Education agents are a “key vulnerability” to Canada, Global Affairs Canada has said, as talks begin on the next version of the country’s international education strategy. 

Canada’s decision to remove the limit on number of hours international students are permitted to work while studying will have a ‘tremendous’ impact but needs to be closely monitored, says Global Affairs Canada, and institutions to be asked to share data on impact.

Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau, has announced an eight-year, $80m scholarship program for individuals in 24 developing nations.

Spending by international students and their visiting friends and family amounted to CAN$11.4bn in 2014, up from $8bn four years earlier, according to the federal government’s new economic impact study.