Canada Cracks Down on Foreign Students

Canada Slashes Foreign Student Quota to Tackle Exploitation

“Immigration is an advantage for our economy but when bad actors abuse the system and...”

Canada cuts undergraduate study permits by 35% to 364,000 in 2024, amidst shifts in labor market policies and reduced reliance on foreign workers.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau unveiled plans to reduce the number of foreign students entering the country by 10% starting in 2025. This decision, announced on September 18, aims to protect Canada's interests and ensure a more balanced approach to international student enrollment.

Trudeau justified the measure as a necessary step to safeguard Canada's integrity, citing concerns related to national security, economic, and social implications. This move is expected to impact the country's educational institutions and international student community.

Key Facts:

 10% reduction in foreign student intake

• Effective starting 2025

• Announced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on September 18

• Aimed at protecting Canada's interests

“Immigration is an advantage for our economy but when bad actors abuse the system and take advantage of students, we crack down,” the prime minister said.

Canada relies heavily on economic immigrants to support its social services, such as education and healthcare, amidst a low birth rate and efforts to maintain high living standards.

Canada has revisited its open-door immigration approach, introducing reforms to streamline its policies. In a significant move, the government imposed a two-year cap on study permits earlier this year, aiming to regulate the influx of international students.

Immigration Minister Marc Miller unveiled key initiatives to bolster program integrity and promote sustainable growth in international student enrollment. These measures seek to strike a balance between attracting talented individuals and maintaining the integrity of Canada's education system.

Canada is making significant changes to its immigration policies. Minister Marc Miller announced plans to grant 364,000 undergraduate study permits in 2024, a 35% decrease from last year. This new total will be allocated among provinces and territories based on their populations.

The country is also shifting its labor market policies, reducing the number of foreign workers and investing more in its domestic workforce. This reverses the expansions made to the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) program in 2022, which allowed more economic migrants to enter the country to fill job vacancies. The TFW program was introduced to address labor shortages, but with changing market conditions, the government is adjusting its policies.

Key Policy Changes:

Reduced Study Permits: 364,000 undergraduate study permits to be granted in 2024, a 35% decrease from 2023

Labour Market Shift: Reducing foreign workers and investing in domestic workforce

TFW Program Adjustments: Reversing 2022 expansions to address labor shortages

These changes aim to prioritize Canadian workers and ensure the TFW program reflects current economic needs.