Wish to study in Canada? IRCC is introducing a two-tier model for study permit issuance to strengthen the integrity of Canada’s international student program. DLIs, i.e., Designated Learning Institutions that meet IRCC’s trusted institution framework criteria, would benefit from faster study permit processing for international students admitted to institutions to study in Canada. DLIs are the colleges, universities, & other educational institutions authorized by Canada’s provincial & territorial governments to admit foreign students.
Study In Canada: What Will Trusted Institutions Framework Look Like?
The details regarding the Trusted Institutions Framework remain scarce as IRCC has chosen to hold discussions on the proposal privately. However, IRCC has been clear on the rationale behind the framework, which is to assess DLIs against criteria that demonstrate that they are reliable partners with regard to sustainable intake, thus recognizing genuine students, monitoring & reporting their compliance, & providing a safe & enriching experience for foreign students.
There are specific proposed indicators that IRCC is utilizing to assess DLIs. Under the proposal, DLIs would need to report specific data back to IRCC to earn consideration as a trusted institution. The proposed DLI-indicators include:
- Retention Rates
It includes the percentage of foreign students in a multi-year program of study who remain in their program after their first year of study in Canada.
- On-Time Program Completion Rate
Percentage of international students who complete their program within the advertised length of study.
- Percentage Of Revenue From International Tuition
The percentage of a DLI’s total tuition revenue derived from international student tuition is included in this.
- Scholarships Awarded To Foreign Students
It includes the value of the dollar as well as the percentage of total scholarships & grants provided to international students originating from nations on the UN Least Developed Nations List.
- Funding International Student Supports
The value of targeted support for international students & a percentage of average international student tuition is included here. Supports include mental health services, career counseling, employment counseling, immigration counseling, etc.
- Availability Of DLI-Administered Housing
It includes the total number & the percentage of foreign students residing in housing administered by their institution.
- Teacher-Student Ratio
It includes the average teacher-student ratio for ten courses with the highest numeric enrolment of foreign students.
ICEF explains that the source of information comes from the government itself, like study permit approval rates, country of origin, & post-graduation student results, such as transitioning to PGWP. Moreover, it notes that IRCC intends to start collecting & analyzing data from all DLIs in the forthcoming months, & establish the initial list of trusted institutions in spring 2024.
Immigration Minister: Canada To Host Over 900,000 Foreign Students This Year
Canada is one of the top destinations for foreign students, majorly due to the high quality of education, ability to work while studying, affordability, & the opportunity for immigration to Canada post-graduation.
The number of foreign students in Canada has been growing tremendously. In 2022, IRCC welcomed over 551,405 international students from 184 nations. Moreover, as of December 31, 2022, there were 807,750 foreign students in Canada holding valid study permits. Well, this was also a record-breaking number.
In comparison, in 2019, there were over 637,860 international students in Canada & around 400,600 new study permits were issued. Today, Canada has almost 170,000 more foreign students at the end of 2022 than in 2019.
Last year, the top 10 source nations of new international students arriving to study in Canada were:
- India
- People’s Republic Of China
- France
- Philippines
- Iran
- Nigeria
- Republic Of Korea
- Mexico
- Japan
- Brazil
Canada Exploring Other Reforms To Strengthen The Integrity Of Student Program
Canada’s immigration minister, Marc Miller, asserted that Canada is on track to host around 900,000 international students this year.
This comes at a time when the nation is experiencing a housing crisis. According to Canada Mortgage & Housing Corp, Canada needs to build 5.8 million new houses, including two million rental units, by 2023 to tackle housing affordability.
In order to ease the pressure on the housing market, Canada’s federal government is considering capping the number of international students coming to study in Canada.
The exploration of a cap on the arrival of international students in conjunction with trusted institution frameworks is part of a suite of measures the federal government is exploring to enhance the benefits of the study program. While the Canadian government continues to highlight the economic & social benefits of welcoming international students, the significant increase in the nation’s population has exacerbated challenges like fraud, housing, employment, etc.
That being said, Miller has avoided committing to the idea of a hard cap on the number of students entering the country.
Miller asserted that just putting a hard cap isn’t the only solution. He further stated that it’s vital to find out the issue that everyone is trying to solve. Finally, he said that it is not just the housing; it’s the integrity of the system, which has mushroomed & ballooned in the last couple of years!