Canada's Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Marc Miller announces significant reforms

Canada's Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Marc Miller has announced significant reforms to Canada's study permit requirements.The move aims at enhancing the financial preparedness of international students. The Minister stated that the changes are set to take effect on January 1, 2024. It also includes a substantial increase in the cost-of-living financial requirement for study permit applicants.

The cost-of-living criteria for a single candidate has stayed at 10,000 US Dollars since the early 2000s. But now that the cost of living is rising, the cut off will be



increased to 20,635 dollars. The purpose of this adjustment is to make sure that international students are appropriately prepared for the financial challenges of life in Canada. It will be revised annually with Statistics Canada's low-income cut-off (LICO). 

The move is not only a response to the rising cost of living but also addresses the challenges faced by international students, such as finding suitable housing. The changes are in line with the government's pledge to shield students from financial exploitation and vulnerability.