Expressing shock over Canada’s decision to put a two-year cap on international student admissions, Indians hoping to study in the country said they are not ready to let go of their dream easily.

The rapid rise in the number of international students in Canada has given birth to a housing crisis and put pressure on health care and other services. With the two-year cap announced on Monday by Immigration Minister Marc Miller, the Canadian government wants to ensure that such problems are tackled from the grassroots level.

As per the official announcement, the Canadian government will set an intake cap on international student permit applications to stabilise new growth for two years. For 2024, the cap is expected to result in approximately 3,60,000 approved study permits, a decrease of 35 per cent from 2023.

Indian students in Canada, however, blamed the government for overlooking the red flags that they had been raising for some time. Mandeep, convener of Montreal Youth Students Organisation (MYSO), told indianexpress.com that for the past four years, the MYSO has been fighting against the bullying of students by private colleges in Canada.

“The problem of residential houses for international students in Canada, health facilities, low-quality facilities and high tuition fees in private educational institutions, the negative impact of India-Canada diplomatic tension on Indian immigrants and international students in Canada, etc., have been making Indian students anxious and we have been raising our voices against it, but in vain,” Mandeep said.

Students in Canada said the housing crisis did not occur because of international students but was due to the monopoly of profit-seeking businesses on the real estate market. “Due to rising inflation, residential house rents are increasing and they are becoming out of reach for new immigrants and international students. Also, international students do not get equal health facilities compared to local students, due to which, in the event of international students falling ill or dying, Canada’s health system continues to be questioned,” Mandeep added.

Indian students in Canada want the government also to pay heed to the increasing price of daily needs. “The prices for groceries, daily facilities, rent, etc., are increasing, but the salaries being handed out to international students remain the same. The Canadian government has increased the Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) amount for international students to ensure that they do not struggle in Canada, but didn’t they think of increasing the salary?” questioned a woman from Punjab whose oldest daughter is settled in Canada, and the younger daughter is in the process of getting visa approval.

The GIC is a short-term liquid investment for one year offered by Canadian banks with a guaranteed rate of return. It is for Indian students who aspire to study in Canada’s SPP (Student Partners Program) colleges. Earlier, the GIC (not including tuition) was CAN$10,000, which has now been increased to CAN$20,635.

Shilpa Pradeep, who is pursuing PGD in digital and content marketing from York University, said those who dream of moving to Canada are not just people from rich families but also Indians from middle and lower-middle classes who desire to achieve a better life for themselves and their families.

“The CAN$10,000 was somehow achievable but almost double that amount with the new cap on international students now making it seem almost impossible for those students to achieve their dream,” she said.

She added that the Canadian economy is a diverse mix which will be negatively affected now. “A lot of the retail work, shops, hospitality and several other areas are majorly run by international students and it shows the diversity. This will be a huge hit to those industries, too.”

Experts also believe such changes may help preserve the resources but can negatively impact the diverse student population and workforce.

“Preserving Canada’s allure as a premier study destination is paramount for cultural diversity and economic prosperity. We encourage comprehensive solutions that address housing and financial concerns while maintaining Canada’s attractiveness. It is essential to strike a delicate balance, acknowledging the valuable contributions of international students to Canada’s academic landscape,” said Manisha Zaveri, joint managing director of Career Mosaic.

“In navigating these challenges, we urge the Canadian government to uphold inclusivity and collaboration, recognising the immense value international students bring to the country’s education sector and society as a whole,” Zaveri added.

A hospitality management student who wished to stay anonymous said he applied twice for a visa last year; however, it was rejected.

Interestingly, his brother and friend — who applied almost simultaneously — are now studying in Canada. “I applied in October for the January intake and it was rejected, stating insufficient funds. This happened after having a clean and sorted visa file with all the necessary and valid documents — from academic to funding,” he said, pointing out that Canadian universities have been enthusiastically promoting their courses in India.

“I showed almost double the amount in my account even during the first application. My friend, who also applied to the same university and course, had less money but got visa approval. My brother, who is in the IT industry, applied in August 2023 and had a smooth sail,” said the 22-year-old who wished to make it big in the Canadian hospitality industry.

Confident about his profile, the student has now even applied for Caips notes in which the exact reason for rejection would be stated. “I am facing the brunt of this diplomatic conflict between the two countries.”

Meanwhile, he has started thinking about plan B. “With this new rule, I have to think of studying in Ireland. They say the living standards are good there, however, I have not thought of permanent residency,” he said.

However, such options are not available for students from a middle-class background in India. Harsh, who currently resides in Punjab, hopes to join her sister in Canada for a PG diploma course in accounting.

Her sister, Muskan, has already completed her studies in Canada and is currently working there. While Muskan is already settled, the family is a little tense about getting Harsh’s study visa, given the recent changes. However, the family sure wants to send all three daughters to Canada.

“There are a lot of complications and financial burdens for studying and immigrating to Australia. Also, Canada is a very friendly country and we have dreamt of settling there for years. We will keep trying till I get my study visa approved.”

“Staying in India will not be helpful because I cannot work part-time here along with my studies and support my family. Studying in Canada will give me that option, and it will also open up several better work opportunities for me,” she said.

The Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration from 2022 claimed 550,187 study permit holders were in the country. Additionally, 124,970 individuals who had a prior study or work permit transitioned to permanent residence across all streams.

According to a report titled ‘International students as a source of labour supply: A summary of recent trends’ on Statistics Canada, the share of international students from seven countries — South Korea, China, Japan, the United States, France, Mexico and India — increased from 59 per cent in the 2000-2004 cohort to 67 per cent in the 2015-2019 cohort.

Ontario attracted the largest share of international students in the early 2000s, and this grew from 37 per cent in the 2000-to-2004 cohort to 49 per cent in the 2015-to-2019 cohort.

The field of business, management, and public administration has attracted a large and growing share of international students studying at the college level.

According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the number of study permit holders reached 1,028,850 by the end of December, exceeding the earlier estimated figure of 9,49,000 for the year. Regarding Indian students going to Canada, the ApplyBoard’s Counsellor survey also showed that Canada maintains a strong reputation as the most affordable destination despite a decrease from 2022.

Canada took top marks for potential postgraduation work opportunities, as 75 per cent of participants agreed Canada offered strong career opportunities.

To ensure the reduction is fair, individual provincial and territorial caps have been established, weighted by population, resulting in much more significant decreases in provinces where the international student population has seen the most unsustainable growth.

In addition, every study permit application submitted to IRCC will also require an attestation letter from a province or territory. Also, starting September 1, 2024, international students who begin a study programme as part of a curriculum licensing arrangement will no longer be eligible for a postgraduation work permit upon graduation. Similarly, open work permits will only be available to spouses of international students in master’s and doctoral programmes.

(With inputs from Neeti Nigam)