B.C. (29 January) announced that it will not allow any new institutions of higher learning to admit international students for two years, making it the first province in Canada to start banning new colleges from admitting international students.
B.C.'s Minister of Higher Education, Selina Robinson, said no new institutions will be allowed to admit international students for two years.
Robinson also said B.C. is in the process of establishing minimum language requirements so that international students are "better prepared" before they arrive.
In a press release, she said that many students are exploited and that these schools will be inspected more frequently to ensure they meet standards.
B.C.'s new move comes after the federal government announced last week new rules limiting the number of study permits approved for the next two years.
In line with the new federal regulations, Ontario also announced six new measures last Friday.
In order to protect the integrity of higher education and promote employment in key sectors such as health care and technology, Ontario will implement six new measures, Jill Dunlop, said in a statement:
1. Review the programs offered by post-secondary institutions with a large number of international students to ensure program quality, protect Ontario's reputation as a world leader in education, and meet the needs of Ontario's labor market.
2. Ensure that the courses offered meet the needs of the labor market so that students can establish a life in Ontario after completing their studies.
3. Suspend the establishment of new partnerships between public universities and private colleges, while further strengthening monitoring mechanisms and ensuring the quality of existing partnerships.
4. Take steps to increase the response rate to student achievement surveys, which will help ensure the best academic outcomes.
5. All colleges and universities are required to guarantee accommodation options for incoming international students.
6. For vocational colleges, in order to better integrate the law enforcement work of various departments, the supervision of vocational colleges will be strengthened, including strengthening the effectiveness of data management, documentation processes and compliance investigations, and ensuring timely response to concerns and complaints.
The number of international students in Canada has surged in recent years, and there are concerns that some schools are recruiting large numbers of international students just to increase their income.
The Department of Immigration announced last week new rules restricting international students, and federal immigration minister Marc Miller said the restrictions would reduce the number of new student visas by 35 percent this year, with about 360,000 student visas issued in 2024.
The number of international students in Canada has grown significantly in recent years, and by 2022 the number of students will increase by 31% from the previous year to more than 800,000, putting more pressure on Canada's real estate market.