TORONTO, Jan 24 (Reuters) - Canada is set to limit the entry of international students for a second consecutive year in 2025, as part of an effort to alleviate strains on housing, healthcare, and other essential services.
According to a statement released on Friday by the immigration ministry, Canada will grant 437,000 study permits this year, marking a 10% decrease from 2024. The government had initially imposed a cap on new international student permits in 2024 due to concerns that rapid population growth was exacerbating housing shortages.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who is expected to step down in March, had responded to waning support for newcomers in Canada by committing to this measure. In 2023, Canada had issued over 650,000 study permits to foreign students, resulting in a record high of more than a million international students in the country, nearly three times the number from a decade ago.
The surge in population driven by immigration has strained services such as healthcare and education, while also pushing up housing prices. Nevertheless, international students bring in higher tuition fees compared to domestic students.
As a response to last year's introduction of the international student cap, most study permit applicants are now required to submit a Provincial or Territorial Attestation Letter. This year, master's and post-doctoral students will also need to provide these letters, aimed at confirming that students fall within the federal government's international student cap.