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Canada announced Wednesday that it will further reduce the number of study permits it grants to international students to reduce the number of temporary residents in the country and introduce stricter rules for foreign workers, a move that concerns many people in Canada will affect affects Indians. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted: "This year we are cutting international student permits by 35% and next year that number will be cut by another 10%.""Immigration is good for our economy, but when actors behave badly, immigration is good for our economy. When people abuse the system and our students, we crack down,” he added. According to immigration data, Canada approved 5,900 in 2023 and 1,75,920 in the first seven months of 2024, and the new measures will reduce the number of study permits issued to four. 37,000 in 2025. This shift will also limit employment. Some students and spouses of temporary foreign workers are also eligible.
We’re granting 35% fewer international student permits this year. And next year, that number’s going down by another 10%.
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) September 18, 2024
Immigration is an advantage for our economy — but when bad actors abuse the system and take advantage of students, we crack down.
The announcement comes as polls show the Trudeau Liberal government is seeking to reduce the number of temporary residents, including international students and foreign workers, ahead of next year's federal election. In January, Canada also imposed a two-year limit on international students. According to Statistics Canada, the largest increase in immigration will come from temporary residents, particularly students and workers, whose numbers will rise from 1.4 million in the second quarter of 2022 to the 2.8 million previously promised by the country by the second quarter of 2024 the number of temporary residents fell from 6.8% in April to 5% of the total population. Immigration is often blamed for social problems in Canada, including the lack of affordable housing and rising costs of living. Canada is one of the most popular destinations for Indian students. According to Indian government data released last month, about 13.35 million Indian students study abroad, including about 4.27 million in Canada.
Between 2013 and 2022, the number of Indian students studying in Canada increased by 260 percent. According to a Reuters report earlier this year, around 40 percent of Canada's international students came from India. The Canadian government's move to reduce the number of international students is forcing Indian students to choose other options such as the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.
