- Canada has placed a two-year temporary cap on the number of overseas students.
- An attestation letter from a Canadian territory is a new piece of documentation needed for student permit applications.
- Provinces must set up a system for producing the necessary attestation certificate by March 31, 2024.
900,000 study permits were issued in 2023, but due to Canada’s response to the housing crisis, 35% fewer overseas students will be admitted in 2024 (or 360,000 study permits).
Following political pressure, this decision was made in response to comments made by Immigration Minister Marc Miller in October.
International Students
To guarantee that students receive sufficient support during their academic careers, Canada has placed a two-year temporary cap on the number of overseas students. The cap is implemented by provincial quotas that are based on housing and accommodation capacity.
The provinces divide the allotted number of admissions for international students among participating institutions. An attestation letter from a Canadian province or territory is a new piece of documentation needed for student permit applications.
Provinces must set up a system for producing the necessary attestation certificate by March 31, 2024, once this requirement takes effect on January 22, 2024. In 2025, the Canadian government intends to review the cap and make significant changes to work permits and graduate programs.
International spouses of students enrolled in master’s or doctorate programs will be the only recipients of open work permits; post-graduate work permits will no longer be granted to students admitted via curriculum licensing arrangements.
To make sure that students are more adequately equipped for the true cost of living in Canada, the cost-of-living requirement for international students has been raised from CAD 10,000 to CAD 20,635.
Following Justin Trudeau’s declaration that his government had “credible allegations” that India was involved in the June execution of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil, a diplomatic spat broke out between India and Canada. A decline in Indian students applying to Canadian colleges can be attributed to the diplomatic spat.
