Canada to Reduce International Student Intake by 10% in 2025

Canada will reduce its intake of international students by 10% starting in 2025, lowering new study permits from 485,000 in 2024 to 437,000. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced this decision to address concerns about the immigration system and its potential abuse.

This comes after a 35% reduction in international student permits in 2023, with further cuts planned to manage the influx of temporary residents.

Trudeau emphasised that while immigration is vital to Canada’s economy, it’s important to prevent the system from being misused. As part of these changes, Canada will also impose stricter rules on work permits for spouses of international students.

Only spouses of master’s degree students in programs lasting at least 16 months and those in labor-shortage sectors will be eligible for work permits.

 Work Permit Limitations and System Reforms

The government is also aligning the post-graduation work permit program with immigration goals and labor market needs. These adjustments are part of a larger strategy to decrease the number of temporary residents in Canada from 6.2% to 5% over the next three years.

Earlier, Canada introduced a two-year cap on study permits, aiming to approve 364,000 undergraduate permits in 2024 a 35% reduction from 2023.

The decision has sparked concern from universities, which have seen international student enrollment drop by 45%, higher than the expected 35%. Critics argue that the rapid growth of foreign students has contributed to issues like housing shortages and rising living costs.

The government, however, maintains that these measures are necessary to address these societal challenges while managing Canada’s immigration system responsibly.