Image Credit: CFJC Today / Adam Donnelly

By Dylana Kneeshaw

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT INTAKE

TRU keeping close eye on international study permits cap

Jan 23, 2024 | 6:00 PM

KAMLOOPS — The Canadian government recently announced plans to cap the amount of international students over the next two years. The move will reduce the amount of study permits issued in 2024 by around 35 per cent.

Part of why the decision was made is to reduce pressure put on housing, health care and other services, and to make sure the international students who are coming here to study have access to proper supports.

Given that Thompson Rivers University has thousands of international students enrolled, an announcement around undergraduate study permits garners attention.

“We have more than 4,500 students this semester from 106 countries,” explains Reuben Onyango, TRU’s Associate Director of International Student Services.

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The recent decision to cap permits comes as more students have been arriving in Canada without enough housing, health care and other supports available. That increase is partly driven by some private institutions increasing their admissions intake to drive up revenue.

“We are not part of the ‘bad actors,’ as they’re calling it,” notes Onyango. “Our support services — we’re known for our support services. We’ve been recruiting international students for over 40 years now.”

In TRU’s case, international students do make up a large portion of the total student body, but Onyango says the university has resources for them.

“Pre-arrival support, housing, immigration, mental health supports — these are all services that we offer to make sure that students are successful when they come here,” says Onyango.

Housing availability in Kamloops has been under strain for years. And students who spoke to CFJC crews on campus Tuesday (Jan. 23) say navigating the rental side of it is difficult.

“The first day I came here, I wanted to find an apartment, but I couldn’t find (any),” one student says. “Then I stayed at a motel.”

It’s not clear exactly what sort of effect study permit caps will have on TRU, but Onyango says the university feels confident it will be able to weather any changes.

“I think it was very encouraging that [Monday], B.C.’s Minister of Post Secondary Education (Selina Robinson) mentioned that she doesn’t see any impact to public post-secondary institutions,” notes Onyango. “That’s encouraging, but I think like everybody else, it’s a wait-and-see game right now.”

According to the federal government announcement, current study permit holders won’t be impacted. Neither will permit renewals, students getting masters or doctoral degrees, or elementary and secondary school education degrees.