In response to the worsening housing crisis in Canada, the government has announced a cap on the student Visa’s issued this year. This new rule aims to reduce the study permits by 35% in 2024, with some provinces seeing even steeper reductions.
The cap is expected to around 3,60,000 approved study permits in 2024, which is a 35% decrease from the 5,60,000 issued in 2023. Canada’s immigration minister Marc Miller said the federal government would work with the provinces, which oversee the educational system, to apply the cap.
Each province and territory will receive a portion of the total, distributed based on population, which they are free to distribute among universities and colleges in their jurisdiction. For some provinces, Miller said, the total reduction can go up to 50 per cent.
Along with the cap, the federal government will also require international students applying for a permit to provide an attestation letter from a province or territory. The cap will be in effect for two years, with a reassessment of visa numbers scheduled for 2025.
He said that the main reason for the cap is to protect students who attend colleges, which are often private-public partnerships, that provide sub-par services at high costs and to ease pressure on housing and services. Some private institutions have taken advantages of students by operating under-resourced campuses, lacking support and charging high tuition fees. All the while significantly increasing their intake of international students.
The move is expected to severely impact the Indian Students, particularly from Punjab, for whom Canada is the preferred destination for higher studies. India was the first among the top 10 countires of study permit holders in 2022 in Canada. Out of an estimated 2.2 lakh visas, 1.36 lakh students are from Punjab, making Canada the top choice for young Punjabis. Another estimate revealed that Punjabi students spend approximately Rs 68,000 crores each year for studying in Canada. The visa cap, along with the increase to the cost-of-living and restriction to work permits, is likely to deter aspirants from pursuing their dreams in Canada.