Nine months since Canada announced a cap on international study permits, immigration minister Marc Miller has shocked the sector once more, revealing further restrictions squeezing international students and temporary residents in Canada.  

The changes, announced in a press conference on September 18, are driven by the IRCC’s overall goal of reducing temporary residents from 6.5% of Canada’s total population to 5%. 

The policy changes include a further reduction of 10% on this year’s cap allocation, while next year, master’s and PhD students – who were formerly exempt – will be included in the cap.  

Access to Canada’s post-graduate work program will be controlled via language competency tests, and while there are no restrictions for university students, only graduates from college programs linked to fields of study in long-term shortage occupations will qualify for a PGWP.  

Work permit eligibility will be limited to spouses of master’s students whose program is at least 16 months long, and to spouses of foreign workers in management or professional occupations or in sectors with labour shortages.  

While many stakeholders recognise the need for policy changes to address fraud and student housing issues, after nearly a year of upheaval, sector members have expressed frustration at the continued volatility, concerned about Canada’s ability to attract global talent and the implications for institutions, staff and students.

“I truly hope this marks the end of the erratic policy changes introduced by IRCC in recent months, which have caused chaos and significantly impacted Canada’s reputation, leading to substantial enrolment losses this fall.

“Canada has not met its set targets, and all stakeholders in our sector – institutions, faculty, partners, national associations, and most importantly, students –desperately need stability and predictability,” Isaac Garcia-Sitton, executive director, international student enrolment at Toronto Metropolitan University, told The PIE News.  

While the further 10% squeeze on study permits is reputationally and politically significant for the Canadian sector, some have highlighted that most institutions are underperforming by an estimated 30-50% on their PAL allocations and will not feel the additional 10% reduction on this year’s cap.  

As for PGWP policy, many are breathing a sigh of relief that the permit’s three-year duration has not been reduced, but “most people I know, including me, are just confused”, Saurabh Malhotra, CEO and founder of StudentDirect, told The PIE. 

Canada just shot itself in the foot in a race for global talent

Graham Barber, Universities Canada

Many stakeholders agreed that the most “perplexing” policy is the new English language testing requirement for the PGWP, where applicants must now demonstrate a minimum language proficiency in English or French, lower than the language required of students at the start of their studies.   

“The language requirements for admissions to Canada’s public colleges and permanent residency are higher than those set for PGWP. It is unfortunate that IRCC continues to make decisions without a full understanding of the complex post-secondary system,” Vinitha Gengatharan, assistant vice president, global engagement & partnerships at York University, told The PIE.

“The language requirement is absurd; you need a higher score just to be accepted to a university,” highlighted one sector leader on LinkedIn, adding that reapplying for a test can be a big expense for students.

The inclusion of master’s and PhD students in the study permit cap has sparked widespread concern about Canada’s ability to maintain its position as a leading education destination.

“We need graduate students to support Canada’s research, innovation, and technology agenda, which is another barrier to global talent’s seamless mobility,” said Gengatharan.

“These are students with options on the table, and Canada just shot itself in the foot in a race for global talent,” agreed Graham Barber, Universities Canada assistant director, international relations.  

Writing on LinkedIn, Chris Busch, assistant vice president and senior international officer at the University of Windsor, highlighted the lack of provincial funding for Canadian post-secondary institutions and the damaging impact that declining international students will bring.  

“These changes not only hinder our competitiveness in the international education market but also create more uncertainty for institutions already struggling with funding issues. International students contribute significantly to our economy, and reducing their numbers will have a long-term negative impact on our universities and communities,” Busch added.  

Most people I know, including me, are just confused

Saurabh Malhotra, StudenDirect

As well as Canada’s global standing, many educators have expressed worries about how the changes will impact genuine international students already in Canada, with warnings that the benefits of international students were being lost amid negative headlines and political policies.  

“It’s concerning to see these updates create uncertainty around studying in Canada. We need stability in these policies to ensure students feel confident and supported,” Philipp Reichert, director, global engagement at the University of British Columbia, wrote on LinkedIn. 

“While many of us recognised the need for changes, the challenge from the beginning of these policy shifts is that it’s a broad vs nuanced approach with widespread impact, including institutions who have provided a high level of care for international students and will require a lot of work to bring back the positive reputation for Canada,” he added.  

Outside of Canada, the policy changes have been noted by students and stakeholders from India, which sent approximately 320,000 students to Canada in 2022, according to CBIE.

According to Akshay Chaturvedi, founder and CEO of Leverage Edu, the existing caps – announced in January 2024 – have already caused interest in Canada to decline by over 40%. He called the announcement “short-sighted”.

“International students from India, and the rest of Asia and Africa, are a different set today with more options than before. Set the bar high but then welcome them with big hearts,” he told The PIE.

And yet, amid the “chaos”, some have expressed hope that the latest round of policy updates provide an opportunity to start rebuilding the Canadian international education sector, ushering in a “level of stability and predictability for institutions, students and communities,” said Reichert. 

“Despite these challenges, there is an inherent opportunity for colleges to sharpen their focus on training students in fields with immediate industry needs.  

“This could ultimately strengthen the college brand, reassuring international students that their educational paths are directly aligned with viable work opportunities in Canada,” said Malhotra.