The Canadian province of British Columbia has recently implemented a freeze on approvals for new colleges accepting international students, extending until February 2026. This decision aligns with Canada’s broader strategy to temporarily limit the inflow of foreign students into the country. Furthermore, British Columbia plans to implement more rigorous standards. These strict standards include heightened language proficiency requirements at private training institutions and an emphasis on degree quality.
Recently, the federal government imposed a cap on new international student permits, responding to the growing challenges posed by the rapid increase in the number of study permit holders in Canada. The country currently hosts around 1 million international study permit holders, with a threefold rise in the past decade. Unfortunately, this rise has contributed to housing shortages and increased rental costs.
One key reason for Canada’s popularity as a study-abroad destination is the ease with which students can obtain work permits after completing their courses. To address the issues associated with the study permit system, Canada is introducing additional checks in the application process. Notably, from January 1, 2024 onwards, there has been an update in the cost-of-living requirement.
Furthermore, since December 1, 2023, a new policy mandates post-secondary designated learning institutions to directly confirm every letter of acceptance from applicants outside Canada with Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). These measures are part of Canada’s broader initiative to enhance the verification process for study permit applications. However, these stricter measures aim to protect students from fraudulent activities and ensure the issuance of study permits only in response to genuine letters of acceptance. Moreover, by implementing these stricter measures, Canada seeks to maintain the integrity of its international education system and safeguard the well-being of students in the country
