According to new figures from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), 203,260 international students’ work permits will expire in the next 15 months.
The Canadian government will slash the number of international student permits, preventing hundreds of thousands of students from coming to study in Canada.
On September 18, 2024, Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced changes to the country’s international student permits as part of a broader plan to reduce the number of temporary residents in Canada from 6.5 per cent of the overall population to 5 per cent.
“The reality is that not everyone who wants to come to Canada will be able to—just like not everyone who wants to stay in Canada will be able to,” he said.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted, “We’re granting 35 per cent fewer international student permits this year. And next year, the number’s going down by another 10 per cent.”
He added, “Immigration is an advantage for our economy — but when bad actors abuse the system and take advantage of students, we crack down.”
The changes follow the government’s earlier announcement of a temporary two-year cap on international student permits, which reduced student visas by 35 per cent.
The cap was in response to criticism that Canada’s large international student population was putting pressure on the country’s housing market.
Article Summary
- Canada is reducing international student permits by 35% in 2024 and plans to reduce them by another 10% in 2025, as part of a broader effort to lower temporary residents and ease housing market pressure.
- Over 200,000 Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWP) will expire within the next 15 months, intensifying competition for permanent residency as many students rely on work experience for immigration eligibility.
- The government aims to lower temporary residents from 6.5% to 5% of the total population, with stricter rules on temporary foreign workers and student work permits, particularly affecting Indian and Chinese students.
- Critics argue that these changes harm Canada’s reputation as a top education destination and could lead to talent loss in key industries like healthcare and tech if students face deportation due to expired work permits.
Expectation of Permanent Residency
Many international students rely on their Canadian work experience through the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) program to boost their eligibility for permanent residence.
“We have hundreds of thousands of people coming to Canada, many of them international students, with the expectation that they will obtain permanent residency,” said John Carlaw, an assistant professor at Toronto Metropolitan University.
That expectation will not be a reality for many who face uncertain futures. Without timely extensions or alternative immigration streams, the competition for permanent residency will intensify because of limited spots, evolving immigration policies, and economic factors. The situation highlights the growing pressure on Canada’s immigration system to adapt to the influx of international graduates.
In 2023, Canada welcomed over one million study permit holders, a significant rise from 352,305 in 2015. The surge marked one of the highest numbers of international students.
“We are reforming the International Student Program, tightening eligibility requirements for temporary foreign workers, enforcing employer compliance more strictly, and making labour market impact assessments more rigorous to mitigate fraud, and more,” according to the IRCC.
It added, “The proposed reduction of temporary residents from 6.5 per cent of Canada’s total population to 5 per cent will be reflected in the 2025–2027 Immigration Levels Plan, which will be released by November 1, 2024.”
The IRCC’s move to further reduce study permits for international students by 10 per cent in 2025 may impact several Indian students planning to move to Canada.
Every year, the highest number of students entering Canada for higher education are from India. Data from IRCC shows that 3,255 students from India entered Canada in 2016 and rose to 28,230 in 2023.
India and China continue to make up just over half the volume of international students in Canada.
Other Measures
Earlier in the year, Miller, according to a CTV report, described the number of international students in Canada as “out of control. “
Work permits for international students’ spouses are now limited to those whose spouses are in a master’s program of at least 16 months.
Effective September 26, 2024, with exceptions, there will be a 10 per cent cap on temporary foreign workers under the Low-wage Stream of the Temporary Foreign Workers Program.
“The changes we are making today will prioritize Canadians workers and ensures Canadians can trust the program is meeting the needs of our economy,” Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, Randy Boissonnault, said on September 18, 2024.
Universities Canada, which calls itself the voice of Canadian universities at home and abroad, has a different take on the changes. The organization tweeted, “Cuts to international study permits damage Canada’s reputation as a premier education destination, impacting institutions nationwide.”
The government will announce the expanded plan for immigration levels between 2025 and 2027 in November.
Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, has long hosted the highest number of international students, and its share of students has grown. In 2021, it hosted 49 per cent of the total; in 2023, it accounted for 51 per cent. Driving this growth is the popularity of Ontario college programmes among international students. The province will be the most affected when students’ work permits expire, and they can no longer contribute to the economy.
About-Face On Admissions
The move to curb numbers is a contrast to when Canada’s admission of international students to a record high in 2023, a growth that followed a 30 per cent expansion in 2022, according to IRCC data.
That total was almost 10 per cent higher than the 950,000 students the government had anticipated for 2023. The number meant that Canadian institutions hosted nearly as many international students as US institutions despite the US population being roughly nine times bigger than Canada’s.
The expiration of over 200,000 work permits may require government intervention. Otherwise, students without secured permanent residency could face deportation or be forced to leave despite their integration into Canadian society and the labour market.
The permit expiration may have broader economic and social implications. International graduates are vital to Canada’s workforce, particularly in sectors facing labour shortages. Losing access to their talent could exacerbate skill gaps in industries like healthcare, tech, and engineering.
The situation also underscores the need for clearer pathways to permanent residency for international students, as many come to Canada hoping to build long-term careers and lives. Solutions include increasing permanent residency quotas, simplifying application processes, or creating specific streams for international graduates.
The government could extend the PGWP for a certain period, particularly for students who need help to secure employment or gain enough work experience within the original timeframe. This extension could offer students more time to meet the requirements for permanent residency and reduce the risk of losing their legal status in Canada.
The government and educational institutions may need to offer more guidance and support to students navigating the immigration system. Without action, Canada risks losing valuable talent to other countries offering more accessible immigration pathways, ultimately undermining its global competitiveness.
As Universities Canada tweeted, reducing study permits “damages Canada’s reputation.”
