Privacy Impact Assessment Summary: International Student Program

The Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) report pertains to the regulations to improve the integrity of the International Student Program under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR). The report addresses CIC’s collection, use, disclosure, retention, disposition, and safeguarding of the personal information of foreign nationals (i.e., not Canadian citizens or permanent residents) related to these new program requirements and authorities within CIC’s mandate.

As part of the International Student Program, the holder of the study permit may be required to provide evidence to an officer of their compliance with study permit conditions. More specifically, an officer may request evidence in instances where there is reason to believe that the permit holder is not compliant with the study permit conditions, or evidence may be requested as part of a random assessment of the overall level of compliance with study permit conditions. The PIA report identified some privacy risks, and mitigation strategies were implemented prior to the coming into force of the regulatory provisions.