Sask. MP criticizes potential cap on student visas

Comments made by the federal Liberal government's housing minister suggesting a cap on the number of student visas in Canada – has led to some criticism in Regina.

Minister of Housing Sean Fraser was asked by reporters on Monday if the government would contemplate the policy as a way to increase housing affordability and rental availability.

• Is a cap on international students coming amid housing crunch? Minister says it's an option

“I think that's one of the options that we ought to consider. But I think we should start by trying to partner with institutions to understand what role they may play in reducing the pressure on the communities that they're operating within. But that's a conversation that is premature to arrive at a decision on,” Fraser explained.

“The international student program has seen such growth, in such concentrated areas that it is really starting to put an unprecedented level of demand … you see it in an over-pronounced way on the housing market.”

While the sentiment may be true for larger centres like Toronto and Vancouver – Regina Wascana Conservative MP Michael Kram believes Fraser’s comment makes it harder for Saskatchewan to attract students abroad.

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“Well it certainly gives those students pause as to whether they want to put Saskatchewan and Canada at the top of their list,” he told CTV News.

“Maybe they'll go to the United States or other countries abroad – and that only makes it that much more difficult to attract people to this province and to grow this province as we've all been trying to do for quite a few years now.”

Post-secondary students continue to arrive at the University of Regina campus in the lead-up to the fall semester.

For some – like master’s student Riddhi Rathod – finding housing has been challenging.

“I think nowadays the pricing is just too high, she said. “I think there are limited options.”

As for other students – like Huong Nguyen – the process has been easier.

“I have many friends here so it’s really easy to get information on housing,” she said.

“There are many opportunities to live on-campus or off-campus.”

Wycliffe Omondi – a master’s student from Kenya – believes that the federal government should take a nuanced approach.

“The government should consider – case by case, province by province,” he explained.

“Because they are different provinces, with different populations, with different needs. So I think for Saskatchewan and Regina in particular I doubt [a cap] would be a good thing to do.”

Kram agrees – pointing out that the University of Regina has vacant housing leading up to the upcoming semester.

“As long as we have the capacity in place, particularly at the University of Regina, we should not be placing new limits on enrollment,” he said.

Around 3,900 students from 100 countries currently study at the University of Regina.

“We need to work very closely with institutions,” Kram said.

“To make sure that they – and different levels of government – are playing a role to make sure if they're going to continue to bring in record numbers of students, that they are being part of the solution by making sure that they have a place to live.”

In an email to CTV News, the University of Regina (U of R) said that it values its international students and recognizes that the school is strengthened by the diverse world views and experiences international students bring.

However the U of R said that it was not currently in a position to respond or do an interview.

“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,” the email read.

According to the U of R, international student enrollment numbers are 3,968 for the upcoming fall semester, as of Aug. 16. Up from 2,922 as of Aug. 17, 2022.

An updated enrollment count for the 2023 fall semester will be made public later in August, the university said.

-- With files from Drew Postey.