CIMM – International Student Caps – November 07, 2023

Key Facts and Figures

Like all temporary residence programs, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) does not place limits on the number of study permits that it will receive and process per year. The program is driven by demand and IRCC must process each application for a study permit that is received.
Over the past five years, the number of study permit applications that IRCC receives per year has more than doubled. In 2018, IRCC received 349,000 study permit applications, compared to nearly 715,000 in 2022.
The Department is on pace to receive over 900,000 study permit applications by the end of this year.

An intake cap will not be imposed on the International Student Program at this time. Instead, we will implement reforms and assess how they are working.
With the rising volumes in international students and Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) holders now outpacing available levels room, challenges have come to light, including increased student vulnerability, pressures on housing and an increasing number of international graduates being unable to remain in Canada as permanent residents after their PGWP expires.
The Department is currently looking at a number of options to take a multifaceted approach to address ongoing challenges and will continue to work closely with provinces and territories, national educational institutions and other key partners.

On August 21, 2023, the Minister of Housing Infrastructure and Communities, the Honourable Sean Fraser, indicated that the government may consider implementing a cap on the number of international students coming to Canada to ease the pressure on the housing market.
On August 27, 2023, Minister Miller commented that the skyrocketing number of international students entering Canada was also a source of concern for the integrity of the immigration system. At the same time, the Minister noted that a cap may single out international students and misplace blame for the housing crisis.
At a parliamentary committee on October 24, 2023, Minister Miller indicated that IRCC was pursuing a multi-layered approach to address challenges in the International Student Program, that would be focused on addressing program integrity and bad actors. For the time being, a cap would not be implemented but it remained an option if necessary down the road.

2024-03-06