TORONTO: Canada recently announced a temporary cap on its international students’ programme, seeking to address concerns about the abuse and sustainability of the existing system.

The cap, reducing new student visas by 35 per cent for 2024, aims to balance the influx of international students and protect the integrity of the education system. Each province and territory will play a role in selecting institutions qualified to enrol international students, with reductions of up to 50pc in some regions. The caps will be weighted based on population differences.

As the international academia community grapples with the implications, Pakistani students who plan to seek an education in Canada, as well as Pakistani students who currently study in, or have studied in Canada, have their own takes on the development.

Mariam Qureshi of Karachi, who is planning to pursue a graduate diploma in Canada, says the cap on study permits has injected uncertainty into her plans. She shares, “I am also thinking of alternative options for studying abroad.”

Ms Qureshi’s application could potentially be impacted by the cap as the course she is planning to take isn’t a Master’s or a PhD programme.

“Of course, Canada remains my top choice, but it would be better for me to explore other avenues as well,” she says.

Ms Qureshi’s perspective encapsulates the delicate balance some prospective students now face, weighing the allure of Canadian education against the new realities introduced by the cap.

Balancing hope and realism

Living in Bahrain’s capital, Manama, with roots in Hyderabad, Aisha Solangi, who is preparing her PhD application to be sent out to universities in North America, wonders about the potential impact of the cap on the overall admission process.

“Even though PhD applicants are exempt from this cap, the general decrease in intake can potentially impact the admission process as a whole,” Ms Solangi says.

She recognised Canada’s commitment to maintaining the integrity of its education system and hoped the country’s academic community “will continue to welcome and support researchers like myself”.

Mixed bag

As a student at a college in Vancouver, Imran Ali, originally from Lahore, says that while the study permit cap is a concern for international students, “I see it as part of a bigger picture in the Canadian economy of which we students are one part”.

“My advice to students coming from Pakistan to Canada is, when you come to Canada, it is best to come with an open mind. There is a privilege in obtaining a Canadian education but there are also struggles that come with it; so it’s kind of a mixed bag.”

Business student Fahad Ahmed, based in the Canadian city of Mississauga, echoes similar sentiments.

“At first, I was really upset when I had just heard this news,” Mr Ahmed says. “But I got some time to reflect on it and it kind of makes sense.”

He adds: “We also have to think, which country would reject all the money that international students come with? But Canada is doing so, willingly, letting go of all that money, in order to preserve the quality of education provided to international students…it shows they also value the fact that international students spend so much on their education and at the very least should be protected from unaccredited, predatory institutes.”

Sajjad Ali, a graduate of McGill University, views the study permit cap as a justified measure to address issues in the education system.

While the temporary cap on international student permits may pose challenges for prospective students, the policy exempts those pursuing master’s and doctoral degrees.

He says the cap supports international students “by curbing exploitative practices”.

“This measure actually supports international students because it will lead to curbing the exploitative behaviour of unaccredited institutions that sometimes view international students as mere ATMs, compromising the integrity of education for financial gain.”

Additionally, study permit renewals and current permit holders are unaffected.

As Canada shapes its educational landscape, the ‘mixed bag’, as Imran Ali calls it, of struggles and privileges for international students remains central in the life of incoming scholars.

Meanwhile, a nuanced approach, protecting the system’s integrity while ensuring a welcoming environment for those seeking academic excellence in Canadian universities, seems to be the sensible way forward.

Published in Dawn, January 30th, 2024