Student visas not cheap entry as Canada reevaluates visa policies, impacting $37.3 billion contributions from international students and sparking debates on immigration and future residency promises.
These key points highlight the critical role of international students in Canada’s economy and the government’s efforts to balance growth with sustainability and quality education, emphasizing that student visas are not a cheap entry into Canada.
5 Key Takeaways
1.Significant Economic Contribution:
– In 2022, international students contributed $37.3 billion to Canada’s economy, including $30.9 billion, representing 1.2% of the total GDP. This economic impact is primarily driven by long-term students, who accounted for 97% of the spending.
2. Job Creation and Tax Revenue:
– The spending of international students supported 361,230 jobs in Canada in 2022. Additionally, their expenditures generated $7.4 billion in tax revenue, underscoring their importance to the Canadian economy beyond just the educational sector.
3. Growth Driven by Key Source Countries:
– India has been the major driver of international student growth, with a 47% increase, reaching 319,130 study permit holders in 2022. Other notable increases came from the Philippines (+112%), Hong Kong (+73%), and Nigeria (+60%). This influx of students has led to a substantial economic impact.
4. Student Visas Not Cheap Entry into Canada:
– Ontario hosted the largest number of international students, contributing $16.9 billion (54.6% of the GDP contribution from international students). British Columbia and Quebec followed with 18.4% and 12.4% contributions, respectively. Despite Ontario’s dominance, Prince Edward Island saw the highest percentage increase in study permit holders over the past two decades.
5. Policy Changes and Infrastructure Concerns:
– In 2024, Canada will impose a temporary two-year limit on new study permits, capping them at 364,000 per year. This measure addresses concerns about the quality of education and the strain on infrastructure, ensuring sustainable growth and high-quality educational offerings. This underscores that student visas are not a cheap entry into Canada but rather part of a strategic effort to balance educational quality and infrastructure sustainability.
According to data from the Government of Canada, international students contribute significantly to Canada’s economy, spending approximately $37.3 billion on tuition, accommodation, and discretionary items and generating $7.4 billion in tax revenue in 2022.
Despite these contributions, Canada is reassessing the issuance of long-term visas to international students as part of a broader effort to moderate immigration and population growth.
Immigration Minister Marc Miller emphasized that while Canada has historically used its universities and colleges to attract educated, working-age immigrants, study visas should not guarantee future residency or citizenship.
“That should never be the promise. People should be coming here to educate themselves and perhaps go home and bring those skills back to their country,” Miller stated. “That hasn’t always been the recent case.”
Miller acknowledged that Canada is now perceived as less welcoming for international students. However, his comments have sparked a debate among students with study and post-graduate work permits.
Protests and Discontent Among International Students
In Prince Edward Island (PEI), hundreds of Indian students protested against the government’s abrupt changes in immigration policy, which they claimed denied them work permits despite their graduation, leaving them facing potential deportation.
This sentiment was echoed in British Columbia, where many international master’s students gathered in downtown Vancouver to protest a recent update to a program that offers a pathway to permanent residency.
These protests reflect the students’ fears and frustrations about their future in Canada.
Vinay Chaudhary, an immigration specialist in BC, highlighted the issue by noting that while there are more than 62,000 post-graduation work permit holders in the province, only 3,000 spots are available for the international graduate stream under the BC Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).
“It means only around 4.8 percent of those immigrants will receive invitations,” Vinay explained.
The government’s rationale for these changes is rooted in the rising number of international students, which has put significant pressure on Canada’s infrastructure, including housing and healthcare.
Challenges and Responses to the Student Visas Not Cheap Entry into Canada
Charanjit Kaur, a Toronto-based immigration expert, underscored the plight of individuals with study permits and post-graduate work permits who fail to qualify for permanent resident status.
“Individuals with study permits and post-graduate work permits, who fail to qualify for permanent resident status, often face the distressing prospect of returning home in shame and poverty. Alternatively, they may find ways to remain in the country,” she said.
The led number of asylums claims from India has been growing, with nearly 3,500 claims in 2022, about half of which were accepted.
This starkly contrasts with 2014, when fewer than 20 claims were accepted in Canada.
Notably, private colleges have seen spikes in asylum claims from international students.
At Seneca College, asylum claims increased from 300 in 2022 to almost 700 in 2023. Similarly, Conestoga College saw claims jump from 106 to 450 during the same period.
Miller described these increases as “alarming” and “totally unacceptable.”
Student Visas Not Cheap Entry into Canada: Shifting Policies and Future Directions
Miller’s statements reflect a shift in Canada’s approach to international education.
He asserted that a study visa should not be viewed as an easy pathway to permanent residency or entry into Canada, but rather as an opportunity for qualitative education, returning to its original intent.
According to Miller, the government’s focus should be on attracting high-quality talent and providing a clearer understanding of what studying in Canada entails rather than offering it as an easy route to permanent residency.
This shift aims to refine immigration policies and ensure fair and transparent processes.
