Commentary
The recognition that Canada’s international student program has major problems cuts across ideological lines—it is now a bipartisan consensus. With a few tough reforms, however, the program can be salvaged, and refashioned to serve the interest of Canadians and foreign students alike.
The federal government’s first hard cap on international student numbers put in place in January 2024 was a necessary stopgap measure to reduce the skyrocketing volume of students, thereby giving some breathing room to Canada’s housing, social services, and health care. But the fact that a cap was needed at all reveals a deep structural issue with the program: It has become seen by many applicants as a backdoor to work and obtain permanent residency….