Canada Announces Cap on Foreign Student Applications Amid Controversy

International students face blame for housing and health-care issues, while public institutions brace for financial impact.

Canada has announced new caps on the number of foreign student applications that will be accepted each year, along with restrictions on eligibility for work permits for some graduating students.
The government will approve about 360,000 permits for undergraduate study this year, about 35% fewer than in 2023.
Foreign students attending certain private colleges, including at the graduate level, will no longer be eligible to receive a work permit upon graduation.
International students are being blamed for Canada’s housing and health-care issues, despite evidence suggesting that these problems are due to long-standing structural issues.
The new policy is expected to have significant impacts on public post-secondary institutions, which have relied on international students as a source of revenue.