"Enough is enough": Canada doubles student visa financial onus to curb frauds
Canada's Immigration Minister, Marc Miller, announced a substantial increase in the financial criteria for international students applying for study permits, emphasising the government's commitment to safeguarding the integrity of the education system, CBC reported.
Miller also issued a stern warning, threatening to «significantly limit visas» if provinces and educational institutions fail to take appropriate actions before the upcoming fall term.
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The decision also extends the temporary lift on the 20-hour work limit for international students, now extended until April 30, 2024. Miller outlined the government's concerns about potential abuse in the system, targeting both questionable employers and institutions that may not be providing a genuine educational experience, according to Canadian public broadcaster CBC.
During a news conference, Miller expressed concerns about certain educational institutions operating as «puppy mills» and emphasised the need to address fraud and abuse within the system.
He said, «There are, in provinces, the diploma equivalent of puppy mills that are just churning out diplomas, and this is not a legitimate student experience.»
The increased financial requirement for prospective students will be raised to USD 20,635, doubling the longstanding USD 10,000 threshold.
This change aims to ensure that international students have sufficient funds to cover living costs in addition to travel and tuition expenses. The amount will be adjusted annually based on Statistics Canada benchmarks for living costs.
Miller highlighted the need for learning institutions to responsibly manage the number of international students they accept, considering their
