As higher education institutions across Canada have seen declines in government funding in recent decades, they have looked to international students as a "handy source of extra income".

Universities Canada has appealed to Canada's prime minister for more investment in research, international education and student mental health.

Full-time international students enrolled in institutions across Atlantic Canada have risen by 15.5%, reaching a total of 21,812, preliminary findings from the Association of Atlantic Universities have suggested.

The shortage of student housing is causing stress among international students, with rising rent pricing many out of the market.

A total of 447,085 study permits became effective across 2021, up from 400,920 in 2019, the year before the pandemic, according to statistics from IRCC.