In response to growing criticism that the influx of foreign students is putting pressure on Canada’s housing and labour market, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government is taking significant measures to tighten standards on colleges.
On Friday, Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced a new framework that will require universities and colleges to elevate their services, support, and outcomes for international students. This new standard is set to take effect in time for the fall 2024 semester.
Under the new framework, schools that meet the higher benchmark will be given priority in the processing of student visas. Furthermore, one of the criteria for schools to meet the higher benchmark will be the provision of adequate housing for international students.
An increasing number of international students are on campus at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver and other post-secondary institutions across Canada. (Darryl Dyck/Canadian Press)
Another significant change will be that, starting December 1, institutions will be required to confirm each applicant’s acceptance letter directly with the federal government. This move is aimed at combating fraud, particularly in the wake of revelations that hundreds of Indian newcomers arrived in Canada with fake college admissions letters. In the coming months, Miller’s department will also review the post-graduate work permit program and introduce reforms to ensure it aligns with the needs of the labour market.
The changes come amidst concerns that Canadian educational institutions have become overly reliant on international students as a source of funding. On average, foreign students are charged five times as much as Canadian students. This has led to the emergence of colleges catering primarily to foreigners, particularly in suburban areas like Brampton, Ontario, where Miller made his announcement on Friday.
“We know that there has been consistent underfunding of post-secondary education, particularly by provinces, depending on the province, over the years — and institutions are smart and have adapted to that,” Miller said at a news conference. “That has gone through at times opportunistic fees that have been charged to international students to close a gap that is really an unnatural one and shouldn’t be the case in a country like Canada.”
Last year, about 20 per cent of UPEI’s student body came from outside Canada.
Post-secondary institutions have become increasingly dependent on tuition fees, with provincial funding as a share of revenue dropping from 42% in 2001 to 35% last year. In 2019-2020, foreigners paid 37% of tuition at Canada’s universities, while in 2021, they paid an estimated 68% of tuition at Ontario’s colleges.
Many foreign students seek admission to Canadian colleges as a pathway to gaining permanent residency in the country. While the government has previously considered introducing a cap on international student visas, Miller rejected this idea, noting that the experiences of international students are too complex for the federal government to “stomp in and pretend that it has all the solutions.” He emphasized that provinces play a primary role in accrediting learning institutions.
This is a file photo of Freshman International Welcome Day at Centennial College Progress Campus in Scarborough at the Athletics and Wellness Centre, Sept. 7, 2019. Andrew Francis Wallace / Toronto Star
“The federal government is coming forward and opening its arms to our provincial partners, territorial partners, to make sure we all do our jobs properly,” he said. “If that job can’t be done, the federal government is prepared to do it.”
International education contributes more than $22 billion to the Canadian economy annually and supports more than 200,000 jobs. However, the influx of foreign students has also led to housing shortages and flooded labour markets in some regions.
Miller’s announcement appears to be targeting private colleges and immigration consultants who have been accused of exploiting international students for profit. He revealed that a government investigation earlier this year identified nearly 1,550 study permit applications connected to fraudulent acceptance letters. While most of the fraud was detected and the applications were refused, about 450 permits were issued. A further review determined that some were genuine students, while others were victims who unknowingly received fake admission documents.
