Fewer international study permits to be issued in 2024

Federal government announces international student cap

On Jan. 22 of this year, the federal government announced it would issue fewer international study permits for students for the next two years.

This decision will not impact international students currently enrolled in post-secondary institutions.

In a report completed by Ontario’s Big City Mayors, it was stated that international student enrolment at Laurier had grown 62 per cent in the last several years while the University of Waterloo’s international student population had grown 62 per cent.

Conestoga College saw the largest amount of growth in the time period, at 1,579 per cent.

“This is an experimental procedure to see how Canada’s economy will react to the change,” said Ardavan Eizadirad, assistant professor in the faculty of education at Laurier, and chair of the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Indigenization (EDI&I) Coalition.

When it comes to implementing the study cap, Eizadirad stressed the need to focus on the lived experience of international students coming to study in Canada.

This is an experimental procedure to see how Canada’s economy will react to the change.

Ardavan Eizadirad, assistant professor

“What we need to wait and see is if the quality of experience is going to be better for the international students when they do arrive in terms of housing and the type of support available to them,” he said.

The government implemented these new measures due to rising financial challenges, including the housing crisis, lack of income, and layoffs.

In a report released by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, it was revealed that the price of a two-bedroom rental in the Waterloo Region had risen 7.2 per cent – now costing $1,469 per month (though you’ll be lucky to find that price).

According to a statement released by the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE), the idea that the housing crisis will be addressed by reducing the amount of student intake in universities and colleges is a one-sided plan.

“This hasty one-size-fits-all solution may jeopardize the benefits of international education that many communities across the country experience and rapidly unravel a strong global Canadian education brand that has taken years to build,” the statement said.

Eizadirad explained how international students are crucial to post-secondary finances since they provide a supple amount of revenue.

“International students pay a lot of tuition, so we need to think of ways to subsidize that from the government and other places to ensure that they are not just simply seen as a number who are helping cover budget deficits,” Elizadirad said.

The Canadian government will continually update the public concerning these new regulations.