The Canadian government has announced new regulations for international students, foreign workers, and their spouses, with plans to reduce the issuance of work permits by 35% in 2024.
Despite this, Canada intends to issue 485,000 new study permits next year. A further reduction of 10% in study permits is expected for 2025, targeting 437,000 permits, with a cap that will remain stable in 2026. These measures are aimed at better aligning immigration policies with the country’s labor market needs.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau emphasized the need to reduce the number of low-wage temporary foreign workers, shorten their work terms, and encourage businesses to invest in Canadian labor. This move reflects changes in the labor market post-pandemic and aims to better manage immigration and employment needs.
The Backdrop
The increasing number of Nigerian students in Canada is also highlighted in a recent report by ApplyBoard. Nigerian student mobility to Canada has grown rapidly, with the Canadian government issuing just over 3,000 student visas to Nigerians in 2019, doubling that number by 2021, and doubling it again by 2022. In the first half of 2023 alone, over 43,000 Nigerian students applied for study permits, making Nigerians the fastest-growing student population in Canada. They are likely to become the second-largest group of international students by the end of the year.
While Ontario and British Columbia remain top destinations for international students, Nigerian students are more widely distributed across the country. Notably, the number of Nigerian students in Nova Scotia has more than doubled compared to 2022, making it the third most popular destination after Ontario and British Columbia. This growing trend underscores the importance of Nigerian student mobility to the long-term stability of Canada’s international education ssector.
Story by : Zenas Fiagbe
Sources: BBC
