Canada falls behind in race to attract talent

Speaking before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration, Larissa Bezo, President of the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE), warned that policy changes over the past nearly two years have had “serious, far-reaching and lasting impacts” on international education.

According to Ms. Bezos, the cap on study permits from the beginning of 2024 and more than a dozen other adjustments have caused a sharp drop in approval rates, extended processing times, and increasingly stringent requirements. As a result, the number of study permit applications in the first half of 2025 decreased by half compared to the same period last year, while the number of new international students decreased by 71%.

“Canada is no longer competitive in attracting global talent,” she stressed.

This has led to school closures, hundreds of programs being suspended and more than 10,000 jobs being lost. In addition, changes to the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) have also caused approvals to drop by 30% this year, the lowest level since the pandemic.

Meanwhile, a survey found that 88% of international students considered post-graduation employment opportunities a key factor when choosing a destination. Experts worry that Canada is losing its advantage to the US, UK and Australia.

Ms. Bezos called on the government to urgently restore stability and reposition Canada's international education image.

“Without action, we will continue to suffer in education, in the labor market and in national competitiveness,” she said.

According to The PIE

Source: https://giaoducthoidai.vn/canada-hut-hoi-trong-cuoc-dua-thu-hut-nhan-tai-post750894.html