International student enrolment drops below federal cap: Universities Canada

Fewer international students are enrolling in Canadian universities this fall, and Universities Canada is warning that the figures have fallen below the federal cap imposed on international student visas for the year.

In January, the immigration minister announced a cap on international student visas to address the rapid influx of students, citing concerns about the strain on housing, healthcare, and other services.

The new policy restricts the number of student visa applications processed, leading to an anticipated 35 percent decrease in student numbers for 2024 compared to last year.

Gabriel Miller, president of Universities Canada, commented, "The drop just within universities will be well beyond that. This is a hit, a national hit to university budgets that we haven't seen in modern memory."

The cap has introduced uncertainty for prospective students, and the Immigration Department's halt in visa processing during the policy shift may have caused students to seek educational opportunities elsewhere, Miller noted.

"The most important piece of feedback we've heard is just real uncertainty and confusion about what kind of opportunities there are going to be to come and study in Canada, and what the rules would be," Miller said.

The full effects will not be clear until universities see the actual enrollment numbers in September.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and the immigration minister was unavailable for an interview.

The temporary cap, announced in January, is set to last for two years, aimed at giving federal and provincial governments time to ensure that international student programs are sustainable and well-regulated.

Additionally, the government has introduced new restrictions on work permits for students, their spouses, and postgraduates.

Reports have highlighted cases of fraud, with some bad actors exploiting international students by offering questionable education in exchange for higher tuition fees.

Immigration Minister Marc Miller acknowledged in January that while the cap had been carefully considered, it was a "blunt" tool by the federal government. "This is something we need to rein in," he stated at the time.

In the first half of the year, 244,895 new study permits were issued, marking a 2.6 percent increase over the same period in 2023. Data on study permits issued from July 2024 onward is not yet available.