According to a report by ApplyBoard, the federal government’s cap on study permit applications aimed at increasing sector sustainability may have actually led to a decrease in demand. Data from the first half of the year suggests that the government’s projections for 2024 will not be met.
In the second quarter of 2024, the number of new study permit applications processed by Ottawa dropped by 54 percent compared to the same period in 2023. ApplyBoard predicts a 39 percent decrease in global applications for Canadian study permits in 2024 compared to 2023.
If current trends persist, it is expected that around 230,000 new study permits will be processed in the second half of 2024, resulting in just over 231,000 study permits approved for the year. This represents a 47 percent decrease from the 436,600 new study permits approved the previous year.
The report also highlights a significant drop in the number of applications processed for master’s and doctoral programs in the first half of 2024, even though these programs were not subject to the government cap.
Immigration Minister Marc Miller raised concerns earlier this year about colleges accepting large numbers of foreign students, some of whom then claimed refugee protection in Canada.
Breakdown by Country
The ApplyBoard report revealed that approved Indian study permits decreased from 111,934 to 55,525 in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the previous year. Study permits from Nigeria, the Philippines, Nepal all saw significant declines, while permits from China slightly increased.
“Policy updates, including the study permit cap, have impacted how international students view Canada as a study abroad destination,” the report concludes.
Can you please rewrite that sentence?
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