academic programs and student services. Please connect with them via email frontdesk@slc-alpha.ca