Canada Student Visa News: Canada’s Immigration Minister announced on Monday that new international student permits will be temporarily limited to one-third in 2023 compared to the previous year. The purpose of this step has been taken to control the rising prices of houses. The number of international students in Canada has tripled compared to a decade ago.
TORONTO: The Government of Canada has announced a two-year cap on new study permits for international students, resulting in about 360,000 approved study permits this year — a 35 per cent decline from 2023. Saying international students enrich their communities, Immigration Minister Mark Miller on Monday said the government faced criticism after their rising influx in recent years worsened the country’s housing crisis.
“I have announced a two-year limit on new study permits starting in 2024,” Miller wrote on Twitter. “This is expected to result in approximately 360,000 approved study permits this year, and will be allocated to provinces and territories to distribute among their DLIs (Designated Learning Institutions).” The number of international students in Canada has crossed the 10 lakh mark, with Indians leading the way with 2,15,190 of the 5,79,075 permits issued till November 2023.
Action against colleges taking advantage of students
Miller said that to ensure the integrity of the program and maintain the educational experience, Canada will continue to implement reforms, and the number of permits to be issued in 2025 will be reevaluated later this year. Miller said that by imposing the limit, the government is taking action against some small private colleges that are taking advantage of international students by operating under-resourced campuses and charging high tuition fees. The minister further said that starting in September, Canada will no longer issue Postgraduate Work Permits (PGWPs) to students studying under the course licensing arrangement. ‘These programs are notorious for their lack of oversight and do not provide the quality educational experience for which Canada is renowned,’ Miller said.
These steps were taken earlier also
The minister said that in the coming weeks, the country will no longer issue work permits to spouses of international students, except for master’s and doctoral programs. Earlier, it was announced that starting this year, students will have to show at least 20,635 Canadian dollars in their account in addition to their one-year tuition fees, and if they bring a family member, they will get an additional four thousand. Must show Canadian dollars. To obtain a study visa to Canada, a student currently needs to show 10 thousand dollars in his account to cover the initial cost of living. International students contribute approximately 22 billion Canadian dollars (about 16.4 billion US dollars) annually to the Canadian economy.
