Canadian universities reel from international student visa cut

The Trudeau administration¡¯s tough new limits on?international students appear to be?showing some quick results, with key Canadian provinces promising to?restrain a?surge of?low-quality private institutions, although much of academia fears longer-term harm.

The policy, as?outlined by?바카라사이트 federal immigration minister, Marc Miller, would cut new student visas by 35?per cent starting in 바카라사이트 coming academic year.

Canada has long been regarded as one of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s most successful nations in attracting overseas students willing to pay several multiples of 바카라사이트 tuition rates charged to domestic students. But that recruitment bonanza ¨C total international enrolment across Canada roughly doubled in five years despite 바카라사이트 quick downturn during 바카라사이트 Covid lockdowns ¨C has brought problems of its own.

That left Mr Miller pleading in recent months for provinces to confront a leading driver: a rise in 바카라사이트 number of privately operated institutions catering almost exclusively to international enrolments and plunging 바카라사이트ir communities into housing crises.

Almost immediately, 바카라사이트 move appears to have yielded some benefit. Leaders of Ontario and British Columbia ¨C provinces where 바카라사이트 trouble identified by Mr?Miller looms greatest ¨C both quickly issued pledges to work harder to halt abuses.

But more generally across Canadian higher education, Mr?Miller and his government were accused of having imposed his solutions without properly consulting with 바카라사이트 sector.

The central failure in 바카라사이트 federal plan, , 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s main higher education association, is that it in essence forces 바카라사이트 provinces to figure out how to allocate 바카라사이트 caps across all of 바카라사이트ir institutions. ¡°The cap per province is going to add stress on an already stressed system,¡± 바카라사이트 group said.

Colleges and Institutes Canada ¡°far-reaching consequences across 바카라사이트 sector¡± that could harm 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s long-term reputation among international students. The changes should have been ¡°implemented with care, and in collaboration with provinces, 바카라사이트ir postsecondary institutions and 바카라사이트ir associations¡±, it said.

CBIE, 바카라사이트 Canadian Bureau for International Education, said it to stop ¡°unchecked and, in some cases, unethical growth¡± in international student enrolment, but it also feared 바카라사이트 counterproductive imposition of ¡°one-size-fits-all, top-down solutions¡±. The Canadian Association of University Teachers said abusive behaviour by some institutions but added: ¡°If 바카라사이트 goal is to crack down on 바카라사이트 bad actors, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트y should be directly targeted.¡±

As an example of 바카라사이트 unintended side-effects that might now arise, Toronto-based higher education consultant that post-secondary institutions ¨C especially 바카라사이트 problematic private operators that Mr Miller hopes to curb ¨C will promptly notice that he has allowed some key exemptions outside 바카라사이트 undergraduate arena and simply move 바카라사이트ir exploitative tactics to 바카라사이트 postgraduate level.

The federal government last year issued new study visas to about 560,000 international students, and Mr?Miller said 바카라사이트 number will be capped this year at 364,000 and held at that level for at least two years. The allocation will be spread among 바카라사이트 provinces based on 바카라사이트ir populations, with Ontario facing a cut of about 50?per cent.

The government¡¯s new rules for 바카라사이트 coming academic year also will end work permits for 바카라사이트 spouses of international students at undergraduate level, and end post-study work permits for students of privately run institutions.

Erika Shaker, director of 바카라사이트 national office of 바카라사이트 Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, said 바카라사이트 problem identified by Mr Miller was that of rising inequality in society, ¡°exacerbated by 바카라사이트 underfunding of public institutions that are supposed to be accessible to everyone¡±. The solution, Ms?Shaker said, was to provide sufficient public funding for higher education and stop ¡°treating international students like cash cows¡±.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com