It is no surprise that currently, the largest number of international students at Canadian colleges come from India. At least six of Ontario’s colleges have more full-time students from India than from Canada. While students from over 150 countries choose Canada for their education, recent data highlight that approximately 40% of study permits were granted to Indian students. China follows at 12%, the Philippines at 7%, with various other countries making up smaller proportions.
When international students enroll, they are subject to higher fees — they pay three to ten times more than domestic students—since their seats are not subsidised by provincial grants. And these funds have helped to hold up the Canadian post-secondary education system.
But the big jump has now become an election issue with many blaming the growing number of Internatonal students for the housing crisis. This has in turn led to some policymakers call for imposing a cap on the number of international students coming to Canada. Some associations such as National Association of Career Colleges, which represents private colleges, have supported this cap, as they feel a handful of colleges are reaping the benefits that accrue from enrolling international students.
Take for instance, Ontario’s Conestoga College, which had roughly 10,000 full-time students in 2012, with nearly 90% of them being Canadians.
Last year, this college made headlines by receiving more international
