Local schools raise concerns about the new cap on international student admissions

Conestoga College says the federal government’s plan to limit the amount of international students in Canada might be too much, too soon.

The temporary-two year cap was announced by Immigration Minister Marc Miller on Monday and will cut the number of approved study permits in 2024 to 364,000. The 2025 limit will be reassessed at the end of this year.

Miller said the move would allow them to address institutions and “bad actors” who are charging exorbitantly high tuition fees for international students, all while increasing the number of international students they are accepting.

Miller added that students aren’t to blame and he called them an asset to the country.

Concerns from Conestoga College

Conestoga College is concerned about what the announcement will mean for students and local employers in the eight communities it serves.

The school has seen a 1,000 per cent increase in international students over the last 10 years.

“It’s essential to get this right,” a statement from the college read. “We worry the timelines for such substantive changes are too short to engage in the kind of meaningful consultation we need. The announcement has created a great deal of uncertainty.”

Conestoga said it’s committed to putting students first and reducing anxiety about what this means for their future.

“We will actively work with the province to ensure we mitigate the impact on both international and domestic students.”

The school said governments must work together.

“They must also work together and meaningfully consult with public colleges and students to ensure the implementation of the new measures do not have unintended negative consequences,” the school said.

Unanswered questions

The University of Waterloo also has questions after Monday’s announcement.

“We are concerned about the implications of this decision at the undergraduate level, especially in light of the current financial challenges that our institution, and our sector, are facing,” a statement from the school said.

The federal government is facing pressure from the provinces regarding the increasing numbers of non-permanent residents entering Canada while the country struggles with a housing crisis.

More than 800,000 international students were issued temporary study visas in 2022. Miller said last fall that 2023's numbers were on track to be more than triple the number accepted 10 years ago.

Students applying to masters and PhD programs will be exempt from the cap.

“Those are the bright people we need to retain,” Miller explained.

He added that they would be allocating cap space by province based on population, meaning some provinces will see a sharper reduction in the number of international students permitted.

Study permits are granted on a three year basis. Miller clarified that the cap will not apply to anyone already studying in Canada and is seeking to complete, or extend, their schooling.

-- With reporting from CTVNews.ca