TORONTO – The government of Canada has announced a reduction in the number of international student permits in a move that could affect students from across the world.
In an official press release issued on Monday, the immigration minister announced that the government will set an intake cap on international student permit applications to stabilize new growth for a period of two years.
‘For 2024, the cap is expected to result in approximately 360,000 approved study permits, a decrease of 35% from 2023,’ the press release stated.
The official communication highlighted that in the spirit of fairness, individual provincial and territorial caps have been established, weighted by population, which will result in much more significant decreases in provinces where the international student population has seen the most unsustainable growth.
The government also confirmed that the study permit renewals and current study permit holders will not be impacted and those pursuing master’s and doctoral degrees, and elementary and secondary education are also not included in the cap.Â
The government stated that in recent years, the integrity of the international student system has been threatened and some institutions have significantly increased their intakes to drive revenues, and more students have been arriving in Canada without the proper support they need to succeed.
‘Rapid increase in the number of international students arriving in Canada also puts pressure on housing, health care and other services. As we work to better protect international students from bad actors and support sustainable population growth in Canada, the government is moving forward with measures to stabilize the number of international students in Canada,’ the press release read.
As part of the reforms, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will allocate a portion of the cap to each province and territory, which will then distribute the allocation among their designated learning institutions.
The government announced that to implement the cap, as of January 22, 2024, every study permit application submitted to IRCC will also require an attestation letter from a province or territory.
Provinces and territories are expected to establish a process for issuing attestation letters to students by March 31, 2024.
The government has also clarified that the temporary measures will be in place for two years, and the number of new study permit applications that will be accepted in 2025 will be re-assessed at the end of this year.Â
Eligibility criteria
The government also stated that to better align the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program, the eligibility criteria are being changed as under:
- Starting September 1, 2024, international students who begin a study program that is part of a curriculum licensing arrangement will no longer be eligible for a postÂgraduation work permit upon graduation. Under curriculum licensing agreements, students physically attend a private college that has been licensed to deliver the curriculum of an associated public college. These programs have seen significant growth in attracting international students in recent years, though they have less oversight than public colleges and they act as a loophole with regards to post-graduation work permit eligibility.
- Graduates of master’s and other short graduate-level programs will soon be eligible to apply for a 3-year work permit. Under current criteria, the length of a postÂgraduation work permit is based solely on the length of an individual’s study program, hindering master’s graduates by limiting the amount of time they have to gain work experience and potentially transition to permanent residence.
The authorities have stated that in the weeks ahead, open work permits will only be available to spouses of international students in master’s and doctoral programs. The spouses of international students in other levels of study, including undergraduate and college programs, will no longer be eligible.
The government has stated that the measures are aimed at ensuring that genuine students receive the support they require and have the resources they need for an enriching study experience in Canada, while at the same time stabilizing the overall number of students arriving and alleviating pressures on housing, health care and other services in Canada.
