To combat fraud, Canada raises living expenses and imposes stricter measures on international students

In order to help overseas students better prepare financially, Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship, Marc Miller, announced significant changes to the country’s study permit requirements, according to an official release. The modifications, which include a significant increase in the study permit applicants’ cost of living criterion, will take effect on January 1, 2024.

“While international students have a great cultural, social, and economic impact on their communities, many have had difficulties adjusting to life in Canada. To better inform foreign students about the real cost of living in this area, we are updating the cost-of-living criteria. The secret to their success in Canada is this metric. We are also looking at ways to guarantee that students have a place to live. These long-overdue reforms will shield foreign students from financial hardship and exploitation,” Miller said, as cited by the news agency ANI.

The cost-of-living criteria for a single candidate has been at $10,000 USD since the early 2000s. Nevertheless, the threshold will now be increased to USD 20,635, or 75% of the low-income cut-off (LICO), in reaction to the increasing cost of living. The release states that this change is meant to ensure that overseas students are well-equipped to handle the financial rigors of living in Canada. Every year, it will be updated using Statistics Canada’s.

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The move addresses the increased cost of living as well as the challenges experienced by foreign students in finding suitable lodgings. The measures demonstrate the government’s commitment to protecting students from financial abuse and vulnerability.

The government plans to conduct focused pilots in 2024 with partners in order to provide underserved foreign student cohorts more assistance. These experimental programs aim to assess new ideas to support students who struggle academically in Canada as they work toward their objectives.

The news follows the October 27, 2023, revision of the International Student Program, which included the introduction of a new framework for identifying educational institutions that provide first-rate support services, including housing. It went on to say that schools should only take in as many pupils as they can support.