February 7th, 2024 at 05:17 am
Reaction of provinces and schools to the study permit limitation in Canada
Here’s an overview of how provinces and schools reacted to the IRCC’s study permit limits. On January 22, 2024, the immigration administration announced that new study permits would be limited in number. This applies to international students in 2024 and 2025. These new adjustments aim to increase the quality of the international student program.
However, stakeholders and provinces have expressed a variety of opinions about this modification. Some have expressed support for the study permit cap, while others believe the regulation is too strict for provinces. Some also fear it poses a threat to postsecondary institutions.
Provinces’ and schools’ responses to the study permit restriction
British Columbia.
British Columbia has likewise seen the strongest reaction to this new update of any Canadian jurisdiction. The majority of the provincial administration’s activities have been in support of the new policies and their desired outcomes. To help protect students and maintain the integrity of its international student program, British Columbia has already implemented new procedures and publicly reaffirmed its commitment to providing enough support for international students. The province has implemented many steps, including:
- A two-year moratorium on new schools receiving the title of Designated Learning Institution (DLI).
- Regulations governing public educational institutions have been strengthened.
- Private degree program standards have been revised, tuition transparency has grown, and other changes have occurred.
Ontario
For the most part, Ontario followed the IRCC’s policy revisions. Like British Columbia, the province has taken the initiative to establish new safeguards for overseas students.
This includes the following:
- Increased regulation of admissions approval procedures.
- Mandatory housing for international students at all institutions,
- Investigations into private career institutions have been reopened.
- Furthermore, the provincial administration has put a moratorium on new public-private college collaborations, including those involving curriculum licensing agreements, in which public institutions offer private schools permission to use their curriculum.
Manitoba
Concerns over the planned student cap have been the focus for Manitoba. The premier of the province, Wab Kinew, expressed support for the new policy’s main issues, stating that it is the role of Canadian politicians to ensure a sustainable amount of international student arrivals while disciplining those who take advantage of these students. Kinew also raised concern about prospective tuition increases and the lack of federal direction on these new laws.
New Brunswick
New Brunswick’s provincial legislatures are mainly opposed to the measures. Minister Arlene Dunn, who handles immigration and postsecondary education, voiced concern about the situation. Furthermore, she noted that the IRCC’s new policy unfairly punishes all provincial governments while not all are experiencing the same issues. According to the minister, mistakes made in other parts of the country are today disproportionately affecting New Brunswick.
A number of provincial educational institutions, including the University of New Brunswick, have expressed worry about the lack of more information from the federal government. Furthermore, they have expressed concern about the ambiguity surrounding the potential impact of this regulation on admissions for the coming academic year.
What is the school’s reaction to the study permit limitation?
Canadian schools have had varying reactions to the IRCC’s latest declaration. The University of Waterloo has expressed support for steps aimed at preventing fake recruiters from enticing international students. Such frauds primarily target colleges with curriculum-licensing agreements. However, the institution has expressed concern regarding the impact of this decision at the undergraduate level. This is especially true for the current financial issues that institutions and industries must cope with.
The University of Waterloo is already completely compliant with Ontario’s new housing guarantee for overseas students in their first year. Furthermore, their principal concern is that the IRCC’s new student cap will have a negative impact on various post-secondary educational institutions.
Steve Orsini, president of the Council of Ontario Universities, believes that the new restrictions will go into force at a critical time for the province’s postsecondary educational institutions. At least ten of the province’s institutions expect to run financial deficits this year, citing decreased operating funding levels from the Ontario government and a four-year tuition ceiling imposed by the province.
Mathew Ramsey, Director of University Affairs at the University of British Columbia, indicated that the IRCC and the provincial government would work together to implement the new policy changes.
They need to ensure that international students recognize Canada as their preferred destination. Canada must compete globally for this talent. He remarked that they appreciate international students and their contributions to UBC’s academic and research missions. He also said that it is too early to predict the potential outcomes of UBC. They also hope to ensure that international students are valued and recognized at provincial postsecondary institutions. The goal is to ensure that British Columbia’s quality standards remain high.
UBC has demonstrated its desire to aid overseas students. This includes:
- Guaranteed first-year housing,
- Health services, and
- International student and academic advising guarantees.
The response of stakeholders
The Council of Ontario Universities (COU) President and CEO, Steve Orsini, conveyed dissatisfaction with the federal government’s proposal of a study permit cap in an official statement, predicting potential unforeseen repercussions for the industry and for international students.
Student organizations have also voiced concern over the IRCC’s proposed study permit cap. The vice president of public and university affairs for the University of Toronto Students’ Union, Aidan Thompson, criticized the policy change, calling it a temporary fix on behalf of the government. He emphasized the continuous need for workers in critical sectors of the Canadian labour market. He recognized the valuable talent pool that overseas students bring to address these shortages.
Universities Canada and Colleges and Institutes Canada, two membership organizations for Canadian postsecondary institutions that collectively represent 234 postsecondary schools, expressed concern about the potential negative effects on the labour market and economy if the number of international students enrolled falls. All of this is in an open letter to immigration minister Mark Miller dated January 30.
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