• Without stakeholder consultation, the 2024-25 federal policy reduced post-secondary international student study permits by over 40% and limited post-graduation work permit (PGWP) eligibility;

• Applied uniformly, this reduction weakens Canada’s ability to meet current and future workforce needs, and undermines shared provincial and federal higher education goals;

• Reduction in international enrolment, coupled with a lack of clear pathways to residency, strains Canada’s already critical labour shortages in health care (e.g., physicians, physciains assistants, nurses, dental hygienists); education (e.g., teachers, early-child educators, educational assistants); technology (e.g., cybersecurity analysts); skilled trades (e.g., construction, electricians, culinary staff);

• Inadequate public funding makes post-secondary institutions overly reliant on international tuition to meet operating costs;

• Widespread layoffs of post-secondary employees have reduced course offerings, programs, student support, and accessibility;

• Reductions prevent immigrants from certifying, retraining, and upgrading, further delaying workforce integration;

• Destabilizing the PGWP program erodes Canada’s appeal to prospective international students;

• Lack of affordable housing, wrongly blamed on international students, is an opportunity for real estate development;

• Canada has a UN obligation to support student mobility, especially given current American politics;

• A resilient, innovative, sustainable Canadian economy depends on intellectual capital and a highly educated workforce.

We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship to