Pretty good overview of how the Feds are bungling their response to the international student problem. Lots of good info, but this part on “good v.s. bad actors” is particularly interesting:
>But if the feds hadn’t been so intent on using the immigration system to indirectly regulate the post-secondary system, they would have realized that there was a much simpler, much more effective solution just staring them in the face. Forget “good” and “bad” actors; why not just regulate the proportion of international students at any given institution? You could just say, for instance, that universities and colleges could only get visas for up to, say 25% of the size of their previous year’s enrolment. Maybe with an additional rule that institutions could appeal the 25% limit and go up to 35% if they could make an argument in the national interest. The sort of argument that might allow U of T to recruit top global-talent graduate students, but Conestoga would have difficulty making for more one-year certificates in global business education. An approach like this would put the burden on actors who have decided that their business plans aren’t focused on domestic students. Which, to be frank, is something that most people inside and outside the sector could probably agree on. It would also give institutions a heck of a lot more clarity than they have now.
hopoke on
Reducing international student intake is nonsensical, considering how much value these students bring to the Canadian economy. These people are smart, young, talented, inject tens of thousands of dollars into the Canadian economy per year. Many of them even become permanent residents and citizens. If anything, we should be looking to bring in more of these students.
Jaded_Promotion8806 on
>1) Graduate students are now officially included inside the student visa cap, whereas before they were outside it.
This is just asinine. I can’t even fathom a rationale on that one, someone help me. Among other things these are our next doctors, engineers, scientists, etc. People we are short on in this country and need desperately. Not to mention how critical grad students are to supporting top-tier faculty. It’s already hard enough recruiting the best and brightest academics, don’t give them one more reason to not come.
>2) The overall cap on student visas is being reduced by 10% and so, ipso facto, will every provincial cap.
Fine.
>3) Post-graduate work visas are henceforth not open to college graduates unless their program is linked to a still-undefined area of high labour demand. In other words: we are still good with international students, but only so long as they contribute to depressing wage levels, which is pretty gross.
I don’t think this is as bad as Usher sees it, but the devil is going to be in the details. If you’re in a trades program, and this country is desperate for tradespeople, of course we should make it as easy as possible to get work and eventually PR in this country. If you’re in the medical office administration program at Conestoga, those aren’t skills we need, there’s zero rationale for a PWGP and a path to permanent residency there.
Specialist_Two_2783 on
Aren’t our international student numbers still going to be higher than the United States after these changes? Some could argue the changes haven’t gone far enough, given the impact that the international student numbers have on competition for entry level work, housing, etc.
4 Comments
Pretty good overview of how the Feds are bungling their response to the international student problem. Lots of good info, but this part on “good v.s. bad actors” is particularly interesting:
>But if the feds hadn’t been so intent on using the immigration system to indirectly regulate the post-secondary system, they would have realized that there was a much simpler, much more effective solution just staring them in the face. Forget “good” and “bad” actors; why not just regulate the proportion of international students at any given institution? You could just say, for instance, that universities and colleges could only get visas for up to, say 25% of the size of their previous year’s enrolment. Maybe with an additional rule that institutions could appeal the 25% limit and go up to 35% if they could make an argument in the national interest. The sort of argument that might allow U of T to recruit top global-talent graduate students, but Conestoga would have difficulty making for more one-year certificates in global business education. An approach like this would put the burden on actors who have decided that their business plans aren’t focused on domestic students. Which, to be frank, is something that most people inside and outside the sector could probably agree on. It would also give institutions a heck of a lot more clarity than they have now.
Reducing international student intake is nonsensical, considering how much value these students bring to the Canadian economy. These people are smart, young, talented, inject tens of thousands of dollars into the Canadian economy per year. Many of them even become permanent residents and citizens. If anything, we should be looking to bring in more of these students.
>1) Graduate students are now officially included inside the student visa cap, whereas before they were outside it.
This is just asinine. I can’t even fathom a rationale on that one, someone help me. Among other things these are our next doctors, engineers, scientists, etc. People we are short on in this country and need desperately. Not to mention how critical grad students are to supporting top-tier faculty. It’s already hard enough recruiting the best and brightest academics, don’t give them one more reason to not come.
>2) The overall cap on student visas is being reduced by 10% and so, ipso facto, will every provincial cap.
Fine.
>3) Post-graduate work visas are henceforth not open to college graduates unless their program is linked to a still-undefined area of high labour demand. In other words: we are still good with international students, but only so long as they contribute to depressing wage levels, which is pretty gross.
I don’t think this is as bad as Usher sees it, but the devil is going to be in the details. If you’re in a trades program, and this country is desperate for tradespeople, of course we should make it as easy as possible to get work and eventually PR in this country. If you’re in the medical office administration program at Conestoga, those aren’t skills we need, there’s zero rationale for a PWGP and a path to permanent residency there.
Aren’t our international student numbers still going to be higher than the United States after these changes? Some could argue the changes haven’t gone far enough, given the impact that the international student numbers have on competition for entry level work, housing, etc.