In response to escalating pressures on housing, healthcare, and services due to record immigration, Canada has announced a two-year cap on international student visas. Immigration Minister Marc Miller revealed on Monday that there will be a 35% reduction in new study visas in 2024, addressing concerns about fraudulent activities exploiting the international students program.
Miller expressed the need to address the challenges posed by the current state of the program, stating, “It’s a bit of a mess and it’s time to rein it in.” The cap will limit the issuance of new visas to 364,000, down from the nearly 560,000 issued the previous year. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet retreat in Montreal this week is expected to prioritize affordability and housing, as indicated by a government statement.
The government emphasized that the international students program has encountered fraudulent activities, contributing to the strain on housing and healthcare. With approximately one million foreign students presently in the country, intervention became necessary to prevent a continuous increase in this number. The total number of foreign students has tripled over the past decade.
According to Miller, efforts have been underway to stabilize the yearly influx of people into the country, particularly as housing pressures intensify. Canada’s population grew by approximately one million people last year, reaching a record 40 million. The increased cost of living, including rents and mortgages, has presented challenges for many Canadians.
Miller highlighted concerns about unscrupulous schools taking advantage of high tuition fees paid by foreign students without providing a quality education in return. Some of these institutions serve as a gateway for students seeking permanent residency in Canada.
“It is not the intention of this program to have sham commerce degrees or business degrees that are sitting on top of a massage parlour that someone doesn’t even go to and then they come into the province and drive an Uber,” Miller emphasized. He further expressed a willingness to design a dedicated channel for Uber drivers if needed.
Opposition Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre characterized the situation as a mess and placed blame on Trudeau for granting study permits to tens of thousands of students attending fake schools. The move to cap international student visas reflects Canada’s commitment to addressing the challenges associated with the program and maintaining the integrity of its immigration policies.
