Canada Could Move Toward a More Selective International Student System

CIMM made 10 recommendations for changes to the international student program. This article will discuss three that stood out. 

Mostly, the report is suggesting ways to further tighten restrictions on admissions, through financial means by increasing the cost-of-living requirement, by introducing caps on the number of students admitted from countries with a high-rate of asylum claims. 

Key Takeaways 

• The report recommends an increased cost of living requirement 
• Students from certain countries could face an additional study permit cap 
• More measures could be taken to combat fraud from students and DLIs 
• Provinces need more say in the International Student Program 

The recommended changes are driven by the rapid growth of the international student program before the 2024 measure were introduced. Much of this growth was driven by colleges expanding international enrollment as a revenue source, often without corresponding increases in housing or student support services.  

It also brought to light some serious concerns with the integrity of Canada’s international student program. A recent report from Canada’s Auditor General found over 150,000 cases of possible non-compliance among international students. 

There is also concern that some institutions were offering low quality programs for international students simply to collect the higher tuition fees that international students pay.  

The report uses Conestoga College as a case study. In 2023, Conestoga received more study permits than any other college in Canada. The result was substandard and expensive living conditions for international students in tandem with “under-resourced teachers, challenging teaching conditions and students arriving underprepared academically.” 

While Conestoga is highlighted, the report suggests this is not an isolated case but part of a broader pattern across parts of the system. Situations like this throughout Canada led IRCC to acknowledge there was too much pressure on the existing system and to introduce caps on the number of international students, along with the other measures we see in place today.  

Interestingly, Conestoga received the most study permits of any Ontario college or university in 2026. 

An Increased Cost-of-Living Requirement 

The report considers how the system was overburdened and has made multiple recommendations for how IRCC can continue to improve the international student program in a way that emphasizes the quality of  students over quantity. 

One of those recommendations is that IRCC “further increase the cost of-living threshold for international students beyond the annual updates to the low-income cut-off amount established by Statistics Canada.” 

The current cost-of-living requirement for students is $22,895 for a single applicant (this increases with the number of accompanying family members). For context, the financial requirement was $10,000 at the beginning of 2024. 

A measure such as this would ensure that students have more than enough to support themselves throughout their studies without breaking the conditions of their study permit (working more than the legal maximum hours per week). 

However, while increases the cost-of-living requirement could help reduce fraud and non-compliance, it could be prohibitively expensive for many would-be applicants with genuine intentions and make Canada a less-desirable destination for students. 

Additional Caps for Indian and Nigerian Students 

The report also recommends that IRCC establish separate caps on the number of study permits issued to “nationals from countries with a high rate of permit overstays or asylum claims” 

CIMM says doing so will protect the International Student Program from being used to enter Canada for reasons other than to study. It also notes that the “top nationalities making asylum claims with a study permit or a study permit extension in 2024 were India (4,256), followed by Nigeria (2,630) and the Republic of Guinea (1,959).” 

In 2025, the top nationalities for asylum claims with a study permit or a study permit extension were “India (3,815), the Republic of Guinea (1,254) and Nigeria (1,059).” 

Canada’s government has already taken some measures against this by passing Bill C-12 last month. The Bill says that international students who have been in Canada for more than a year will not be eligible to make asylum claims.   

This recommendation is another measure to counteract fraud but again may create a system that is less inclusive and runs the risk of excluding would-be students based on their nationality. 

More Input from Canada’s Provinces 

CIMM says that provinces need to have more of a say in the long-term plan for the International Student Program, a finding shared by the Auditor General Report.  

Some provinces are disproportionately feeling the impact of the cap on international students and have been left scrambling to make up the shortfall of revenue by limited international student tuition. 

In practical terms, this means your experience can vary significantly depending on where you choose to study. Smaller provinces and institutions may have fewer students, which could translate to smaller class sizes, but also fewer resources or program options. Meanwhile, more popular provinces may remain highly competitive and expensive. 

The decline in international enrollment is also affecting graduate-level programs, with fewer students contributing to research and innovation which may make Canadian learning institutions less prestigious on the international stage. 

For prospective students, it reinforces the importance of not just choosing Canada—but choosing the right province, school, and program based on your academic and career goals. 

Canada’s Reputation for Students 

CIMM says that many of the 2024 measures were overcorrections and have led to Canada’s reputation on the world stage being tarnished. 

Canada spent years marketing itself as a go-to destination for international students, who would then have a straight-forward pathway to permanent residence.  

The rapid changes caught many would-be students, and students already in Canada, off guard and made them feel unwelcome. CIMM also says it also had the unintended effect of making international students appear responsible for many of Canada’s social problems (housing prices, strained healthcare systems and such), creating negative public sentiment.  

Conclusion 

Overall, if the recommendations in the report come to pass, studying in Canada could become more expensive, more competitive, and more selective. 

For prospective students, this means needing to show stronger financial proof upfront. 

At the same time, caps on study permits that target certain countries could make the application process more competitive and subject to greater scrutiny for many. 

The report repeatedly stresses the need to reduce fraud, both at an applicant level and among designated learning institutions. This means students will need to strictly follow the conditions of their permits, while also being more strategic about where they study. 

Despite the perceived decline of Canada’s reputation, it remains a popular destination with some schools ranking among the top institutions in the world. Still, students should approach studying in Canada with more realistic expectations.