Feds pledge crackdown on foreign student program

Moving forward, the Trudeau government won’t process study permits for schools that do not keep active enrolment records.

The Department of Immigration earlier said it will ‘name and shame’ colleges and universities that abuse the international student program as part of new regulations. 

Canada accepted a record 1,040,000 foreign students last year, according to immigration data. The number of foreign study permits issued have nearly tripled (352,305) since 2015.

A February 4 cabinet inquiry revealed Conestoga College accepted 40,565 foreign students last year followed by the University of Toronto (31,380), Seneca College (23,530), University of Canada West (22,375), the University of British Columbia (20,415) and Centennial College (20,370).

They are among the post-secondaries plagued by “integrity challenges” concerning the international student program. 

Immigration Minister Marc Miller earlier accused colleges of suspicious practices in accepting large numbers of foreign students including some who applied for asylum in Canada. He referenced Ontario’s Conestoga College and Seneca College.

Overall, loose enforcement of rules allowed for thousands of fraudulent student visas, leading to a swift federal crackdown with threats of a public blacklist.

All new study permits for said campuses would be automatically revoked. Statistics Canada said one in five (19%) permit holders had no record of studying at a Canadian college or university.

Under new regulations, colleges and universities must promptly notify the department of all foreign students enrolled, reported Blacklock’s Reporter

Schools have 10 days to respond to requests from the Immigration Officials confirming a student’s acceptance within a program. They also have 60 days to file a compliance report about the enrollment status of any student in question. 

Costs incurred for the proposed changes will be an estimated $87 million for the next decade. 

Administrators not “acting in good faith” face a potential suspension with a maximum duration of up to 12 months. Minister Miller has the final say regarding placement. 

Foreign students must also apply for a new study permit before switching schools, according to the Canada Gazette. Once granted a study permit by Ottawa, the provinces then decide where international students can study.

Meanwhile, public backlash continues to grow with the number of foreign students in Canada spiraling out of control. Greater scrutiny follows a worsening housing and cost of living crisis for residents.

Starting September, international students will be able to work 24 hours a week, up from 20 hours, to provide them greater financial stability.

Rebel News first highlighted prolonged concerns with employing foreign students at the expense of Canadians. Minister Miller refuted claims they cost the domestic labour force jobs. 

According to the July 2023 Labour Force survey, the unemployment rate for Canadians under 24 grew a full point from 9.2% to 10.2% year over year. It cites the work cap suspension for the hike.

A similar survey in March pegged youth unemployment at 12.6%, with virtually no net increase in employment for youth since December 2022.

Alex Dhaliwal

Calgary Based Journalist

Alex Dhaliwal is a Political Science graduate from the University of Calgary. He has actively written on relevant Canadian issues with several prominent interviews under his belt.

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