New guidelines, proposed by the federal government for international students, have been met with broad support from post-secondary institutions. The guidelines, released by the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration in late December, outline new measures designed to safeguard international students from fraud.
“There are too many stories of international students who pay a lot of money and leave their families back home to study in Canada, only to find out they have been misled,” said Minister of Citizenship, Immigration, and Multiculturalism Jason Kenney.
“Citizenship and Immigration Canada is proposing changes to the ISP [International Student Program] which would ensure that the primary intent of an international student in Canada is to study, and that this study takes place at an educational institution eligible to host international students,” says ministry spokesperson Rejean Cantlon. “The reforms are designed to cut down on fraud in the system by ensuring that students come here to study as their primary purpose, not to work.”
Cantlon also says the changes should ensure that students are attending “educational institutions eligible to host international students.” Several other countries, including Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and the United States, have passed similar reforms in recent years, as have other nations identified by the Ministry as “key competitor countries.”
UTSU president Shaun Shepherd was cautiously optimistic about the announcement. “At face value, it generally seems positive to me,” says Shepherd, adding that the union would continue to monitor the implementation of the new policies because “the devil is always in the details.”
The proposed guidelines state that only designated institutions will be permitted to host international students, and that programs lasting less than six months would be automatically ineligible. The changes would not affect university programs.
The six-month rule will, however, impact “career colleges,” which are smaller and more informal institutions that train students in a variety of disciplines, including estheticians, pharmacy assistants, and early childcare assistants. Serge Buy, president of the National Association of Career Colleges (NACC), has raised concerns regarding the proposal.
“I’m a fan of the changes in general, but I’m not a fan of the changes that basically state that only a certain type of institution can accept international students,” says Buy.
Many career colleges run programs that are less than six months long, and are at risk of losing their ability to accept international students. Provinces and territories have been asked to compile a list of institutions designated to receive international students. If they do not do so, the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration will compile the list instead.
Buy is concerned that certain provinces, including Ontario, may have trouble compiling their lists on time. “In this case I have no faith that things will be done on time,” says Buy. If that becomes the case, and the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration compiles Ontario’s list, some of the institutions Buy represents could be left out.
Buy also points out that career colleges have comparatively small class sizes, where it is easier to take attendance and monitor students. “We should get international students and everyone else should be put on hold until they start taking attendance,” says Buy.
“I think the proposed federal changes are pretty positive” says Alysha Li, president of the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance. “In the end, what we’re hoping Canada does as far as Ontario, is to provide as many opportunities for international students as possible.”
The Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC) and the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC) have both been vocally supportive of the new measures.
“Canada’s ability to attract and retain top international talent is of vital importance to ensuring our future economic prosperity and global competitiveness,” said a representative for the AUCC in an email.
The ACCC has also been a strong supporter. The group’s president, James Knight, has touted a partnership between Citizenship and Immigration Canada and India, which has “resulted in at least 13,000 students being accepted into Canada’s public colleges and institutes, from India alone, this year … up from roughly 1,500 Indian students four years ago.”
The proposed changes are in the process of a 45-day public comment period, where interested parties and individuals can submit comments or concerns. Shepherd says the union will be submitting a response.
Canada still attracts far fewer international students than competitor countries such as Australia, the United States or the UK. However, Canada has shown double-digit increases since 2008. The proposed reforms have raised concerns amongst some, including Buy, that Canada will become a less attractive destination for international students.
The ministry maintains that the changes will have a net positive effect on the educational sector, arguing that the proposed measures would not only reduce fraud but would “improve overall services to international students and educational institutions, and strengthen Canada’s overall image as a study destination of choice.”
