In a significant move, the Canadian government has doubled the cost-of-living financial requirement for international students beginning next year.
Starting from January 1, 2024, prospective students will need to show they have access to 20,635 Canadian dollars, instead of 10,000 Canadian dollar requirement that has been in place for two decades, in addition to paying travel and tuition. The amount will be adjusted yearly based on a Statistics Canada benchmark for living costs.
Anyone planning to study in Canada will need to show they have $20,635 in funds, in addition to their first year of tuition and travel costs, in order to be approved for a study permit. Miller said the financial requirement has not kept up with the cost of living over time, resulting in students arriving in Canada only to learn that their funds aren’t adequate.
According to the global education search platform Erudera, the total number of international students in all education levels in Canada is 8,07,750, including higher education. Of this, 5,51,405 received a study permit in Canada last year.
"Moving to a more accurate cost of living level that helps international students arrive with necessary resources to live and study in Canada, future increases will be tied to the low-income cut-off Statistics Canada announces every year," CTV News quoted Miller as saying.
"There are, in provinces, the diploma equivalent of puppy mills that are just churning out diplomas, and this is not a legitimate student experience," Miller said at a news conference.
For years, critics have argued that some colleges are providing foreigners with inadequate education while giving them a chance to get visas to work in Canada and eventually immigrate.
"There is fraud and abuse and it needs to end," the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation quoted him as saying.
The government has also extended the uncapped work rights policy, which allows international students in Canada to work more than 20 hours per week, until April 30 2024, when the current academic year ends.
IRCC is looking at permanently increasing the work allowance to 30 hours per week, but Miller ruled out allowing students to work full-time permanently, despite calls from student groups.
Miller also warned institutions that they should only be accepting international students if they have somewhere for them to live, as Canada continues to face a housing crisis.
He added that the government expects "proper health supports and a proper academic experience" to be provided.
"There are, in provinces, the diploma equivalent of puppy mills that are just churning out diplomas," he said. "And this is not a legitimate student experience."
He threatened to limit visas if institutions and local governments do not tackle these issues by September 2024.