The Canadian housing minister has taken a step back on the proposal of placing a hold on providing Canada student visas for foreign students. Here is why!
As per the latest update, Sean Fraser, the new housing minister of Canada, rejects the proposal for placing a cap on international students by rejecting study visas in canada for now.
The news that Canada is considering imposing a cap on foreign students to resolve the housing crisis in the country, has been spreading everywhere. The latest update, however, has put an end to it, and students may continue to submit State of Purpose for Canada (SOP Canda).
After Canadian PM Justin Trudeau announced taking the necessary measures to tackle the housing crisis in the country, Canada’s IRCC Minister was planning to limit the number of international students to resolve the problem.
However, not everyone supported this step, significantly, the education department because international students contribute a major amount to Canada’s economy.
What do we mean by placing a cap on international students?
Placing a cap on international students means limiting the number of students by limiting the issuance of study visas canada from other countries who can study at a particular institution or in a particular country.
This restriction could be based on various factors, including national security concerns, budget limitations, or the capacity of the institution to accommodate a large number of international students. The goal of such a policy is to ensure that the number of international students does not exceed the resources available to support them and that domestic students are not displaced by an influx of students from other countries.
However, it is important to balance this goal with the benefits that international students bring, such as cultural exchange, economic contributions, and intellectual diversity.
Marc Miller rejected the idea of capping foreign students, WHY?
Canada’s new immigration minister, Marc Miller and New Housing Minister Sean Fraser both mentioned that limiting the arrival of foreign students would not resolve the ongoing housing crisis in Canada.
According to them, they must instead bring international students who apply for Canada SOP as they carry businesses, and might build new homes in Canadian provinces to resolve the problem.
Here is the latest update in this series
CTV grilled Fraser about whether the Canadian government will go ahead with the plan to cap international student numbers.
Fraser said the feds, along with the provinces and schools, need to make sure international students are supported and that communities are ready to give them a warm welcome when they arrive in Canada.
He continued, “My preference is to continue to welcome a significant number of international students because the program is good for Canada; both in the short term and the long term.”
Fraser pointed out that the federal government needs to fix some flaws in its temporary immigration programs, which are now “uncapped” and rely on demand as the sole determining factor.
The host asked why the minister floated the idea of a cap on international students as they plan to limit issuing canada student visas without consulting institutions and the provincial government.
Sometimes I have a bad habit of answering questions directly. Realistically, if you go back and watch the tape of my original answer, you’ll see that I indicated that it may be premature to do something like that because we need to have a conversation with our partners first.’
The federal government needs to talk to the provinces and other levels of government about immigration targets. This is because the provinces are responsible for deciding which institutions can accept international students. Plus, the institutions that provide housing for newcomers should be involved in the decision-making process too.
Minister Fraser said that Canada needs to build more houses to fix the housing crisis. He also said that immigration is one of Canada’s biggest strengths in the global economy.
Many students have difficulty finding affordable and suitable housing.
We will keep you updated on the latest Canada Immigration News. Stay in touch with Basics of Immigration, if you are struggling to find accommodation in Canada.