Four members of Canada’s senate released a report outlining how to strengthen the integrity of the international student program. 

The report suggested that international students are beneficial to the nation’s economy, along with its social & cultural landscape. However, there are specific integrity issues within the international student program. These include the following: 

  • Education Agents: These actors, among other indiscretions, might be directing international students to programs which aren’t eligible for a PGWP. This implies that they might not be eligible to work & gain PR following their graduation. 

Note: Only DLIs in Canada can host international students. However, not every program offered by the DLIs is eligible for a PGWP. This is highly coveted since it enables international students to gain professional Canadian work experience. Well, they can utilize it to support their permanent residence eligibility. 

  • Housing: Over 40% of study permit holders live in unsuitable accommodation. These students are subjected to discriminatory rental listings & treatments by landlords, like verbal abuse, requests for exorbitant upfront deposits, overcrowding, etc. 
  • PR Immigration Pathways: The Senate report reveals that Canada perpetuates an ‘inflated’ sense of hope to foreign students. These students are told that they will be able to gain permanent residence upon completing their studies. While Canada’s government is honest in highlighting the benefits of studying in the nation, it can still do more to be forthright about the highly competitive nature of the PR application process. 

In order to mitigate the challenges mentioned above, the report offers the following recommendations. 

Federal, Territorial, & Provincial Recommendations  

  • Conduct A National Review Of The Financial Sustainability Of DLIs 

Suggesting that the Canadian post-secondary education sector is too vulnerable because it relies on foreign students for funding, the report Canada could be negatively impacted by this reliance if there are any future downward ‘shifts in global international trends’ away from Canada or if there are any ‘diplomatic disputes’ that lessen international student enrolment in the nation. 

  • Introduce Greater Insight On DLIs, Including Private Colleges, To Promote A Better International Student Experience 

DLIs across Canada constantly work to provide international students with ‘positive on & off-campus experience’. To ensure this, the report suggests that oversight of the nation’s educational institutions could positively impact the lives of international students in Canada.

This is because such oversight can result in pro-student policies like a requirement for DLIs to demonstrate how they will help international students find housing & employment, address other settlement issues, like mental health, & much more. 

The Senate report adds that DLIs who do not live up to the standard must be subjected to losing their ability to welcome additional international students. 

  • Enhance Awareness Among International/ Foreign Students Enrolling In Programs Ineligible For A PGWP 

As indicated in the section above regarding education agents, enrollment in PGWP-ineligible programs is an avid problem for international students. To that end, this report maintains that all levels of the Canadian government can do a better job of informing students regarding which programs are & aren’t eligible for a PGWP. This is crucial because there is a strong motivation among international students to obtain PGWPs & permanent residence upon graduation. 

  • Housing Supply For International Students 

This recommendation regarding the international student program includes necessitating an initial conversation. The conversation must be about the ability of educational institutions to support themselves financially outside the international student enrollment. The federal government will take some steps to ensure adequate international student accommodation, such as: 

  • Gathering federal data about student housing, which is vital for making well-informed choices
  • Under the National Housing Strategy, creating a dedicated funding stream for post-secondary institutions to build affordable housing alternatives for students

  • Enhance Awareness Among International Students Of Their Legal Rights & Pathways For Recourse 

The authors of the report suggest that DLIs, as well as the Canadian government, need to do a better job of informing international students of their rights when it comes to housing, sexual abuse, & employment. Since many of these indiscretions occur & go unreported because of a lack of understanding, informing students regarding their rights & what they can do if they are a victim of these issues will help mitigate these problems in future. 

  • National Policy Strategy On Temporary Residence To Permanent Resident Pathways After Studying In Canada 

This kind of national strategy can help limit disappointment among international students. In addition, they will know about the realities of Canadian PR. Moreover, there are much more finite numbers of PR spots in Canada than students might have been told when initially planning their studies & life in Canada. 

  • National Policy Strategy On International/ Foreign Student Settlement Supports 

Like other national policy suggestions regarding the international student program, the report demonstrates numerous benefits of taking up the same approach with settlement support for international students. These include: 

  • Offering international students with better care & an overall more positive experience 
  • Addressing the abuses highlighted in the report earlier 
  • Providing a way to better educate & prepare international students for life in Canada as a PR

Federal Recommendations 

  • Explore Crafting A National Language Standard For DLI Admission Criteria 

Regularizing the way DLIs communicate/disseminate admission criteria would eliminate confusion among international/ foreign students. As a result, this will ensure greater success in academics & beyond when they arrive in Canada. Following the lead of IRCC’s policy for permanent residence approval via a standard CLB score, a standard baseline for international student admission criteria could benefit all parties. 

  • Strengthen The LOA Verification Process 

The report recommends that IRCC will bolster the verification process for LOAs. This would help strengthen the integrity of the international student program, thus saving the trouble & resources down the line. In addition, the report adds that this process can be sped up with the use of existing technologies, like those already available in the private sector. 

  • Reform The IRPA To Regulate The Conduct Of Education Agents & Introduce Other Federal Oversight Measures 

A new look at reforming Canada’s IRPA & IRPR can help introduce policies at the federal level. Well, this is to regulate the conduct of overseas education agents & post-secondary institutions that take advantage of unsuspecting & desperate students. For instance, the report suggests that stronger penalties, like fines & the revocation of DLI status, must be considered for those who violate new policy measures after the reform of IRPA & IRPR.  

Provincial & Territorial Recommendations 

  • Explore More Regulations On International/ Foreign Student Tuition 

According to the Senate report, increased regulations include considerations like lowering the cap on international student tuition increase. This move coincides with the report’s first recommendation. Well, this can only be achieved through reduced reliance on international student fees to cover the operational expenses of DLIs. 

  • Introduce More Regulations On Education Agents & Penalties For DLIs Who Benefit From Unscrupulous Agent Behavior

To the same effect as recommendation ‘10’, other territories & provinces must follow the lead of regions like Manitoba in better regulating overseas educational agents or international student recruiters. Manitoba has a range of measures outlined in its International Education Act that governs the behavior & penalties imposed on parties that exhibit poor behavior. This includes fines & a code of conduct that can be a teaching point for Canada’s other territories & provinces.