Thread: Why is Canada capping foreign students and who will be affected?

Canada on Monday announced a two-year cap on the intake of foreign students after an explosive growth in recent years aggravated the housing shortage. Last year Canada issued nearly one million study permits, about three times that of a decade ago, according to government data and the new proposal will cut the intake by nearly a third.


Here is how the new plans will work and what's at stake.

WHAT ARE THE DETAILS?


Canada's Immigration Minister Marc Miller said the Liberal government will introduce a temporary, two-year cap on student visas, which will result in the issue of about 364,000 visas in 2024.


The new proposals will also set limits on post-graduate work permits issued to foreign students, which will likely encourage them to return to their home countries. The permits were previously seen as an easy path to securing permanent residency.


People pursuing master's or post-doctorate programs will be eligible for a three-year work permit.


Spouses of international students enrolled in other levels of study, including undergraduate and college programs, will no longer be eligible, Miller said. The acceptance of new study permit applications in 2025 will be subject to reassessment at the end of the current year, he said.


WHY IS GOVERNMENT CRACKING DOWN?


Canada has emerged as a popular destination for international students since it is relatively easy to obtain work permits after finishing courses. But the surge in international student led to acute shortage in rental apartments, which pushed up rents. Just in December, rents nationwide rose 7.7% from a year earlier, according to Statscan.


Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's popularity has taken a hit mainly due to the affordability crisis, and the opposition Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre has taken a commanding lead over Trudeau in opinion polls ahead of an election next year.


Apart from the rental crisis, the government has also been concerned about the quality of education provided by some of the institutions.


WHO WILL THIS IMPACT?


International students are also a cash cow for universities as they bring in about C$22 billion ($16.4 billion) annually and the move will hurt many institutions that had ramped up their campuses in the hope of a continued inflow of students. Ontario, the most populous province, received the biggest share of international students. Some businesses, including restaurants and retail sectors, have warned that a cap on foreign students will create shortage of temporary workers.


Restaurants across Canada are grappling with labour shortages with nearly 100,000 vacancies, and international students made up 4.6% of 1.1 million workers in the food service industry in 2023, a lobby group told Reuters last week.


Canadian banks had benefited from the influx of new students, as each student was required to have a Guaranteed Investment Certificates (GIC) of more than C$20,000, a prerequisite for international students to cover living expenses.


The vast majority, about 40%, of foreign students come from India, with China coming in second with about 12%, according to official data from 2022.

Why is Canada capping foreign students and who will be affected? | Taiwan News | 2024-01-23 22:00:00

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I'd be okay with foreigners having to live in those.

Originally Posted by misskit

Canada on Monday announced a two-year cap on the intake of foreign students after an explosive growth in recent years aggravated the housing shortage

No private house builders ?

The bankers are OK with their reduction of income?

Originally Posted by misskit

C$22 billion ($16.4 billion) annually

Originally Posted by OhOh

No private house builders ?

The bankers are OK with their reduction of income?

Canada is a democracy, not an eastern communist dictatorship.

Canada bears no comparison with a debt laden real estate company directed by a dictatorship.

Originally Posted by pickel

One million foreign students and one million immigrants in the past year alone have put an unbearable strain on housing, and access to healthcare. The universities put barely any of their money into campus housing, and the government has done nothing to increase housing stock. The Trudeau government has ruined this country.

So the solution is build more housing, not limit immigration…innit?

Originally Posted by DrWilly

So the solution is build more housing, not limit immigration…innit?

why?.

Alas in Canada's moist bibulous province the only really special teecha is being reduced in a gruel ling cam puss, tiz the Monroe dicktrine.

Originally Posted by DrWilly

So the solution is build more housing, not limit immigration…innit?

Common sense would be to build the housing first though, innit? Before letting everyone in. Along with building more hospitals, recruiting more health care professionals, etc. Trudeau fucked up, Willard, so desperate times call for desperate measures. The horse has already bolted, and Canadians are paying a steep price for it.

Originally Posted by pickel

One million foreign students and one million immigrants in the past year alone have put an unbearable strain on housing, and access to healthcare.

Holy Moly

Originally Posted by pickel

Common sense would be to build the housing first though, innit? Before letting everyone in. Along with building more hospitals, recruiting more health care professionals, etc. Trudeau fucked up, Willard, so desperate times call for desperate measures. The horse has already bolted, and Canadians are paying a steep price for it.

Yes and no. Locking out nearly all new students and labour source is only going to screw things more.

Originally Posted by DrWilly

Yes and no. Locking out nearly all new students and labour source is only going to screw things more.

Disagree. We'll be fine with half as many Tim Hortons as there are now. And our rent will be back to normal.

Australia has had to do exactly the same thing for the same reasons

Originally Posted by pickel

Disagree. We'll be fine with half as many Tim Hortons as there are now. And our rent will be back to normal.

Yeah, let me know how that works out around Q2…

Originally Posted by pickel

We'll be fine with half as many Tim Hortons as there are now. And our rent will be back to normal.

Haha, and Cannabis stores which are on every corner, another move by Trudeau.

Originally Posted by pickel

done nothing to increase housing stock. The Trudeau government has ruined this country.

He has raised taxes and increased the debt, along with inflation, lack of housing, and a shit health care system. Can't see the conservatives doing better though.

Originally Posted by MarilynMonroe

Haha, and Cannabis stores which are on every corner, another move by Trudeau.

In what sense is that relevant, MM?

Originally Posted by cyrille

In what sense is that relevant, MM?

She has been partaking, u no.

Originally Posted by DrWilly

Yeah, let me know how that works out around Q2…

Willard, you clearly don't know anything about Tim Hortons. A Canadian icon. Owned mostly by a Brazilian company, and almost exclusively staffed by immigrants. We'll be fine.

I don’t give a toss about Hortons.

Originally Posted by DrWilly

I don’t give a toss about Hortons.

Neither do I. That's why I said this:

Originally Posted by pickel

We'll be fine with half as many Tim Hortons as there are now

And this:

Originally Posted by pickel

almost exclusively staffed by immigrants

Originally Posted by MarilynMonroe

Haha, and Cannabis stores which are on every corner, another move by Trudeau.

455 million dollars paid in Canadian taxes 2022, basically killed the black market. Black market exists but the profits are 25% of what they were pre legalization. The 455 million is just in taxes, cannabis is a billion dollar business creating lots of legal jobs. Less tax dollars spent on policing, justice system, jails.

Canada's inflation rate is one of the lowest worldwide.


Canadas health care problems are provincial, not federal - especially relevant in provinces with a conservative leadership.

Immigrants taking housing isn't as harmful as the amount of air B&B s destroying the market as well as investors buying up houses and raising the average rental rates.

I always chuckle when I see someone from a country of immigrants ranting about immigration. Apologies Pickle if you're a First Nation, then you do have a right to complain.

Just my opinion of course, but this heavy right wing crap that keeps telling Canadians our country is broken is bullshit. Still in the top five for safety tourism, quality of life, etc. The only part of Canada that is broken is the part that wants to be MAGA.

Originally Posted by marcusb

Canada's inflation rate is one of the lowest worldwide.


Canadas health care problems are provincial, not federal - especially relevant in provinces with a conservative leadership.

Hi Marcus, the inflation rate is quite high in Ontario, and rents and grocery prices are killing people these days.
The conservatives are partly to blame for the healthcare crisis, but it needs a lot more money put into it by the Federal government.

Housing is a major issue, as there isn't enough availability, which is why landlords can raise the rents.
From what I was reading on the subject of capping international students, it is affecting students who have already applied, been accepted and paid fees, but are now being told their application is rejected.

Many restaurants/retail jobs need these students to fill jobs that are hard to fill. I don't agree with the cap. There are a lot of problems with administration and paperwork that are putting the whole system on hold for these international students. I do see both sides though. My niece is trying to get a job, but it seems many if not most are hiring immigrants and she is having a hard time.

Cap on international student visas already causing 'chaos:' Ontario Colleges | CP24.com

Originally Posted by MarilynMonroe

My niece is trying to get a job, but it seems many if not most are hiring immigrants and she is having a hard time.

What?? Can you explain this statement?