The Canadian government has announced plans to reduce the number of temporary residents in the country. However, the number of international students granted study permits in the first four months of the year has increased.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) reported that 187,510 study permits were issued from January to April, compared to 165,805 in the same period last year, Hindustan Times reports.

In January, the government announced plans to reduce study permit issuance by 35% in 2024. “The cap is expected to result in 360,000 study permits being approved, a 35% reduction from 2023,” IRCC said.

On March 21, Canadian Immigration Minister Mark Miller announced a target to reduce the number of temporary residents by 5% over three years. In May, the number of temporary residents decreased from 34,400 to 30,490.

Yuri Natchetoy