Source: Google/File
Toronto: Following the government’s recent announcement of a cap on international students, Canada has finalized details regarding provincial and territorial allocations as well as the total number of permits.
Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Marc Miller, revealed that the national cap for study permits in 2024 is set at 485,000, considering expiring permits, extensions, and other variations. With an estimated 60% approval rate, this translates to a cap of 606,000 study permit applications.
Exemptions from the cap include primary and secondary school students, as well as master’s or doctoral degree students. Adjustments were made based on exemptions, resulting in a target of 236,000 approved study permits for 2024, equating to approximately 393,000 study permit applications to be allocated.
Provincial and territorial allocations are distributed based on population share, with adjustments to limit growth to 10% compared to 2023 for provinces receiving more students and support for those receiving fewer. Additionally, provinces with approval rates lower than 60% received top-ups to reach expected permit numbers.
Overall, about 552,000 study permit applications have been allocated under the national cap, projected to yield approximately 292,000 approved study permits, marking a 28% reduction from 2023.
This aligns with the government’s earlier announcement of a 35% reduction in international student entry compared to the previous year.