The Crisis Facing International Students in Canada: Post-secondary Institutions and the Call for Peace

• In Event: Roundtable Session 3
  In Refereed Roundtable Session: Barriers, Gateways, and Outcomes: International Student Access

Proposal

In 2023, the number of international students in Canada reached over one million, a surge representing a 29% increase from 2022 (ICEF Monitor, 2024). Most of these students were hosted in three provinces, with 51% in Ontario, 19.5% in British Columbia, and 11.5% in Quebec (ICEF Monitor, 2024). Besides, almost two-thirds of these students enrolled in higher education, accounting for 30% of Canada’s total student population in colleges and universities – a share higher than any other hosting countries in the world (The Institute of International Education, 2023). This unprecedented population growth with its demographic distribution features has created a complex crisis of international students, triggering a largely negative response from the Canadian public and significant policy interventions from the Canadian government.
Recent polling data shows a marked shift in Canadian public sentiment regarding international students. Nanos Research (2023) found that 55% of Canadians wanted the federal government to accept fewer international students than the 900,000 projected for 2024. This reflects a broader trend: for the first time in 25 years, a majority of Canadians believe there is too much immigration overall (The Environics Institute for Survey Research, 2024). While the public remains supportive of immigrants with specialized skills (73%), only 27% think international students should be a priority for government policy. This signals a growing skepticism about the role and number of international students in Canada, especially as concerns about housing shortages and the cost of living have intensified.
The Canadian government implemented a series of rapid policy changes beginning in late 2023 and accelerating throughout 2024. The most significant policy shift came in January 2024, when Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced a cap on international student permit applications, resulting in a 35% decrease from 2023 levels (IRCC, 2024a). This was followed by additional restrictions in September 2024, including limitations to the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWP) and a further 10% reduction in permit allocations for 2025-2026 (IRCC, 2024b). These policy changes were implemented with the following stated objectives:
1. Protecting the integrity of the international student system;
2. Reducing pressure on housing, healthcare, and other services;
3. Ensuring international students receive proper support; and
4. Preventing institutions from increasing international student intake primarily to drive revenues.
The preceding background paints a stark picture: unprecedented numbers, shifting public sentiment, and reactive policy interventions. International students in Canada are framed statistically, economically, and politically – as a population surge, a strain on resources, a policy lever, and increasingly, a problem to be managed and reduced. In scholarly literature, international students tend to be problematized, stereotyped, and othered as deficit learners lacking certain skills or abilities (Heng & Lu, 2024; Tran & Hoang, 2024).
This roundtable brings together responses from four scholars at the University of Toronto who have professional positions that relate to the student crisis, two of whom are doing doctoral research relating to its varied dimensions

Authors

• Grace L Karram, OISE - University of Toronto

• Ruth Emilie Scott Hayhoe, O.I.S.E. University of Toronto

• JesusMiracle Chiadika, University of Toronto

• Yixin Jiang, OISE - University of Toronto