Canada is a popular destination for international students because of its excellent educational resources and opportunities for employment or permanent residency after graduation. However, using Canada’s International Student Program has presented several challenges for international students, particularly concerning letter-of-acceptance fraud.

Starting January 30, 2024, all post-secondary designated learning institutions (DLIs) need to verify the letter of acceptance or letter of enrolment submitted in post-secondary study permit applications from within Canada.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) strongly encouraged designated learning institutions (DLIs) to use the template provided for the Letter of acceptance. It contains all of the necessary information and will facilitate the processing of study permit applications.

Students can establish acceptance to a course or program of study by showing officers an original LOA (or a scanned copy if the applicant is applying through e-Apps) from the DLI that they will be attending.

Some of the list of items to be included in the LOA from the DLI submitted by the student at the time of their study permit application will include full name, date of birth and mailing address of the student,
name of the institution and official contact, DLI number, date on which the selected course of study begins, the last date on which a student may register for a selected course, the academic year of study that the student will be entering, whether the course or program of study is full-time or part-time, the tuition fee, scholarships, an expiry date indicating the date until which the LOA is valid etc.

Conditional letters of acceptance (LOAs)

When successful completion of a prerequisite course or program is required before admission into a program of study, the DLI may issue a conditional LOA to a foreign national. This letter should be submitted when the applicant applies to enter Canada as a temporary resident.

When the completion of a prerequisite program, such as English as a second language (ESL) or French as a second language (FSL), is a condition for enrolment in a subsequent program, officers issue a study permit for the length of the prerequisite program plus 1 year.

Students who complete their prerequisite program will then need to apply for a new study permit and demonstrate they have completed the admission requirements.

Missions overseas should still take into consideration the bona fides and available funds for the main program, should the prerequisite be passed, before issuing the travel document for the prerequisite study program.

Foreign nationals who have been issued a study permit for a prerequisite program are not eligible to work off-campus in Canada until they begin their main program of study.

An LOA isn’t required if, the application for a work or study permit of the family member of a foreign national is approved in writing before the foreign national enters Canada. This exemption does not guarantee the approval of a study permit application. The family member of a foreign national who applies for a work or study permit from within Canada is not exempt from the requirement to obtain a LOA when applying for a study permit.

Students applying for a study permit for an academic program that is jointly offered by more than one institution in Canada (that is, a university and a college) must submit an official LOA that clearly indicates this. Both institutions must be designated by the province or territory to host international students.

The college, university or the designated learning institutions (DLIs) need to complete the verification activities in the portal or by email when requested by IRCC. If the verification activity isn’t completed by the DLI (that is, the DLI doesn’t respond), the application will be closed and the study permit processing fee will be refunded. IRCC will send a letter to the applicant advising them that their DLI didn’t validate their LOA, their application is closed and their study permit processing fee will be refunded.

The LOA Verification is not mandatory for Vocational Training Centers that offers secondary level programs only.