Quebec’s ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) has stated that it will resume processing CAQ applications which were halted due to a recent suspension order.
Individuals who wish to study in Quebec are required to obtain a CAQ and study permit. On December 30, 2020, a ministerial order suspending the processing of Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) applications for international students attending 10 specific private colleges under investigation by the Ministry of Higher Education was issued by MIFI.
MIFI has stated that it would be halting the processing of applications for temporary selection for studies submitted by international students to the 10 educational institutions which are audited by the Ministry of Higher Education up till April 2021.
The institutes which were under fire due to the audit successfully secured injunctions against the policy in Quebec’s Supreme Court. These institutes consisted of Canada College, CDI, and the Montréal Campus of Cégep de la Gaspésie et des Îles.
In a decision which was issued by the Supreme Court on January 11, 2021 stated that:
“That the Ministry’s mistrust of these programs is not unreasonable, but that the suspension constitutes a significant inconvenience for these students who have organized their lives in order to study in Québec this winter.”
After the ruling of the Supreme Court, MIFI will resume the processing of international student’s applications and renewals.
The court decision comes as a relief for thousands of students who were not able to obtain a study permit. These students will now be able to start or continue their studies in Quebec.
To study in Québec, any international student must first choose a program of study and a designated learning institution of their choice and then obtain admission to the program of study. Once they receive a letter of acceptance, the student must apply for a CAQ, which is required for studies of more than six months.
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