Following a major declaration by IRCC, here’s how provinces, schools, & others are responding to IRCC’s cap on international students.

The new changes are specifically designed to help preserve the integrity of the international student program. Also, provinces & other key stakeholders in Canada have expressed mixed feelings regarding these changes. While some have welcomed the study permit cap as integral, others have found the policy a bit harsh towards provinces.   

Provinces 

Here’s how provinces are responding to IRCC’s cap on international students. 

1. British Columbia 

BC’s response to the recent news has been one of the most proactive among Canada’s provinces thus far. The provincial government has acted significantly in favor of new measures & supported their intended purpose. British Columbia publicly restated its commitment to providing satisfactory support for international/ foreign students. In addition, it has already instituted new policies to protect students & maintain the integrity of its international student program. Moreover, measures initiated by the province include a two-year freeze on new schools. It includes obtaining DLI status, enhanced compliance measures for public educational institutions, new standards of private degree programs, greater tuition transparency, etc.

2. Ontario 

Ontario has significantly acted in accordance with the policy changes from IRCC. Similar to BC, the province has been proactive in instituting new measures to safeguard international students. It includes adding more oversight to admissions approval processes, requiring all institutions to provide housing to foreign students, & renewing investigations into private career colleges. Moreover, the provincial government has also declared a moratorium on new public-private college partnerships. It includes curriculum licensing agreements wherein public institutions license their curriculum to private colleges. 

3. Manitoba 

Manitoba has voiced concerns over the new student cap. The province’s premier, Wab Kinew, has expressed support for the underlying concerns for a new policy. He stated that it was incumbent on politicians across Canada to ensure a sustainable number of arrivals of international students. Kinew also voiced concern over rising tuition costs & a lack of guidance from the federal government on these new policies. 

4. New Brunswick 

Provincial representatives from the province have a largely negative view of the changes. Arlene Dunn, the minister of post-secondary education, & the minister responsible for immigration, voiced her concerns on the matter. She stated that IRCC’s new policy ‘unfairly targets all provincial jurisdictions when not all are experiencing the exact same problem.’ In the minister’s view, the province is now unfairly facing consequences for failings in other parts of the nation. 

Several educational institutions in the province, including the University of New Brunswick, have also expressed concern over the lack of further information from the federal government & the lack of clarity about how his policy might impact admissions for the forthcoming year.     

Schools 

Here’s how schools have responded to IRCC’s cap on international students. 

The University of Waterloo noted its approval of IRCC measures to restrain the exploitation of bad actors on students. It is specifically around institutions with curriculum licensing arrangements. In addition, the university also expressed concern over the implications of this decision at the undergraduate level, specifically in light of the present financial challenges that the institutions & sector are facing.

Already in compliance with Ontario’s new housing guarantee for international students in their first year, the University of Waterloo’s concerns are centered around the reality that IRCC’s cap will severely impact international students. 

According to Steve Orshini, the new changes come at a precarious time for Ontario’s post-secondary institutions. At least ten of the province’s universities are expected to run financial deficits this year, which they attribute to a four-year provincially imposed tuition freeze & low levels of operating grants from the Ontario government. 

In another statement, Mathew Ramsey stated that they would be working with both the provincial government & IRCC on an implementation process for the new policy changes. 

He further stated that UBC values international students & their significant contributions to UBC’s academic & research mission. Moreover, the nation is competing globally for this talent. It is vital to ensure that international students continue to consider Canada as a destination of choice. 

UBC has maintained its commitment to international student support, including a mandatory first-year housing guarantee, international student & academic advising guarantees, health services, etc.  

Other Stakeholders 

In an official statement, the CEO & President of COU, Steve Orshini, expressed disappointment with the federal government’s declaration of a study permit cap, pointing to possible ‘unintended consequences’ for the sector & international students. 

Moreover, some students have also expressed doubts regarding IRCC’s new study permit cap. University of Toronto Students Union VP Public & University Affairs Aidan Thompson asserted that the policy change is a ‘short-term’ fix on the government’s part. 

On January 30, Universities Canada & Colleges & Institutes Canada wrote an open letter to Marc Miller, stating their concerns over potential economic & labor market effects that could stem from the reduction of international student enrolment.