Fewer international students to study in Canada over next two years

The federal government has announced a two-year cap on international student enrolment — one that will reduce the number of permits to study in Canada by 35 per cent.

"It is the latest in a series of measures to improve program integrity, and set international students up for success,” explained Marc Miller, minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship of Canada, in a news conference Monday in Ottawa.

The move comes amid a nationwide housing crisis.

Last year, Cape Breton University was the focus of a W5 report outlining a shortage of housing, jobs and transportation.

"It's obviously really heartbreaking for a lot of international students who are having the dream of coming to Canada,” said Sahilpreet Singh Chatha, CBU Students’ Union president, of Monday’s news.

Singh Chatha said while at some institutions, students have asked for a cap, he heard from some on Monday who are now concerned their spouses might not be able to come to Canada.

Still, he's optimistic about the new developments.

"So we hope that there's more availability of especially jobs, and housing options in Sydney,” he said.

Cyril MacDonald, a Cape Breton Regional Municipality councillor, said while international students have been a major asset for community growth, he hopes Monday's federal government move will help strike a better balance.

"I guess we'll have to wait and see what those numbers actually look like, as it relates to Nova Scotia”, said Cyril MacDonald. "I think it's a wake-up call for CBU, our whole province and certainly our municipality."

Peter Halpin, executive director of the Association for Atlantic Universities, said while he thinks the move was aimed mostly at a few colleges in Southern Ontario and British Columbia, he hopes post-secondary schools in the Maritimes won't be made to suffer.

"We can't help but look at this as a negative announcement for Atlantic Canada,” Halpin said. "Atlantic Canada has a little or more around three per cent of the national population, so in that sense perhaps the reductions won't be too, too significant."

The announcement explained that reductions will be weighted by provincial populations.

Halpin said he hopes to speak with provincial governments about the issue in the coming days.