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By Emmanuel Adeleke
The Government of Ontario, a province in Canada, has unveiled a new strategy for allocating international study permits.
According to information on the province’s website, the key focus of this strategy is to prioritise post-secondary educational programmes at public institutions, with the aim of better-preparing graduates for high-demand jobs that align with Ontario’s labour market requirements.
As a consequence, career colleges, typically private institutions, will no longer be eligible to receive study permit applications from international students.
The decision follows of a move by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to impose limitations on the issuance of study permits to international students in 2024 and 2025, primarily targeting undergraduate international students.
Exempted from this restriction are international students enrolled in primary and secondary schools, as well as those pursuing master’s and doctoral degrees.
Minister of Colleges and Universities, Jill Dunlop, stressed the importance of attracting top-tier international students to Ontario, particularly in areas critical to the province’s economy.
“We are protecting the integrity of our province’s post-secondary education system by attracting the best and brightest international students to Ontario to study in areas that are critical to our economy,” she said.
The new allocation system will see 96% of all study permits for international students directed towards public universities and colleges in Ontario.
The remaining permits will be distributed among language schools, private universities, and other institutions within the province. This distribution excludes career colleges from receiving any international student study permit applications.
The province has chosen to prioritise programmes in several high-demand areas, including skilled trades, health, human resources, hospitality, childcare as well as science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Additionally, there will be a focus on French-language enrollment to meet employer demand for workers proficient in French.
Explaining further, Dunlop said permits allocated to an institution cannot exceed the number issued in 2023.
“The ratio of international permits cannot surpass 55% (excluding high-demand areas) of an institution’s 2023 first-year domestic enrollment.
“All public Ontario universities, with the exception of Algoma University in Sault Ste. Marie, will maintain applications at 2023 levels.
“Eleven of Ontario’s 24 public colleges will also maintain applications at 2023 levels,” she added.
