Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown is urging the federal government to address the housing crisis by capping the number of international students allowed into Canada.
Concerns have risen as a large influx of international students in Brampton struggle with unaffordable rent and unsafe living conditions. The city, part of Peel Region west of Toronto, has approximately 650,000 residents, with a significant Indian population.
Related: Diplomatic Tensions Impact Indian Student Enrollment in Canada
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In a letter to federal immigration and housing ministers, Brown proposed requiring accommodation plans before issuing visas and linking each student visa to appropriate housing. He advocates for a more restrictive visa policy, including an annual cap on student permits and prioritizing institutions with housing plans.
Additionally, Brown seeks increased federal funding for housing infrastructure for international students.
Brown highlights the strain on municipalities like Brampton, citing issues of housing affordability and insufficient living conditions. He emphasized that the current immigration system allows students to reside in Brampton while attending colleges located hundreds of kilometers away, becoming a “massive resource drain.”
While supportive of international students, Brown criticizes the system’s fairness to both communities and students.
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“These are international students being taken advantage of. Essentially this has become an ATM for these colleges,” he said. “You’re not coming to Canada to live in Third World conditions.”
Brown’s call comes amidst Statistics Canada’s findings that 19% of international students with study permits had no record of attending college or university in Canada. Immigration Minister Marc Miller has also finally admitted that there is a correlation between the influx of international students and the housing shortage.
Related: Canada Finally Realizes It Needs To Factor In Housing And Healthcare Capacity To Immigration Plan
Isabelle Dubois, a spokesperson for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), stated that the department is reviewing the international student program, and caps for study permits are under consideration.
Related: Canada Increases Cash Requirements for International Students
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