Canada warns of additional restrictions on student visas

Canada may impose further restrictions on international student visas, Canadian Immigration Minister Marc Miller has warned.

In an April 22 statement, Miller said higher education institutions play a critical role in recruiting international students, VisaGuide.World reported.

Postsecondary institutions have a critical responsibility in recruiting students abroad and supporting them here. We have taken a number of important steps to strengthen the international student visa system and will not hesitate to do more if necessary.

Canada wants to reduce international student permits by 35%

In January 2024, the Canadian government introduced strict measures in an attempt to stem the rising influx of international students. More specifically, authorities aim to reduce the number of approved study permits to 360,000, which is 35 percent less than in 2023.

These measures were taken in part in an effort to address the rapidly growing number of foreign students in Canada.

Through the decisive action announced, we will strike the right balance for Canada and ensure the integrity of our immigration system while preparing students for the success they hope for.

In March 2024, authorities in Nova Scotia also announced a 35 percent reduction in the visa waiver for international students.

Brian Wong, the Minister of Advanced Education, explained that Nova Scotia had reached its limit for accepting international student applications for the 2024-2025 school year, with a total of 12,900 applications.

CBIE expressed concern about possible “unintended consequences” of the visa cap

Following these measures, the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) raised concerns that this could lead to unintended consequences.

Through a statement released in January, CBIE said a 35 percent reduction in student visas is “ultimately a signal” to potential foreign students worldwide that “Canada is closing its doors.”

These measures have the potential to cause irreparable damage to the EduCanada brand, and in a highly globally competitive market, students may choose to choose other countries instead, well beyond the expiration of these measures.

Number of international students in Canada increased by 29% in 2023

According to IRCC, there were more than one million international students with active study permits in Canada in 2023. This figure represented an increase of 29 percent compared to 2022.

The highest number of study permits in 2023 were issued to students from India, China, the Philippines, Nigeria, France, Iran, Nepal, Vietnam and Mexico.