Canada’s Immigration Minister Marc Miller has announced a significant increase in the financial criteria for international students applying for a student visa, emphasizing the government’s commitment to safeguarding the education of the country.
The immigration minister also issued a warning, threatening to limit visas if provinces and educational institutions fail to take the necessary actions before the upcoming fall term. That’s not all, as the ministry has also decided to extend the temporary lift on the 20-hour work limit issued for international students, now extending until April 30, 2020. Milled stated the government’s concern about the potential for abuse in the system and aimed to target questionable institutions and employers that don’t provide a genuine educational experience. During a news conference, the minister also expressed concerns about some educational institutions working as “puppy mills” and emphasized the need to control the fraud and abuse that’s taking place in the education system.
The doubled financial requirement for the prospective students will be raided to USD 20,635, moving from the longstanding USD 10,000 threshold. This change aims to ensure international students have enough funds to cover the living costs in the country in addition to travel and tuition expenses. The amount will be changed annually based on Statistics Canada benchmarks for living costs.
Miller also commented on the need for educational institutions to manage the number of international students they bring in, considering their ability to provide assistance in off-campus accommodation.
The move is seen as a response to international students facing challenges in finding suitable housing and being forced to engage in exploitative jobs. Miller has also acknowledged the need for further discussions with provinces before any visa caps are brought in place, recognizing various tools available for complete regulation, including the closure of designated educational institutions that might not meet necessary standards.
