Will Indians be affected if Canada considers establishing a cap on international students ?

By – Prakarsh Kastwar

Notably, Canada is experiencing a housing crisis. People have criticized the federal government for allowing a growing number of immigrants to enter the country.

Canada is considering limiting the number of international students who can live in the country. In view of Canada’s growing unemployment and housing crises, immigration minister Marc Miller said on Saturday that he will investigate the issue in the next months, according to news agency.

Miller told CTV’s Question Period host Vassy Kapelos: “This is a conversation the federal government will need to have with provincial governments to ensure that the provinces that haven’t been doing their jobs actually rein in those numbers on a pure volume basis.”

“That volume is disconcerting,” Miller said of Canada’s overseas student population.

“It’s really a system that has gotten out of control,” he said.

The minister emphasized the need of looking at what various academic institutions are doing in different Canadian provinces that may benefit from attracting more overseas students.

“We need to be doing our jobs and making sure that we have a system that actually makes sure people have a financial capability to come to Canada, that we’re actually verifying offer letters,” Miller said. He went on to say, “And now it’s time for us to have a conversation about volumes and the impact that is having in certain areas.”

Notably, Canada is experiencing a housing crisis. People have criticized the federal government for allowing a growing number of immigrants to enter the country.

Miller did not say how many international students would be reduced. “We have a sense of what those numbers would look like, what the reduction of those numbers look like, and out of courtesy to my colleagues in the provinces, those are the discussions that we’re going to have first around the negotiating table,” he said, adding that academic institutions’ financial needs are also a factor.

Students from India in Canada

Hundreds of Indian students travel to Canada each year to further their education. According to Canadian government statistics, Indians made up almost 40% of the 8 lakh international students in Canada in September of last year.

As a result, if the Canadian government limits the number of international students, Indian students studying there may suffer as well.