Canada study permit approvals to drop by 50% this year, says report

International students face the challenge of fewer Canadian study visa approvals in 2024.  Image credit: Yan Krukov on Pexels.

Canada is likely to approve only 231,000 visas for foreign students in 2024, according to a report by AppleBoard.

This will be a dramatic drop in numbers from 436,000 visa approvals in 2023.

AppleBoard is a company that connects international students with colleges and universities worldwide.

Recently, the Canadian government made changes to financial requirements to tighten the intake of international students.

International students are now required to show proof of at least $20,635 (Canadian) as against the $10,000 requirement that has been in place for two decades.

The new Canadian federal measures are aimed returning visa approvals to the levels in 2018 and 2019.

The Canadian federal elections are expected sooner than later after the minority government led by Justin Trudeau lost the support of its coalition partner, the New Democratic Part (NDP), in September 2024.

Rising cost of living and skyrocketing real estate prices are dominant issues in Canada, and the government is keen to be seen being proactive by curbing population growth.

In public perception, foreign students are responsible for stubbornly high rentals in major Canadian metros.

Applications for postgraduate programmes such as master’s and doctoral studies, which are not included in the government's cap, have also witnessed a 48% decline compared to the same period last year.