Some Canadian colleges and universities say they are concerned Liberal government cuts to international student permits will damage their operating budgets and impact Canada’s reputation as a global leader in education.
New, tighter restrictions for international students at Canadian universities and colleges are worrying industry watchers, who warn that continued uncertainty about post-secondary could damage Canada’s reputation as an attractive place to study and live.
Canada’s post-secondary sector was already adapting to a reduction of international study permits and other measures announced in January when Immigration Minister Marc Miller further tightened the cap on Wednesday. He dropped the intake by an additional 10 per cent for the next two years (437,000 will be permitted) and it now includes graduate and doctoral students, who were exempted earlier. He also added tightened eligibility for the Post-Graduate Work Permit program.
“There’s room for improvement,” Miller said in an interview on CBC’s Power and Politics after the announcement. “I’m …