Strengthening the Integrity of Canada’s International Student Program
Canada must come to terms with a complex set of integrity challenges to its international student program, according to a newly released report by the Honourable Sabi Marwah, the Honourable Ratna Omidvar, the Honourable Yuen Pau Woo and the Honourable Hassan Yussuff. “Strengthening the Integrity of Canada’s International Student Program” examines the goals and benefits of the program and provides concrete recommendations to federal, provincial and territorial governments on resolving the challenges that are flagged in the report.
International students are major assets to Canada — economically, socially, and culturally. The growth of the international student population is a testament to Canada’s strong global brand, and the country stands to enjoy significant benefits from continued growth.
Responsibility for the multifold challenges in Canada’s international student program is shared among federal, provincial, and territorial governments, education consultants, landlords, employers, and designated learning institutions.
To help strengthen the integrity of Canada’s international student program, the discussion paper recommends areas of action that governments could take including: reviewing the financial stability of designated learning institutions, introducing greater oversight on institutions including private colleges, addressing the housing supply for international students, and better informing international students about their legal rights.
Watch the press conference:
News coverage:
Could these steps help fix Canada’s international student system? Senators think so (Toronto Star)
Doing the rights thing (As It Happens with Nil Köksal, Chris Howden) – Interview starts at 26:35
Ottawa forecasts 1.4 million international student applications a year by 2027, document shows (The Globe and Mail)
Foreign students being tricked into thinking they can get permanent residency by studying in Canada, experts warn (The Globe and Mail)
Documents reveal feds evaluating ethics of Canada’s booming international student sector (The Hill Times)