International Students. Image credit: Unsplash/ Mimi Thian
CMEDIA: Following Canada’s federal government announcement earlier this week to cap the number of student permits issued in the next two years, B.C. and Ontario are reportedly vowing to crack down on private postsecondary institutions accused of exploiting international students.
With the goal to target private institutions described as “the diploma equivalent of puppy mills.” the federal Immigration Minister Marc Miller has announced that the government would reduce the number of student visas by 35 per cent for 2024.
With each province and territory allotted a portion of the total student visas, distributed according to population, some provinces would experience a reduction of the permits to about 50 per cent.
Miller reportedly said B.C. and Ontario private institutions are giving out what he called “fake” degrees in particular areas and federal and provincial governments need to get it under control.
Selina Robinson, B.C.’s Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills Minister reportedly said that the government is working on “a suite of actions” to be announced next week that will “significantly increase quality standards in international education.”
Ontario is also working with the federal government on ways to crack down on practices like predatory recruitment, Ontario’s minister of colleges and universities, Jill Dunlop said in a statement .
“We know some bad actors are taking advantage of these students with false promises of guaranteed employment, residency, and Canadian citizenship,” she said.
