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Canada announces study permit cap
The Immigration Minister confirmed that the cap will remain in place through 2026, with permit numbers to be reduced by 10 percent from 2024 levels.
Canada is strengthening temporary residence programs for sustainable volumes. / Government of Canada.
Canada announced a series of new measures affecting international students on Sep.18, with the key highlight being a cap on study permits.
According to the Canadian Immigration Minister Marc Miller this cap is designed to reduce the number of temporary residents in the country, as Canada seeks to lower the proportion of temporary residents from 6.5 to 5 percent of the population by 2026.
“The measures we have taken up until now are working," said Miller, but additional action is necessary to ensure the government reaches its target. The changes come amid a growing strain on housing and healthcare, attributed to a sharp rise in the number of temporary migrants.
“We’re granting 35 percent fewer international student permits this year. And next year, that number’s going down by another 10 percent. Immigration is an advantage for our economy –but when bad actors abuse the system and take advantage of students, we crack down,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau posted on X.
The national study permit cap for 2024, introduced earlier this year, is already resulting in a greater-than-expected reduction in new permits, with estimates indicating a 50 percent decrease for some post-secondary programs. The minister also confirmed that the cap will remain in place through 2026, with permit numbers to be reduced by 10 percent from 2024 levels.
Graduate students and post-Study work rights
A significant update includes the decision to include master’s and PhD students in the cap for 2025 and 2026. “We will be reserving approximately 12 percent of allocation spaces for these students in recognition of the benefits they bring to the Canadian labour market,” Miller explained.
International college graduates, however, will see restrictions on post-graduation work permits (PGWPs), with only graduates from high-demand labor sectors qualifying for work permits after Oct.1, 2024.
Additional eligibility and language requirements
Further reforms include tightened eligibility for open work permits for the spouses of graduate students. From late 2024, only spouses of students enrolled in programs longer than 16 months will qualify. New language proficiency standards for PGWP applicants will also come into effect on Nov.1, 2024, requiring applicants to meet specific Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) levels.
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