China News Service, Toronto, January 22 (Reporter Yu Ruidong) The Canadian government announced on the 22nd the implementation of a two-year temporary measure to set a cap on the enrollment of international students to cope with the pressure on housing, medical care, etc. caused by the rapid increase of international students.
The total number of study visas to be approved this year will be significantly reduced by 35% compared to last year.
Canadian Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Miller announced relevant measures in Ottawa.
The number of study visas planned to be approved for international students in 2024 is approximately 360,000.
At the same time, the Canadian government sets a quota limit for each province and region based on population weighting, which is then allocated to accredited learning institutions by each province and region.
Miller revealed that some provinces, including the most populous province of Ontario, may reduce the number of new study visas by more than 50%.
Effective immediately, every study visa application submitted to the Canadian Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship must be accompanied by a letter of approval from the province or territory.
Provinces and territories are expected to set up processes for issuing letters of recognition to students by the end of March.
The Canadian government also emphasized that the renewal of study visas will not be affected by the new measures; the quota for those studying for master's degrees, doctoral degrees, and primary and secondary school learners will not be included in the restrictions.
Existing study visa holders are also not affected.
The above new measures are planned to be implemented for two years.
The upper limit for study visas in 2025 will be determined at the end of this year.
Miller said the new restrictions are not targeted at individual international students.
The Canadian government pointed out that in recent years, some institutions have significantly increased their international student enrollment to increase revenue, but more and more students arrive in Canada without the appropriate support they need to succeed.
The huge increase in the number of international students has also put pressure on housing, medical care, etc.
The Canadian government also announced on the same day that it will adjust policies related to graduate work visas for international students in the near future.
Graduates of master's and other short-term postgraduate programs will be eligible to apply for a 3-year work visa.
In addition, except for the spouses of international students in master's and doctoral programs, spouses of international students in other study levels, including undergraduate and university courses, will no longer be eligible to apply for open work visas.
The Canadian government has raised higher financial thresholds for international students applying for study visas starting from New Year's Day this year, requiring them to prepare more living expenses.
In addition, starting from December 2023, designated learning institutions in higher education institutions must directly confirm the admission notice of each overseas study applicant with the Canadian Immigration Department to prevent students from being defrauded by fake admission notices and ensure that officials only rely on true The admission notice is issued to study abroad visa.
According to Canadian official data, international education contributes more than 22 billion Canadian dollars to Canada's economy every year, which is greater than the country's exports of auto parts, lumber or aircraft, and provides more than 200,000 jobs for the country.
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