Market intelligence for international student recruitment from ICEF
19th Jun 2014

Canada releases list of designated institutions for student visas

We reported earlier this year on Canada’s revised regulations for its International Student Program (ISP). The new regulations have now come into effect – as of 1 June 2014 – including an important change that only students enrolled at designated institutions will now be able to apply for a study permit (that is, an international student visa) for Canada. In order to apply for a study permit, students will now require a letter of acceptance from a designated learning institution. Students will also need to provide an official Designated Learning Institution number for the institution they plan to attend on their study permit application. Each province or territory in Canada is responsible for determining which institutions are eligible to receive international students. The process of designating institutions is ongoing but Citizenship & Immigration Canada (CIC) has just released the initial list on its website. official-cic-list-of-designated-institutions-and-schools The official CIC list of designated institutions and schools is searchable by province and territory, and also by city or institution name. As of 19 June 2014, there are 1,010 designated institutions across Canada. The majority are found in the provinces of British Columbia (272), Ontario (420), and Quebec (176), but every province and territory, with the exception of the northern territory of Nunavut, has at least one (and often many more) designated institutions on the list. In addition to the institutions listed at the link above, CIC advises :

“All primary and secondary schools in Canada are automatically designated.”

These schools do not appear on the CIC list, nor do they have an assigned Designated Learning Institution number. However, a letter of acceptance from a Canadian primary or secondary school can nevertheless be used as the basis for a study permit application.

As with all other provisions around Canadian study permits, the newly enacted regulations for June 2014 apply in cases where students intend to study for more than six months. CIC advises that students do not need a study permit if they plan to take a course or programme in Canada that lasts six months or less.

CIC has also announced an extended “grandfathering” period for international students already enrolled at non-designated institutions as of June 2014. An earlier news releases notes, “Study permit holders who are studying at a non-designated institution when the new regulations come into effect will be permitted to complete their programme of study, up to a maximum of three years after the regulations take effect.” For additional background on the amended regulations for Canada’s International Student Program – including expanded work opportunities for study permit holders – please see a detailed summary in our earlier post.

Most Recent

  • The UK is quickly expanding its TNE footprint in India Read More
  • Türkiye: After a decade of dramatic growth, a goal to host 500,000 international students by 2028 Read More
  • Impact study shows pursuit of new experience is a key driver for international exchange Read More

Most Popular

  • Which countries will contribute the most to global student mobility in 2030? Read More
  • Research shows link between study abroad and poverty alleviation  Read More
  • Beyond the Big Four: How demand for study abroad is shifting to destinations in Asia and Europe Read More

Because you found this article interesting

The UK is quickly expanding its TNE footprint in India As universities in the Big Four (Australia, Canada, the UK, and the US) face more immigration-related challenges in...
Read more
Türkiye: After a decade of dramatic growth, a goal to host 500,000 international students by 2028 In the past couple of years, we have frequently referred to “alternative” destinations that are becoming more popular...
Read more
Impact study shows pursuit of new experience is a key driver for international exchange More than nine in ten respondents (95%) in a recent study said the greatest impact of their international...
Read more
What is holding back brand strategy in higher education marketing? There is a remarkable consistency in the brand strategies and related marketing communications offered by higher education institutions...
Read more
UK to implement reduced Graduate Route from January 2027 The UK Home Office has confirmed the implementation of one of the key items in its May 2025...
Read more
UK transnational education enrolments poised to surpass onshore students this decade The latest available numbers from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) tell us that there were 732,285 international...
Read more
Trump administration’s proposed deal with select US colleges includes a cap on international undergraduate enrolment Update for 21 October 2025: The administration’s 20 October deadline for responding to the proposed compact has now...
Read more
Australia introduces new integrity measures through proposed amendments to the ESOS Act Australian Minister of Education Jason Clare tabled the Education Legislation Amendment (Integrity and Other Measures) Bill 2025 in...
Read more
What are you looking for?
Quick Links