Study Abroad Dreams Setback; Canada Has Tightened The Rules

Canada is one of the countries where most students from India go to study abroad. According to the estimate for 2022, about 3,19,000 Indians are pursuing higher studies here. Many more are waiting to immigrate to Canada. High quality of life and low tuition fees attract students here.

But studying in Canada is no longer cheap. The country has decided to double the cost of living for foreign students. Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced that the decision will be implemented from January 1st, 2024. As the largest immigrant community in Canada, the decision may be a heavy blow to Indians.

Those who want to study in Canada next year will have to show 20,635 Canadian dollars or 12,66,477 rupees in their account for living expenses. For the last two decades, $10,000 i.e. around Rs 6.13 lakh was required to be shown. He said that this amount will be capped every year depending on the variation in the cost of living. This is in addition to tuition fees and travel expenses. Miller said this is to ensure a better life for the students who come here. He said that educational institutions in provinces that do not offer accommodation assistance to foreign students will be restricted to students and if necessary, the institution will be closed.

At the same time, the relaxation of the rules regarding part-time work has been announced. The condition was 20 hours per week. He clarified that the exemption will be extended till April 30. The Minister said that the increase of part-time work to 30 hours per week is under consideration. Meanwhile, Indian students have expressed deep concern over the Canadian government’s decision.

Students are already facing severe financial difficulties such as college fees for IELTS exams and high rent. The students accused the government of making decisions that led to more crises for the students instead of mitigating this kind of crisis. At the same time, some laws are also hampering the UK’s dreams of candidates.

The UK has imposed more restrictions as part of reducing immigration to the country. The decision comes after the number of people coming to the UK in search of employment from abroad has increased steadily. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said visa rules are being made more stringent and this will be good for the country. Among other things, minimum salary limits have been fixed for those who migrate for work from other countries.

“We have announced the biggest immigration restrictions ever. No Prime Minister has done this before,” Rishi Sunak wrote on social media. The UK Prime Minister also said that if dependent visas along with student visas were reduced along with the new immigration controls, the number of people arriving in the UK would decrease by around 300,000 compared to the previous year.

The UK government’s new five-point plan will come into effect from the first half of 2024. Under the new regulations, healthcare workers cannot bring their spouses or children with them on dependent visas. The new regulations are effective from April 2024.

The minimum salary for foreigners to obtain a UK visa has been raised from £26,200 to £38,700. A family visa requires an annual salary of £38,700. The new restrictions on foreign students coming to study in Britain to bring family members will come into effect from January 1. The new restrictions will hit Indians the hardest.