Canada to Cut International Student Intake by 10% in 2025

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced a significant policy shift impacting international students. Starting in 2025, the intake of foreign students will be reduced by 10 percent, scaling back new study permits from the 2024 target of 485,000 to 437,000.

In a late-night post on X, Trudeau emphasized that this measure is crucial for safeguarding the country. “We’re granting 35 percent fewer international student permits this year. And next year, that number’s going down by another 10 percent,” Trudeau stated. He added, “Immigration is an advantage for our economy – but when bad actors abuse the system and take advantage of students, we crack down.”

Alongside the reduction in student permits, the Canadian government is also imposing new restrictions on work permits for the spouses of master’s degree students. Starting next year, only spouses of students enrolled in programs of at least 16 months will be eligible for work permits. Similar limitations will apply to the spouses of foreign workers in sectors experiencing labor shortages.

Changes are also set to affect the post-graduation work permit program to better align with immigration objectives and labor market demands. The federal government aims to reduce the number of temporary residents in Canada to five percent over the next three years, down from the current 6.2 percent. This follows an earlier decision to cap study permits for undergraduate programs to 364,000 in 2024, reflecting a 35 percent decrease from 2023 levels.

Canada’s reliance on economic immigrants to sustain social spending amid a low birth rate underscores the importance of these adjustments. As the country grapples with high living standards and demographic challenges, these new measures are intended to address growing concerns over housing affordability and cost of living.

Immigration Minister Marc Miller, who initially announced a temporary two-year cap on international students in January, reiterated on Wednesday that the cap will persist. “International student cap is here to stay,” Miller asserted. He acknowledged the impact on universities but stressed that institutions must adapt their recruitment strategies.

Universities Canada has criticized the cap, noting that international student enrollment has already dropped by 45 percent from last year, exceeding the anticipated 35 percent reduction. Miller admitted that the changes are causing turbulence in the post-secondary sector but emphasized the need for predictability and adjustment.

Critics of the policy argue that the rapid growth of international students has exacerbated issues like housing affordability and increased living costs. The Canadian government’s new approach aims to balance the benefits of immigration with the need to address these emerging challenges.