Canada is distancing itself from international students, and only those who are the perfect fit will be able to leap. The big announcement from Canada’s immigration minister Marc Miller has not left much in the hands of students aspiring to study in Canada. It is left to be seen how much is too much for policy formulators.
The number of study permits that will be issued in 2025 is further reduced by 10% from the 2024 target. Canada will maintain these numbers for 2026. Nearly 300,000 fewer study permits will be issued by Canada over the next few years following these number restrictions. The aim of Canada, as stated by Miller, is quite clear as not everyone who wants to come to Canada will be able to come here. Similarly, not everyone who wants to stay in Canada will be able to.
Other notable features of the announcement include a provincial attestation letter that will be required from those who want to apply for Master’s and PhD programmes. PAL requirement was introduced by Canada last year for many undergraduate students. The purpose was to call only those students who are genuine along with keeping control of the number of study permits issued.
Some new rules have also been introduced for postgraduate work permit eligibility. One of the biggest attraction points for international students studying in Canada is the opportunity to work, as granted by PGWP. Now to be granted this working permission one will have to show proficiency in the English language. University graduates should have a Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) score of 7 and college graduates need to score a CLB of 5 to be eligible for PGWP.
After placing restrictions on the number of international students enrolled and on their permission to work, the spouses of international student applicants are next in line. The authorisation to work will be given to spouses of master’s degree students whose programmes are at least 16 months in duration. Regarding authorisation to work for spouses, Canada will also limit spousal open work permits for spouses of Canadians and permanent residents.
Reason for Pressing the Panic Button
Canada is almost all guns blazing to end the unemployment crisis it is in now. At present, the unemployment rate of Canada stands at 6.6% which is said to be the highest since May 2017. Reducing the immigration numbers and enrolling fewer students is considered a solution to the present unemployment crisis. However, the flow of international students has created jobs and has supported the economy.
The contribution of immigrants and temporary foreign workers has been completely overlooked by the country. We only hope that Canada will be able to maintain its economic development for the next few years given that the number of temporary foreign workers will be reduced. Reducing the number of international students not only means reduced funds to support the educational setup, but it also means fewer working hands to support the economy. We hope that policymakers considered these aspects when they implemented the reduced immigration intake.
The present changes are mostly driven by the motive to stabilise the economy. We are quite hopeful that students who are serious about their studies and are taking only the genuine means will find a way out to study in their dream country Canada. Weigh your options to study overseas by talking to immigration consultants in Chandigarh.
A Year of Reducing Immigration Numbers
This year has been dotted with several measures being taken to overhaul the immigration system of Canada. The first change came in January 2024 as the first-ever cap on study permits was placed. Initially, this restriction was temporary to see how it affects the market, and now it is in place till the end of 2025. Along with this, the Provincial Attestation Letter system was also introduced.
The study permit cap was introduced alongside new restrictions on PGWP eligibility. The restrictions on Spousal Work Permits should not be forgotten. Maintaining the quality of life for which Canada is known across the world is as important for the country as it is to keep the economy running through immigration. Canada’s economy is creaking under pressure as a huge immigration influx has resulted in a housing and unemployment crisis. In time to come as the economic crisis eases, Canada will restore the immigration numbers.
The Takeaway
Canada is on a full-fledged cleaning spree of its immigration system. Unfortunately, in the immigration sector, the biggest contributors, i.e. the immigrants and international students have the least say. As the immigration cap is tightened further, it remains to be seen how much will be too much for the government. Reducing immigration numbers is only a balancing act to stabilise the economy.
