There is some bad news for those who want to study in Canada. Students, opting for Canada as a study-abroad destination, may face greater competition than they do currently. The Canadian government is considering capping foreign student visas in order to solve the housing crisis in the country. More than 800,000 overseas students had valid visas as of 2022, up from 275,000 in 2012, according to official data. International students frequently choose Canada as their study abroad destination since it is very simple to obtain a work permit. This year, Canada is on track to receive close to 900,000 foreign students.

The government feels that the sharp rise in the number of students was putting pronounced pressure on some housing markets. According to Canada’s new housing minister Sean Fraser, a cap on the issuance of student visas is an option that the government is considering, although no decision has been made on that. Following Fraser’s remarks, Immigration Minister Marc Miller stated that Canada would review its immigration targets to see if they had an impact on the housing crisis.

According to Immigration Minister Marc Miller, the concern about the increasing number of international students entering Canada is not only about housing but also about Canadians’ trust in the integrity of the immigration system itself.

Canada has committed to welcoming 1.5 million more immigrants by 2025, but concerns are increasing about how to do so if there is nowhere to house them.

As of August, the average property price in Canada was roughly C$750,000 ($550,000; £435,000). This is a 360% rise over the year 2000 when the average was C$163,000. According to the country’s National Housing Organization, Canada needs to build 5.8 million new houses, including two million rental units, by 2030 to fix the problem.

In a statement, Universities Canada, which represents dozens of universities across the country, stated that the recent comments conflating international students and the housing crisis are deeply concerning to Universities Canada and our members.

Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) also issued an official statement stating, that it is ‘troubled’ by the recent comments regarding a potential cap on international student enrollment by federal officials.