QUESTION PERIOD — Ministry of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
Universities and Post-Secondary Institutions
October 8, 2024
Welcome, minister.
My question is about the impact that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s decisions are having on the financial viability of the post-secondary sector. On January 22, 2024, IRCC introduced a temporary two-year cap on foreign students, resulting in a sharp drop in applications for study permits. A new reform announced on September 18 will further reduce the cap in 2025.
With public funding in decline for over 20 years, institutions have increased their dependence on this support. While IRCC’s aim is not to come down hard on the sector, it is difficult to understand the lack of consideration for the fact that many establishments are in a precarious financial situation, particularly given the lack of warning and compensatory measures to mitigate collateral damage.
What measures is the federal government considering to mitigate the effects of this cap and ensure the financial viability of Canada’s post-secondary sector?
Since my father left a small village and lifted himself out of poverty by teaching at McGill University for 45 years, I would say that this is an area that is very close to my heart.
The value of our post-secondary institutions does our country proud. However, universities and colleges have committed abuses and excesses. I don’t think any of them can claim to be innocent.
The underfunding of these educational institutions is a provincial responsibility. What I blame myself for is that we trusted these institutions for too long before implementing these measures, which are very important for the sustainability of the post-secondary visa system for foreign students. I’m not telling anyone that they don’t have the right to bring in international students, but there are conditions. These conditions involve the students’ financial viability, as well how they will be hosted and supervised here in Canada.
Obviously, the system is not perfect, far from it. I think that many educational institutions are filling their coffers without consideration for the market these students would end up in. Perhaps they expected these people to get permanent residency and that there would be more jobs for them.
There is still a lot of work to do in many respects. I’m not an education minister or an economist by trade, but I have had to play those roles —
Thank you, minister.
Francophone institutions that rely heavily on this funding source are hit especially hard. Since they are often small, a volatile income stream can be fatal for many. These institutions play a vital role in the economic, social and cultural development of francophone minority communities. In addition, this measure makes it difficult, even impossible, to achieve the objectives of the francophone immigration policy.
How does the government specifically propose to support these institutions in order to maintain their viability and their impact in francophone communities?
Thank you for the question, senator.
Certainly, these institutions, mostly francophone institutions based outside Quebec, are in a very precarious financial situation. That is why I launched my pilot project this summer in Nova Scotia so that francophone students could be fast-tracked for permanent residency, which would encourage them to come to Canada provided they speak French in a francophone institution. That is very important.
These educational institutions are still responsible for ensuring that the international students they host are good students who will not decide to claim asylum.
This issue is extremely delicate, but I concede your point that the federal government has a special responsibility in this regard to francophone communities outside Quebec.
