Toronto, July 23 -- Canada's auditor-general is expected to conduct a probe into its international students programme. The audit was confirmed to the outlet Globe and Mail by auditor-general Karen Hogan's office though its contours were not revealed. A report on the subject is expected to be submitted to Parliament next year. Canada's international students programme came in for severe criticism after the intake numbers exploded in the post-Covid year under then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The issue became a major problem for the ruling Liberal Party before the 2025 Federal election. Policy changes were instituted because record immigration was blamed, partly, for housing unaffordability, and pressure on health and transport infrastructure. After he led his party back to form the government following the April 28 Federal election, Prime Minister Mark Carney made it clear that position will not change in the near future as he said temporary residents, including students and foreign workers, will not account for more than five per cent of the population by 2027. On September 18, 2024, IRCC stated the cap for issuing study permits for 2025 will be at 437,000, down from the target of 485,000. The "stabilizing" 2025 figure will also apply for 2026. IRCC data showed that the number of permits issued to students from India in the first quarter of 2025 was 30,640, versus 44,295 last year, a drop of nearly 31 per cent. Overall figures have also declined, falling from 121,070 in 2024 to 96,015 in the first quarter of 2025....