The joint letter requires pressing consultations to switch the brand new coverage
Posted: January 30, 2024
Final up to date: January 31, 2024
Two organizations representing 234 post-secondary establishments have written a letter expressing “vital concern” concerning the federal authorities's choice to restrict the variety of scholar permits for the subsequent two years.
The letter, addressed to Immigration Minister Marc Miller, was written by Faculties and Institutes of Canada and Universities of Canada.
The organizations say the border “has the potential to have widespread and long-term penalties for Canadian and worldwide college students.”
In its announcement final week, the federal authorities mentioned
will approve about 360,000 university study permits for 2024 – a 35 p.c lower from 2023.
Present extra
The aim, in keeping with Miller, is to cut back the “lots of” of colleges working in Canada that settle for massive quantities of worldwide college students however function supposedly under-resourced campuses.
To implement the cap, the federal authorities additionally introduced that, beginning Jan. 22, each examine allow utility submitted to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) should additionally embrace a letter of certification from a province or territory.
Ottawa is asking all provinces and territories to create a course of to problem these letters to college students by March 31.
The organizations say enrollment is already being affected as provinces and territories construct their techniques and attempt to navigate the newly imposed necessities. Due to this, the letter states, certified college students are being prevented from acquiring examine permits.
The 2 organizations are asking Ottawa to halt the requirement for a letter of authentication till “no less than March 31 or till the provinces set up an efficient course of.”
“Confronted with uncertainty, these college students are seemingly to decide on different locations, posing a major danger to Canada's post-secondary sector and hampering our efforts to draw international expertise for years to come back,” the joint letter mentioned. .
A spokesman for Miller declined to touch upon the letter, referring the case to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
“IRCC will proceed to work carefully with provinces and territories, instructional establishments and different key companions to deal with the continuing challenges dealing with worldwide college students,” spokesman Jeffrey MacDonald mentioned in a press release.
Most worldwide college students will not be in universities
New knowledge launched by the federal authorities reveals that about one-third of worldwide college students in Canada have been finding out at universities.
Of the roughly 981,000 holders of legitimate examine permits, about 336,000 have been finding out at Universities Canada-accredited establishments, in keeping with a response to a letter of inquiry from Conservative MP Tim Uppal. Of those, about 130,000 have been in postgraduate research.
The order doc additionally requested knowledge from IRCC on the variety of worldwide college students finding out at establishments accredited by the Nationwide Affiliation of Profession Faculties.
IRCC mentioned it doesn’t monitor that knowledge.
Of their letter on Tuesday, the 2 organizations referred to as for “pressing session” with the sector to “modify border coverage, make clear many excellent questions and mitigate destructive impacts”.
“Canada's international popularity as a number one schooling vacation spot is in danger and cautious consideration is crucial to forestall lasting penalties,” the letter concludes.