Citizenship and Immigration

1. Citizenship and Immigration Presentation to ACCC Annual Conference May 29, 2004

2. An Overview • Foreign Students are a high priority for CIC – but not our only priority • Time spent processing unsuccessful applicants slows processing for high-quality student applicants • Visa Officers overseas assessed over 87,000 applications for Study Permits in 2003. • Processing times are falling. Over past 12 months, 28% of applications were finalized within 2 days; 73% within 28 days – compared to 63% in 2002 • Globally, Study Permit approval rate for 2003 was 74%.

3. A Snapshot of all Study Permit Applications Processed by Missions Abroad(Figures do not include Study Permits with missing or invalid level of study codes)

4. Top 5 Processing PostsStudy Permit Applications Processed

5. Student Processing Times

6. ACCC Member Colleges • In 2003, Study Permits were issued to students attending at least 73 of ACCC membership colleges. • Global approval rates for ACCC member colleges is 80.2%.

7. Student Processing Beijing • The Student program has a high volume of document fraud. Beijing detects fraudulent documentation on almost half the files referred for verification by visa officers, and on about 20% of those checked on a random basis. • The Canadian education industry continues to expand its presence in the Chinese market. Many Canadian schools, school boards, and provinces are developing bilateral agreements at all levels.

8. Student Processing New Delhi • Increase in applications attributed to: • an increasingly high profile recruitment in India by colleges with focussed career and degree-granting programs • growing middle class with students who are English speaking • Decreases in approval rates resulting from: • an increase in the number of students with pre-packaged fraudulent documentation destined to non-degree programs with no academic selection process • a perception that a Study Permit can be used by non-genuine students or students with insufficient funding as a means for admission to Canada on a permanent basis

9. Student Processing Seoul • Applications processed have been quite steady for past 3 years • Student movement split about evenly between minor children and ESL • A small, but growing number of students are pursuing post-secondary education in Canada citing the relative safety of our country and the affordability and quality of our schools. • Seoul is currently conducting a pilot in which participating Study Permit applicants receive their approval letter through e-mail.

10. Student Processing Mexico City • The numbers of persons from Mexico studying in Canada continues to grow • The decline in Study Permit applications is attributable to both the large number of short-term language students as well as single semester exchange students travelling from Mexican to Canadian universities, who are both now study permit exempt under IRPA

11. Regulating of Immigration Consultants/Representatives • Effective April 13, 2004, regulations were implemented which permit only the following people to act as paid representatives for individuals conducting business with Citizenship and Immigration Canada: • Immigration consultants who are members in good standing of the Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants. • Lawyers who are members in good standing of a Canadian law society and students-at-law under their supervision. • Notaries who are members in good standing of the Chambre des notaires du Québec and students-at-law under their supervision. • The Government of Canada does not oblige anyone to have a representative.

12. Regulating of Immigration Consultants/Representatives (continued) • The regulations do not apply to friends, family members or organizations that do not charge a fee for providing advice and services • The regulations affect individuals who pay a representative to provide advice and assistance on immigration and refugee matters with Citizenship and Immigration Canada and in proceedings before the Immigration and Refugee Board and the Canada Border Services Agency. • The regulations apply to all visa categories, from immigrants to visitors to students • After April 13, if an individuals representative is not a member of one of the organizations listed above, the individual may choose to either continue unrepresented or hire an authorized representative.

13. Fact Sheet ...for Education Agents This is how the new Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations on representatives, which came into force April 13, 2004, may affect education agents outside of Canada. • Before April 13, 2004 • You could: • attend briefings on general processing procedures at missions • market/promote Canadian educational programs • recruit students • provide students with information • assist in completing study permit applications • drop off applications, and pick up permits with the students’ consent at Canadian missions • After April 13, 2004 • You can • attend briefings on general processing procedures at missions • market/promote Canadian educational programs • recruit students • provide students with information • assist in completing study permit applications • drop off applications, and pick up permits with the students’ consent at Canadian missions *

14. Fact Sheet ...for Education Agents Since April 13, 2004, only agents who are members of the Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants (CSIC) or a provincial/territorial law society may act as students’ representatives in the processing of their applications. • What Education Agents cannot do unless they meet the requirements of the new regulations: • be appointed as the applicant’s paid representative to do business with Citizenship and Immigration Canada.* • provide the agent’s mailing address as the point of contact for correspondence relating to the processing of the student’s study permit application.* For more information on regulating immigration consultants, visit the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website at www.cic.gc.ca.