NorQuest College offers incentive payments to recruit foreign students

The recruitment initiative comes as Canadian colleges and universities face declining international student numbers following federal restrictions on study permits and tighter immigration rules.

 

Facebook / NorQuest College

An Edmonton post-secondary institution is looking to pay recruitment agents for bringing international students to Alberta.

According to a procurement notice posted by NorQuest College, the college is seeking experienced international student recruitment agents under a new "pilot incentive-based service model" aimed at boosting foreign student enrollment. The solicitation states that successful vendors will receive incentive payments tied to confirmed student enrollments from targeted priority regions.

"NorQuest College is seeking experienced international student recruitment agents to provide targeted recruitment services under a pilot incentive-based service model," the tender documents state. Only confirmed enrollments originating from designated regions will qualify for incentive payments under the program.

The recruitment initiative comes as Canadian colleges and universities face declining international student numbers following federal restrictions on study permits and tighter immigration rules.

NorQuest already maintains a global network of authorized recruitment agents and openly states that it works with agents to actively recruit international students into its diploma, certificate, and foundational programs. The college currently lists authorized recruiters across dozens of countries in Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East.

The college has also launched other initiatives aimed at attracting foreign students. A separate 2026 procurement notice seeks a financial services partner to provide loan-based tuition financing for international students, with the stated goal of enhancing international recruitment, improving enrollment conversion rates, and supporting higher study permit approval rates in key markets.

International students have become a significant source of revenue for many Canadian post-secondary institutions because they pay substantially higher tuition fees than domestic students.

NorQuest's effort to financially incentivize the recruitment of foreign students comes as Canada's international student program faces increasing criticism. According to federal data obtained by Global News, international students filed a record 20,245 asylum claims in 2024, nearly double the number from the previous year. The first quarter of 2025 saw another 5,500 claims, suggesting the record could be broken again. The figures have fueled concerns that Canada's student visa system is increasingly being used as a pathway into the asylum system rather than solely for education.

The posting does not disclose how much agents would be paid per student enrollment, but indicates compensation would be tied directly to successful recruitment outcomes from priority regions identified by the college.

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COMMENTS

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  • Fran g
    commented 2026-06-05 10:51:31 -0400
    They are all taught how to game the system. We are a high trust society which is wonderful to live in, but it leaves a space for these international grifters. And im sick and tired of paying for their rent, food, medical for years. I guess you cant blame some of them but when they start to chant kill the Jews, kill Christians and burn our flag, IF we had a decent govt they would be instantly deported. Thats a big IF. Rebel people all know the story…………………….
  • Bernhard Jatzeck
    commented 2026-06-01 20:55:34 -0400
    One reason post-secondary institutions import so many foreign students is because they can be charged more for their fees.

    While I was working on my last degree, I knew a grad student who came over on a student visa. She told me one day that she was going to become a landed immigrant because that meant she wouldn’t have to pay as much to attend.
  • Bruce Atchison
    commented 2026-06-01 19:19:42 -0400
    It’s like importing rats. We don’t want those foreign students taking up space at our universities.