Restore study permits and PGWP
Petitioners ask the Minister to amend caps on postsecondary international study permits and PGWP, increase federal postsecondary transfers, fund affordable student housing, and defend public higher education. The government responds it introduced a study‑permit cap, reformed PGWP rules, and expanded housing and funding measures while working with provinces.
Why we would sign this petition
- It would increase international student numbers and PGWP access to help fill labour shortages in health care, education, technology and trades as petitioners argue.
- Higher enrolment could restore tuition revenue for post‑secondary institutions, reducing layoffs and restoring course offerings and student supports.
- Dedicated housing funding would expand affordable student residences, easing housing pressure near campuses and supporting student success and integration.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- Reversing caps may re‑inflate student numbers and renew pressure on housing, health care and public services in campus areas.
- Education is provincially controlled; increasing federal transfers or overriding caps may create jurisdictional friction and fiscal trade‑offs.
- Targeted reforms (e.g., selective recruitment, language requirements, focused funding) might better match labour needs without broad permit increases.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.
Official petition
Petition to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Without stakeholder consultation, the 2024-25 federal policy reduced post-secondary international student study permits by over 40% and limited post-graduation work permit (PGWP) eligibility; Applied uniformly, this reduction weakens Canada’s ability to meet current and future workforce needs, and undermines shared provincial and federal higher education goals; Reduction in international enrolment, coupled with a lack of clear pathways to residency, strains Canada’s already critical labour shortages in health care (e.g., physicians, physciains assistants, nurses, dental hygienists); education (e.g., teachers, early-child educators, educational assistants); technology (e.g., cybersecurity analysts); skilled trades (e.g., construction, electricians, culinary staff); Inadequate public funding makes post-secondary institutions overly reliant on international tuition to meet operating costs; Widespread layoffs of post-secondary employees have reduced course offerings, programs, student support, and accessibility; Reductions prevent immigrants from certifying, retraining, and upgrading, further delaying workforce integration; Destabilizing the PGWP program erodes Canada’s appeal to prospective international students; Lack of affordable housing, wrongly blamed on international students, is an opportunity for real estate development; Canada has a UN obligation to support student mobility, especially given current American politics; A resilient, innovative, sustainable Canadian economy depends on intellectual capital and a highly educated workforce. We, the undersigned, concerned citizens of Canada, call upon the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship to 1. Amend the caps limiting post-secondary, international study permits and PGWP changes in order to align with Canada’s critical labour needs; 2. Increase federal post-secondary education funding transfers to provinces to ensure a robust economic future for Canada; 3. Allocate dedicated funding to develop affordable student housing through purpose-built facilities and innovative solutions; and 4. Defend the vital role public-funded higher education plays in sustaining Canada’s economic health and global competitiveness. 1. Amend the caps limiting post-secondary, international study permits and PGWP changes in order to align with Canada’s critical labour needs; 2. Increase federal post-secondary education funding transfers to provinces to ensure a robust economic future for Canada; 3. Allocate dedicated funding to develop affordable student housing through purpose-built facilities and innovative solutions; and 4. Defend the vital role public-funded higher education plays in sustaining Canada’s economic health and global competitiveness.
Government response
Response by the Minister of Finance and National Revenue Signed by The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne The Department of Finance response to part 2 is as follows: In Canada, as per the Constitution Act, 1867, education falls under the exclusive jurisdiction of the provinces. As a result, the provinces hold exclusive legislative responsibility for education and the exclusive authority to establish, manage, and evaluate educational policies and programs within their respective provincial boundaries. Similar responsibilities are delegated to the territories under the federal laws that created them. The Canada Social Transfer (CST) is the third largest federal block transfer to provinces and territories that is intended to support three broad areas of social programs: post-secondary education, social assistance and social services, and early childhood development and early learning and childcare. In 2025-26, provinces and territories will receive $17.416 billion through the CST The CST is allocated on an equal per capita cash basis to provide comparable treatment for all Canadians, regardless of where they live Since 2009–10, CST funding has been legislated to grow by three percent annually The CST is provided to provinces and territories on a largely unconditional basis with the exception of minimum residency requirements in the provision of social assistance. The provinces and territories are not required to report on how CST funds are disbursed. The Canada Student Financial Assistance Program provides loans and grants to help students in participating provinces and territories pay for their post-secondary education. Students from Quebec, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories do not directly receive federal support, as their governments receive alternative payments from the federal government instead to administer their own student financial aid programs. Response by the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada Signed by Jennifer McKelvie, M.P. The Government of Canada recognizes that when students are unable to find affordable housing on or near campus, it impacts their ability to successfully carry out and complete their studies, while also affecting communities. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation plays a key role in supporting the development and sustainability of student housing across Canada through initiatives aimed at improving housing outcomes for them. These include supporting the creation and preservation of affordable rental housing, including student residences, and offering low-interest loans, grants, and support for community partnerships aimed at making housing more accessible and affordable for students across Canada. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s Apartment Construction Loan Program provides low-cost financing to support the construction of post-secondary institution student housing both on and off campus. It also supports the conversion of non-residential properties to student housing. Loans through the Apartment Construction Loan Program offer a ten-year term with a fixed interest rate locked in at first advance and qualify for up to a 50-year amortization period, with interest-only or principal and interest payments. Projects and rents must be tailored to meet the needs of students, and base rents for all units or beds should not exceed the lower end of the local rental market for comparable existing on-campus student housing. Rent increases must be capped for a minimum of ten years from authorized first occupancy. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation also offers mortgage loan insurance options for purpose-built student housing, both on and off campus, providing flexible financing to help developers build, buy or refinance student housing. This includes financing options such as higher loan-to-value ratios, preferred interest rates and amortization periods of up to 45 years. Build Canada Homes is a new federal agency that finances and builds affordable housing. Launched in September 2025, with an initial investment of $13 billion, Build Canada Homes will work primarily with non-market housing providers to deliver affordable options for those in housing need, including students. Build Canada Homes will also deploy capital, create demand, and harness innovative housing technologies to build faster and more sustainably. In addition, Budget 2025 announced the $51 billion Build Communities Strong Fund, which will deliver $17.2 billion over ten years to support provincial and territorial priorities, including housing-enabling infrastructure (roads, water and wastewater) and infrastructure at colleges and universities. Response by the Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions Signed by THE HON. MÉLANIE JOLY Publicly funded higher education is a cornerstone of Canada’s long-term economic vitality and global competitiveness. Although under Canada’s constitution education is primarily a provincial responsibility (as established by Section 93 of the Constitution Act, 1867), the federal government plays a vital complementary role by supporting accessibility, research, and innovation through funding programs, transfers, and national coordination. Universities and colleges develop the skilled workforce that drives productivity, technological advancement, and inclusive growth. Without strong public investment, access would become inequitable, innovation capacity would shrink, and Canada’s competitiveness would erode. Recognizing this, the federal government continues to invest heavily in students and research. In Budget 2024, Ottawa announced $7.3 billion in grants and interest-free loans through the Canada Student Grants and Canada Student Loans programs, along with $825 million over five years to expand graduate scholarships and postdoctoral fellowships, as well as $1.8 billion over five years, $748.3 million ongoing, to the federal granting councils to increase core research grant funding and support for Canadian researchers. These measures reflect a clear understanding that sustaining human capital development is central to economic resilience and competitiveness. A central mechanism for federal support is the Canada Social Transfer (CST) , the principal block transfer to provinces and territories that helps fund post-secondary education, social assistance, and early childhood development. In 2024-25, the CST totaled roughly $16.9 billion, distributed on a per-capita basis. While provinces have flexibility over its use, the transfer is an enduring fiscal commitment recognizing that accessible, high-quality higher education underpins both national prosperity and social mobility. In addition to these transfers, the federal government invests about $4.5 billion annually in post-secondary research through the federal granting agencies (the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Canada Foundation for Innovation. This funding supports breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, clean technology, life sciences, and advanced manufacturing, areas that anchor Canada’s competitiveness in global markets. In short, public funding of higher education strengthens Canada’s economy by expanding opportunity, fueling innovation, and ensuring that talent, research, and ideas remain competitive on a global scale. The federal government’s ongoing investments demonstrate a consistent understanding that universities and colleges are not just educational institutions but strategic assets essential to national growth and competitiveness. Response by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Signed by Peter Fragiskatos International Student Program Canada has made important changes to strengthen the International Student Program to better prepare international students for life in Canada, support more predictable population growth, and address the changing needs of the country. In recent years, rapid increases to the number of international students in Canada was leading to students arriving in Canada without the proper supports they need to succeed. Unsustainable growth was also adding pressure to housing, health care, and other services, especially in areas with a high student population. This is why in January 2024, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada introduced an intake cap on study permit applications. Through a standing working group, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has worked with provinces and territories to implement the intake cap, in addition to collaborating on the administration of the International Student Program more broadly. Recognizing that immigration is a shared jurisdiction, while education is the responsibility of the provinces and territories, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada allocates study permit application spaces under the cap to provinces and territories, which are in turn responsible for distributing their allocation among designated learning institutions within their jurisdiction. As such, provinces and territories retain considerable control over how the intake cap can be aligned with their respective immigration goals and to local conditions. In March 2024, the Government of Canada announced its plan to reduce the temporary resident population to 5% of Canada’s total population, and to integrate temporary resident arrival targets as part of Canada’s overall multi-year Immigration Levels Plan for the first time. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada also continues to deliver on the May 2025 mandate letter priority to attract the best talent in the world to help build the economy, while returning overall immigration rates to sustainable levels. In July and August 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada carried out its annual consultations on the Immigration Levels Plan with provinces and territories, which included international student volumes. These commitments, and related consultation efforts, form the basis of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s ongoing implementation of the intake cap on study permit applications. Early results indicate that the intake cap is working. Since the end of 2023 just before the cap was introduced, there has been a 19% decrease in study permit holders in Canada (from roughly 994 000 to 800 000 as of August 31, 2025), which is helping to cool off rental markets in certain areas. In late 2024, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation linked slowing rental price growth in areas with high student populations to a reduction of international students. In July 2025, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation ascribed declining rental prices in major urban centres such as Toronto and Vancouver, owing to overall population decreases among other factors. Additionally, program reform measures are gradually increasing the share of university students in Canada compared to the college level which grew exponentially post-pandemic. Since the cap was implemented, the share of university degree students has grown and the top five institutions in receipt of study permits are now leading research universities. Through the ongoing implementation of the intake cap on study permit applications, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada continued to welcome feedback from the education sector. In particular, the Department heard and considered stakeholder perspectives regarding the removal of the attestation letter requirement for graduate students in 2025. After further analysis of intake rates and overall volumes of master’s and doctoral degree students, master’s and doctoral degree students who are enrolling at public Designated Learning Institutions will be exempt from the provincial/territorial attestation letter requirement in 2026. This approach supports talent attraction efforts by public Designated Learning Institutions to recruit high-potential graduate degree program candidates. Applicants to the Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot are similarly exempt from the provincial/territorial attestation letter requirement. The pilot, introduced in August 2024, aims to support the vitality of French-language post-secondary education institutions outside of Quebec by facilitating access to study permits for French-speaking international students and offering a pathway to permanent residence for participants after graduation. It is a flagship measure of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s Policy on Francophone Immigration, and will benefit Francophone minority communities by helping them to attract and retain international students. Other attestation letter requirements include, study permit applicants at the primary and secondary school level, exchange students, vulnerable groups (i.e. those arriving to Canada as part of humanitarian or crisis response measures), those involved in specific Government of Canada initiatives, and certain eligible renewal applications from within Canada. Furthermore, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is also taking steps to advance the Government’s commitment to attract the best talent in the world. With this in mind, the Department has put in place a new commitment to process study permit applications from outside Canada at the doctoral level within 14 days. Canada recognizes the important contributions doctoral degree students make to Canada’s research ecosystem and innovation agenda, including advancements in critical sectors like health care. Faster processing will make it that much easier for high-performing international doctoral students to pursue their education, research and post-graduation career here. Post-graduation Work Permit Program In November 2024, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada updated the Post-graduation Work Permit program to better align with the government’s economic objectives and support improved labour market outcomes for international students graduating at Post-graduation Work Permit eligible post-secondary institutions. By introducing minimum language requirements and targeting in-demand fields of study, the Post-graduation Work Permit is better positioned to create a pipeline of student graduates whose skills align with Canada’s long-term labour needs. These changes to the Post-graduation Work Permit program were informed by a series of consultations held with officials from provincial and territorial ministries of education and immigration, as well as national education associations and other key stakeholders, throughout the spring and summer of 2024. In the summer of 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada invited provincial and territorial ministries of education and immigration, education stakeholders, and the general public, to participate in consultations on Express Entry categories and priorities, which will serve to inform future updates to the Post-graduation Work Permit. Conclusion Canada recognizes the important social, cultural and economic benefits that international students bring to Canada, including when a portion of them go on to contribute to Canada’s workforce after they graduate. For these benefits to continue, and for Canada to remain a destination of choice for high quality education, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has a responsibility to ensure that Canada’s immigration system is sustainably managed and strategically calibrated to long-term labour market needs, as well as Canada’s economic goals.