Currently, the Canadian government is contemplating imposing new restrictions on international student numbers in light of the country’s housing crisis. Marc Miller, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada, indicated that if the housing crisis persists, there might be an expansion of the cap on international students permitted to study in Canada.
During an announcement in Halifax, Miller expressed confidence in the upward trajectory of events, stating that ideally, within the next two years, no changes would be necessary. These remarks were prompted by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s acknowledgment in Nova Scotia of the need to put a cap on the inflow of temporary immigrants and international students into the country.
Trudeau highlighted Canada’s challenge in managing the increasing numbers of international students and temporary foreign workers, which have exceeded the country’s capacity to absorb them. In the previous academic year, over a million international students chose Canada as their destination for studying abroad, marking a 29% increase from the preceding year when the nation hosted more than 800,000 overseas students.
Official data reveals a significant surge in the number of foreign students studying in Canada, with a rise of over 200% in the past decade and a 63% increase in 2023 compared to five years prior.
In January, Miller announced a cap on the number of international student visas to Canada in response to the sharp rise in visa applications. For 2024, he set a maximum of 360,000 authorised study permits, representing a 35% reduction from the previous year.
Moreover, this year saw a quadrupling of the cost-of-living criteria for overseas students in Canada. Instead of the long-standing $10,000 threshold, students are now required to demonstrate at least $20,635 in income to support themselves during their stay.
