Some schools have been created with the intention of profiting off international students, Sean Fraser, minister of Housing, said at a Jan. 15 press conference in Halifax.
“There are some institutions in different parts of this country that I have the sincerely held belief have come to exist just to exploit the [International Student Program] for the personal financial gains of the people behind some of these schools,” said Mr. Fraser, who was previously minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship. He noted that the International Student Program is one of the temporary programs “putting an impact” on Canada’s housing programs.
Mr. Fraser emphasized that these schools, which are bringing students in “in enormous numbers,” are sometimes working with individuals within the immigration sector itself.
“[The students] are not provided with housing, they’re not provided with a quality education,” he said, adding that these international students often come under the false pretense that they will qualify for permanent residency.
On Oct. 27, 2023, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Marc Miller announced new measures to enhance Canada’s International Student Program and safeguard students against fraud.
Since Dec. 1, post-secondary institutions have had to confirm acceptance letters with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to prevent fraud and ensure study permits are based on legitimate acceptance letters.
Additionally, by fall 2024, IRCC will introduce a “recognized institution” framework, giving preferential treatment, like priority study permit processing, to institutions that provide superior services and support to international students.
The IRCC will assess and reform the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program to align it more closely with Canadian labor market needs and regional as well as Francophone immigration objectives.
Mr. Fraser said that one way the government is working on solving the problem is by creating a “trusted partner model” with schools that have a history of providing support for students. These trusted partners will be given preferred access to study permits.
Meanwhile, Mr. Fraser continued, challenges with population growth primarily stem from programs that are not regulated by government-imposed targets or limits but are instead influenced by market demand. He said the situation necessitates a joint effort between federal and provincial governments, as it is the provinces that determine which institutions qualify for the International Student Program.
“But by working together across levels of government, we can restore a level of integrity that I think is needed to the program, and help us achieve both our economic goals through immigration when appropriate, and our homebuilding goals by ensuring that population growth doesn’t outstrip our ability to produce homes,” Mr. Fraser said.
Then-immigration minister Fraser informed the media on June 14, 2023, that a specialized task force, comprising high-ranking officials from immigration and border security, would look into the cases of international students affected by a scam involving fraudulent acceptance letters.
