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Canada’s Immigration Minister, Marc Miller, recently addressed the need to strengthen the authenticity of international student programs. He emphasized the government’s stance against imposing restrictions on new international student arrivals. To combat fraudulent activities affecting international students, a new system will authenticate the Letters of Acceptance (LOA). These letters are essential for prospective international students applying for study permits.
Moreover, the government plans to introduce a “Recognized Institutions Framework” for Canadian designated learning institutions (DLIs) by the fall semester of 2024.
DLIs encompass colleges, universities, and other educational entities endorsed by provincial and territorial governments to accommodate international students.
This framework aims to elevate the standard of services, support, and outcomes offered to international students. The intention is to reward DLIs meeting specific IRCC integrity criteria with benefits like expedited processing of study permit applications.
Additional information regarding the process for institutions to gain recognition and the specifics of associated benefits will be provided later.
Marc Miller also revealed that the IRCC will undertake the initial review of the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), a program that has not been reviewed in a decade. The reforms resulting from this review will be announced in the upcoming months.
The objective is to adjust the PGWP to meet Canada’s labor shortages in sectors with high demand and align with regional and Francophone immigration objectives.
Canada Will Welcome 900,000 Overseas Students in 2023
Canada stands as a top choice for international students, having welcomed a remarkable 551,405 students from 184 countries in 2022. By the end of the same year, there were 807,750 international students with valid Canadian study permits, marking another record high.
Over the past 15 years, Canada’s international student population has quadrupled. This growth can be attributed to various factors, including the increasing global middle-class interest in studying abroad. Additionally, Canada’s appeal to international students is influenced by its excellent education quality, promising job opportunities, and pathways for immigration.
In 2022, India, with 226,450 students, China, with 52,165 students, and the Philippines, with 23,280 students, were the primary countries sending new international students to Canada. Ontario hosted the highest number of international students, with 411,000 students, followed by British Columbia with 164,000 students.
Marc Miller has indicated that Canada is progressing to welcome approximately 900,000 international students in 2023.
The Canadian government maintains a significant issuance of study permits. From January to June 2023, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) provided over 280,000 new study permits. This marked a substantial 77% increase compared to the same period in 2022.
Challenges for International Students
The recent announcement follows an incident earlier this year where over 700 Indian students in Canada encountered the risk of deportation. This situation arose when the Canadian government identified that the letters of acceptance (LOAs) for these students were counterfeit. A significant number of these students arrived in Canada to pursue studies between 2018 and 2019. The fraudulent nature of their LOAs came to light after several of them had finished their studies and were in the process of applying for permanent residency.
According to reports, the letters of acceptance (LOAs) were falsified by an unethical immigration consultant based in India who has since vanished. When this situation came to light, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) stated that international students unaware or uninvolved in the fraud wouldn’t be deported.
This incident further highlighted the problem of fraudulent activities concerning Canadian international students.
International Student Integrity Was Emphasised in a Recent Senate Report
The significance of maintaining integrity in international student programs gained further attention due to a report released on September 20 by four members of Canada’s Senate.
The report underlined the positive contributions of international students to Canada’s economy and its social and cultural fabric. However, it also sheds light on specific challenges related to the integrity of Canada’s international student system. One highlighted area pointed out the involvement of education agents acting as intermediaries for international student aspirants in foreign countries. These agents were identified as playing a substantial role in undermining the integrity of Canada’s international student landscape.
This happens because some education agents might guide international students to enroll in Canadian post-secondary programs that don’t qualify for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). Completing such a program can be a significant loss of time and money for graduates as they might become ineligible to work or obtain permanent residence after graduation.
Miller’s Previous Remarks Raise Worries About Integrity
Since assuming the role of Canada’s immigration minister this summer, Miller has frequently spoken about international student integrity. In various interviews, he emphasized the importance of this matter by acknowledging the “integrity challenges” linked to the existing visa process for international students all across Canada.
Reiterating similar concerns highlighted in the Senate report, Miller pointed out that international students often face “false hope” instigated by individuals seeking to exploit them. He mentioned that the IRCC acknowledges the necessity to directly address these concerns in the future.
Additionally, during a recent hearing before the Canadian Parliamentary Committee for Citizenship and Immigration (CIMM), Miller emphasized the urgency of addressing integrity issues in the international student system.