The Department of Immigration is introducing new measures to name and shame colleges and universities that exploit the foreign student program. Blacklock's Reporter says institutions found engaging in "unethical behaviour" will face year-long suspensions and public blacklisting.“Amendments would allow the department to effectively respond to integrity challenges and address common occurrences of unethical behaviour that undermines the integrity of the program,” stated the department in a Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement released Saturday.The new regulations mandate that colleges and universities promptly notify the immigration department of all foreign students enrolled, “whether they are actively pursuing their course” or have transferred to another institution. Federal inspectors will be granted additional powers to verify compliance and ensure campus managers are “acting in good faith,” the statement said.“The proposed regulations would require that the Minister publish and maintain a public suspension list,” added the Analysis Statement. All new foreign study permits for blacklisted campuses would be automatically cancelled.Canada welcomed a record 1,040,000 foreign students last year, with the number of foreign study permits more than doubling since 2015 when 352,305 were issued.“The spike in demand can be attributed to a number of factors including greater interest to come study and then potentially work in Canada as well as increased promotion and marketing activities to identify Canada as a choice destination for pursuing postsecondary studies,” wrote staff. “Under existing regulations, international students may change their designated learning institution anytime.”Immigration Minister Marc Miller recently accused certain colleges of suspicious practices in accepting large numbers of foreign students, including some who promptly claimed refugee protection in Canada. “Ontario over the last three years in their education system has had over 10,000 asylum claims,” Miller told reporters on February 27. “That isn’t the sign of a healthy system.”“I don’t reproach people for wanting to exercise their rights in claiming asylum, but it can’t be the result of a poor education system,” said Miller. “You have the Conestoga’s, the Seneca’s of the world. They have some of the highest asylum claims in Canada. They’re in the top ten.”Since 2018, a total of 36,075 foreign students in Canada have claimed refugee protection instead of continuing their studies. “That is totally unacceptable,” said Miller. “That spike is alarming.”In a February 4 Inquiry Of Ministry tabled in the Commons, the government named the colleges and universities with the highest enrollment of foreign students. Conservative MP Garnett Genuis (Sherwood Park-Fort Saskatchewan, Alta.) requested the information, asking, “What are the names of all institutions at which international students are studying?”Conestoga College of Kitchener, Ont. led the nation with 40,565 foreign students last year, followed by the University of Toronto (31,380), Seneca College of Toronto (23,530), Vancouver’s University of Canada West (22,375), the University of British Columbia (20,415), and Centennial College of Toronto (20,370).
The Department of Immigration is introducing new measures to name and shame colleges and universities that exploit the foreign student program. Blacklock's Reporter says institutions found engaging in "unethical behaviour" will face year-long suspensions and public blacklisting.“Amendments would allow the department to effectively respond to integrity challenges and address common occurrences of unethical behaviour that undermines the integrity of the program,” stated the department in a Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement released Saturday.The new regulations mandate that colleges and universities promptly notify the immigration department of all foreign students enrolled, “whether they are actively pursuing their course” or have transferred to another institution. Federal inspectors will be granted additional powers to verify compliance and ensure campus managers are “acting in good faith,” the statement said.“The proposed regulations would require that the Minister publish and maintain a public suspension list,” added the Analysis Statement. All new foreign study permits for blacklisted campuses would be automatically cancelled.Canada welcomed a record 1,040,000 foreign students last year, with the number of foreign study permits more than doubling since 2015 when 352,305 were issued.“The spike in demand can be attributed to a number of factors including greater interest to come study and then potentially work in Canada as well as increased promotion and marketing activities to identify Canada as a choice destination for pursuing postsecondary studies,” wrote staff. “Under existing regulations, international students may change their designated learning institution anytime.”Immigration Minister Marc Miller recently accused certain colleges of suspicious practices in accepting large numbers of foreign students, including some who promptly claimed refugee protection in Canada. “Ontario over the last three years in their education system has had over 10,000 asylum claims,” Miller told reporters on February 27. “That isn’t the sign of a healthy system.”“I don’t reproach people for wanting to exercise their rights in claiming asylum, but it can’t be the result of a poor education system,” said Miller. “You have the Conestoga’s, the Seneca’s of the world. They have some of the highest asylum claims in Canada. They’re in the top ten.”Since 2018, a total of 36,075 foreign students in Canada have claimed refugee protection instead of continuing their studies. “That is totally unacceptable,” said Miller. “That spike is alarming.”In a February 4 Inquiry Of Ministry tabled in the Commons, the government named the colleges and universities with the highest enrollment of foreign students. Conservative MP Garnett Genuis (Sherwood Park-Fort Saskatchewan, Alta.) requested the information, asking, “What are the names of all institutions at which international students are studying?”Conestoga College of Kitchener, Ont. led the nation with 40,565 foreign students last year, followed by the University of Toronto (31,380), Seneca College of Toronto (23,530), Vancouver’s University of Canada West (22,375), the University of British Columbia (20,415), and Centennial College of Toronto (20,370).
