Canada Study Permit: The Government of Canada has said that it is limiting the number of international student visas for a two-year period in the upcoming academic session. Fewer visas will mean fewer Indian students will be able to travel to Canada.
By how much is Canada cutting the number of international student visas?
Canada’s Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister Mark Miller issued a declaration on Monday. According to this, the number of new international student permits for the academic session starting from September 1, 2024 will be reduced by 35 percent compared to 2023.
Miller posted on his official “Applications will be distributed.” The province will issue letters for verification of accepted applications.
Miller said the current admission of foreign new students will be stopped until March 31, during which the province will comply with the order issued by the government. He said a decision on the number of study permits for 2025 will be considered later this year. Miller described the order on the permit as temporary.
What steps has Canada taken to reduce the number of international students?
Canadian media quoted Miller as saying that there is a need to limit the entry of international students. The minister believes that for better education it has become necessary to reduce the number of students.
According to a report, last month the Canadian government said that from 2024, international students will have to show that they have more than $20,000 in addition to tuition fees to be eligible for a study permit. Let us tell you that this amount is double the current fund requirement.
Former Canadian Immigration Minister Sean Fraser told Canadian media that the number of foreign students has increased, so Miller has announced a ban.
“There is a housing crisis in Canada at the moment,” Mandeep, convener of the Montreal Youth Students Organization, told The Indian Express. Rent and cost of living have increased greatly, while jobs are not as numerous. Apart from this, some students have complained that private institutions are charging high tuition fees and providing poor quality education.
What impact will Canada’s decision have on Indian students?
According to the order issued by the Government of Canada, the two-year limit on student permit is only for graduate students. Students at primary and schooling level along with Masters and PhD programs are exempted. Apart from this, restrictions will apply only to new applicants. Foreign students who are already studying in Canada, whether in undergraduate or any other course, will not be affected by this order.
According to data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the largest number of student visas are granted to applicants from Asian islands. After China, India is at the top in this list. According to IRCC data, the international student population has increased from approximately 3.26 lakh in 2014 to more than 8 lakh in 2022.