As of October 1, 2024, streamlined judicial review is available for rejected study permits. A new Study Permit Pilot Project has been launched to enhance the judicial review process for rejected study permit applications, reducing the waiting time from 14-18 months to just five months. This initiative aims to address the significant backlog caused by a sharp increase in the volume of applications for judicial review. Under the new streamlined process, judges can rule on leave for review and conduct the judicial review concurrently. This change comes in response to an unprecedented influx of immigration filings — with the first nine months of 2024 seeing more applications than any full year in the past three decades. By the end of December 2024, the Federal Court is projected to receive approximately 24,000 immigration filings, nearly four times the yearly average experienced in the five years before the COVID-19 pandemic. This pilot program, designed to expedite the judicial review process, may benefit eligible applicants by providing substantial time and cost savings. Significantly, no new fees are associated with this initiative; the standard filing fee of $50 for judicial reviews remains unchanged.
