Students at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. — Photo from Radio-Canada

OTTAWA — Canada’s decision to limit study visas starting from 2024 will not have a significant impact on Vietnamese students, said Vũ Thị Hải Anh, an immigration consultant and Senior Regional Manager in Southeast Asia at Algonquin College of Canada.

According to Anh, this will not decrease the number of Vietnamese students in Canada but only help them adjust their study plans and choose programmes that better suit their demand, as well as meet labour requirements in the North American nation.

Statistics show that about 21,000 Vietnamese students are studying in various fields and at all levels across Canada. Algonquin College currently has approximately 200 Vietnamese students with their stay ranging from 2-4 years in such fields as information technology, health care, and communications.

Canada has introduced a series of changes in its student visa policies as the number of international students reached a record high of 1 million last year, including about 560,000 cases of newly-issued study permits.

The Canadian government explained that implementing restrictions on study visas is aimed at eliminating substandard educational institutions that exploit the international student programme to increase enrollment and charge high tuition fees while their infrastructure resources are limited.

It said restrictions on study visas will only apply to college and undergraduate levels, and will not affect high school students or those enrolled in graduate or doctoral programmes. It is expected that the number of new study permits issued this year will decrease by about 35 per cent, down to 364,000.

Anh said this is an important decision aimed at improving the quality of international students in Canada while ensuring the quality of life for them in the country.

Canada and the US are the countries attracting the most international students in the world. — VNS