International students who want to come to Canada must have a savings balance of more than CAD 20,600 (VND 367 million), double the old level, if they want to be granted a study permit, starting next year.
Mr. Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), last weekend announced changes related to study permits and part-time work policies for international students.
First, starting January 1, 2024, students will need to have more than $20,600 CAD ($15,200 USD) in their account, in addition to tuition and travel expenses, to be granted a study permit. That’s double the $10,000 CAD requirement that has existed for decades.
In addition, the government maintains the unlimited part-time work policy for international students until April 30, 2024, instead of only until December 31 this year. Previously, Canada only allowed international students to work up to 20 hours per week, but in November 2022, it was removed due to a lack of human resources.
Amid the housing crisis, Minister Marc Miller has also urged universities to only offer places if they can accommodate international students, and has said tougher visa restrictions will be imposed if the issue is not resolved by September 2024.
Last month, IRCC announced changes to its admission letter verification process to prevent fraud.
University of Toronto campus, Canada. Photo: Universités CALDO Universities - Canada
The measures come amid a surge in international students coming to Canada, but with few guarantees. For example, many students have been tricked into accepting fake letters of acceptance and being advised to enroll in programs that do not grant them post-graduation work permits. Statistics Canada reported in June that 40% of international students lack adequate housing. Inflation and rising tuition fees have also forced international students to work part-time.
In 2023, the average tuition fee for international students will be 38,000 CAD (685 million VND) per year, 6% higher than last year and 5 times higher than the 7,000 CAD of domestic students.
The requirement for a larger balance in the savings account is said to help international students cover their expenses during their studies and avoid being exploited when working part-time. But this also makes many people wonder.
“International students who want to apply for a study permit next year will have to earn an additional $10,000 CAD to meet the new regulations,” said Sarom Rho, director of Migrant Students United, an organization representing international students in Canada. This could reduce the number of students coming to study in the country, Sarom said.
Colleges and Institutes Canada, which represents 128 universities, says the immigration department should adjust the rates for each province and university. This would ensure that excellent students with limited financial resources are still eligible for study permits.
Alex Usher, director of the Higher Education Strategy Association, said the new rules could be bypassed by consultancy firms that deposit money into student accounts at the time of the permit review and then withdraw it later, a situation that has occurred in Australia.
According to Sarom Rho, the government should provide additional subsidies for international students in addition to allowing unlimited hours of work. Migrant Students United will continue to call on the government to introduce stable policies and increase long-term accommodation for all international students.
The number of international students coming to Canada has quadrupled in the past 15 years, reaching a record of more than 550,000 last year. International education generates more than C$22 billion ($16 billion) a year in tuition, rent and services spending, more than exports of auto parts, lumber or aircraft.
Huy Quan (According to The Pie News)
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