The federal government is considering a cap on the number of international students in the country, to ease the pressure on the housing market.
“I think that’s one of the options that we ought to consider,” federal Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Minister Sean Fraser told reporters in Charlottetown on Monday.
“I think we need to do some serious thinking here.”
It’s a decision some students at the University of Regina are frustrated with, as a large percentage of the student population at the school is international.
“I think it would be a shame,” said Carmen Encinas who is from Mexico, studying science at the University of Regina. “It is a huge opportunity to meet new people and we are bringing with us the best out countries have.”
Barbara Salazar, a student from Chile, said if she had been rejected due to a cap on students, it would have changed her life.
“It would be such a disappointment,” she said. “It stops you from dreaming and achieving your goals.”
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In a statement, the University of Regina outlined the importance of the international student body.
“We value our international students and recognize we are strengthened by diverse world views and experiences when international students choose to learn, study and grow at the University of Regina,” the statement read.
“With so few details available around this proposed consideration, the University of Regina is not in a position to respond or do an interview at this time, other than to say that we still have plenty of space available in our on-campus housing for both international and domestic students.”
According to the university, as of Aug. 16, 2023, there are 3,968 international students enrolled.
In 2022, there was 2,922 as of Aug. 17.
Canada hosted more than 800,000 international students last year, according to the government’s figures.
For Regina-Wascana MP Michael Kram, he shares a similar view to the students’.
“We’ve been trying for many years to attract newcomers to Saskatchewan to build this province, and so any policy to limit international students coming to Saskatchewan would be a very bad policy that I would be opposed to,” Kram said.
He said limiting any students in Saskatchewan would have no effect on the housing shortage.
“Right now, there are hundreds of dorms at the U of R campus that are sitting vacant for the upcoming semester,” Kram said.
“I think limiting international students who could come and do their studies here in Regina would have no effect whatsoever on the housing shortage, which is primarily focused in centres like Toronto and Montreal.”
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