Canada announces two-year cap on international student visas
January 23, 2024 - PatialaPolitics
Canada announces two-year cap on international student visas
Canada has said it will cap the number of foreign students admitted to the country for two years in an attempt to address pressure on housing and healthcare in the country.
The cap will result in a decrease of 35% in approved study permits.
Over 800,000 foreign students were in Canada in 2022, up from 214,000 a decade earlier.
The new measures are also meant to ensure the “integrity” of the system, officials said.
Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced the cap on Monday, saying that Canada aims to approve around 360,000 undergraduate study permits this year.
Speaking to media persons, Miller said, “Some private institutions have taken advantage of international students by operating under-resourced campuses, lacking support for students and charging high tuition fees, all the while significantly increasing their intake of international students.”
“This increase is also putting pressure on housing, healthcare and other services. Fewer numbers would primarily help lower rent prices,” he told reporters as quoted by Reuters.