Canada’s immigration minister, Marc Miller, announced that the cap on international students will remain in place, alongside new measures to manage temporary resident arrivals and protect the immigration system’s integrity.
Indian students, a significant cohort, will be affected by these changes, which include modifications to the post-graduate work programme (PGWP) and spousal work eligibility – factors that could also deter many aspiring students.
According to data collated by TOI, 2.2 lakh new study permits were issued to Indian students in 2022, which increased to 2.8 lakh students in 2023. From Jan-June 2024, the figure stands at 1 lakh.
Temporary residents (which includes workers and students) in Canada surged from 4,37,000 in 2019 to 1.2 million in 2023. Miller through continued immigration measures aims to reduce their share of the population from 6.5% to 5% by 2025.
The student permit intake cap, first imposed in Jan, will further decrease by 10% in 2025, setting an intake target of 4,37,000 permits. This will be followed by stabilising this figure in the next year. Notably, master’s and PhD students are now included in the cap and will also have to submit a provincial attestation letter. “Over the next three years, this will yield 3,00,00 fewer study permits – I think this is important,” said Miller.
As regards PGWP eligibility, Miller said that for prospective students – those applying for PGWPs on or after Nov 1, the permit will depend on the level of study. “Graduates from bachelors, masters’ and doctoral programmes will continue to be eligible for a PGWP for up to three years,” he said. He explained that such students are able to transfer their knowledge and skills and better adapt to changing economic circumstances.
International students who graduate from college certificate or diploma programmes – will no longer be eligible for a PGWP unless their work is linked to areas of high labour market demand, as designated by each province or territory.
In addition, as part of changes to the PGWP, all applicants will be required to demonstrate a minimum language proficiency in French or English. A Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 7 for university graduates and CLB 5 for college graduates will be required for anyone applying for a post-graduation work permit on or after Nov 1, 2024. Miller said this was a strict requirement. It would result in 1,75,000 fewer PGWPs over a three year period, he added. Manish Kapoor, a regulated Canadian immigration consultant questioned the need for language testing since students have already graduated in Canada.
In April 2024, IRCC stopped issuing open work permits for spouses of international students, except those in master’s degree and doctoral programmes and other certain professional degree programmes. However, it was not conditional on the programme’s duration. Effective later this year, spouses will be eligible, only if the duration of the masters’ programme is at least 16 months.