Maple News reports that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has officially rolled out a new verification system aimed at protecting the integrity of the international student program. The initiative focuses on preventing fraudulent admission letters, a recurring issue that has led to serious consequences for affected students in recent years.
Under this new system, Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs) — the schools in Canada authorized to admit international students — are now required to verify letters of acceptance (LOAs) submitted by prospective students. This verification process will be done through a newly launched online portal, accessible only to official school representatives registered with IRCC.
DLIs will have 10 calendar days to confirm whether an LOA is genuine. If a school fails to verify the letter within that timeframe, or confirms it as fake, the associated student visa application will be rejected, and all processing fees refunded to the student. Once the deadline expires, schools will lose access to that particular verification, further emphasizing the need for timely action.
This policy shift comes in response to growing concerns over abuse of Canada’s student visa system. A widely publicized scandal in 2023 saw around 700 Indian students face deportation after being misled by a fraudulent consultant who provided fake acceptance letters. The new measures aim to prevent such incidents from recurring by introducing accountability in the initial stages of visa processing.
In parallel, IRCC has also proposed the Trusted Institutions Framework, a broader plan to categorize DLIs based on compliance and reliability. Under this upcoming system, select institutions will earn ‘trusted’ status, enabling them to benefit from advantages such as expedited processing of study permit applications. While full details of this framework remain under development, it is expected to launch in fall 2024.
IRCC has emphasized that maintaining the integrity of the international student stream remains a top policy priority. The department is also considering placing caps on student visa allocations to ensure that schools provide international students with sufficient academic and personal support to succeed in Canada.
Together, these changes reflect a significant shift in how Canada manages the admission of international students, moving towards a system that prioritizes authenticity, oversight, and institutional accountability.
As Maple News continues to monitor developments, prospective international students are encouraged to consult official channels and verify the credibility of their school and immigration representatives.