Canada to further limit international student permits, foreign workers; move likely to impact India
PTC News Desk: To tackle the challenges of rapid population growth, the Canada government is taking further steps to slow down immigration. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced further cuts in the intake of foreign students and strict rules for foreign workers starting next year.
"We're granting 35% fewer international student permits this year. And next year, that number's going down by another 10%," Trudeau posted on X. "Immigration is an advantage for our economy - but when bad actors abuse the system and take advantage of students, we crack down," he added.
According to immigration department data, Canada approved 5,09,390 international study permits in 2023 and 1,75,920 in the first seven months of 2024, with the new policy expected to lower the number of permits given to 4,37,000 by 2025.
The changes would also restrict work permit eligibility for the spouses of some students and temporary foreign workers.
The decision comes as Trudeau's Liberal government, which is losing in public opinion polls ahead of next year's federal elections, aims to cut the number of temporary residents, including international students and foreign workers.
Canada is one of the most preferred destinations for Indian students.
According to figures from the Indian government, 4,27,000 of the 13,35,878 Indian students studying abroad are in Canada. Between 2013 and 2022, the number of Indian students going to Canada to study increased by 260 percent.
According to a Reuters report published earlier this year, over 40% of international students in Canada were from India.
The Canadian government's decision to reduce international student permits will force Indian students to seek alternative destinations such as the United States, United Kingdom, or Australia.
- PTC NEWS
