This text is part of the special Higher Education notebook
Capping the number of international students in post-secondary education institutions should not affect the operations of CEGEPs and universities too much. But representatives of these establishments would like to point out that beyond the numbers, this clientele also makes a contribution to Quebec society.
Last January, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Marc Miller, announced a cap on the granting of study permits for foreign students. The measure, in effect for two years, will affect new applications for post-secondary studies, with the exception of master’s and doctoral programs. Ottawa thus wishes to “stabilize” the number of foreign students on its territory, limit abuses and partially remedy the housing crisis. The federal government also announced on Wednesday, September 18 that it would further reduce the number of study permits granted by 10% next year.
For 2024, the number of new study permits approved has been capped at 364,000. Under the provincial distribution model, Quebec harvests 87 722 places to be allocated, for an expected number of 52,633 study permits approved. However, this ceiling was not reached in the province; the measure has therefore, until now, had no effect for the University of Quebec in Montreal, indicates the director of the Division of Press Relations and Special Events of the establishment, Jenny Desrochers, by email.
However, the distribution of study permits, whether this was done by establishments or by programs, has still not been broken down, worries Valérie Amiraux, vice-rector for community and international partnerships at the University of Montreal. “As a French-speaking university, this [plafonnement] is not detrimental to us. The big uncertainty is knowing how all this will be administered by the province,” she maintains, recalling that Quebec “has already played the card” of favoring certain training courses.
Furthermore, adds her colleague at the vice-rectorate for student affairs and studies, Pascale Lefrançois, we also do not know whether the cap concerns admission offers made by universities or actual registrations. “Not all the candidates to whom we make an offer end up registering with us,” she says. So we generally have more offers than registrations in certain programs. This nuance can be a game changer. »
For the fall session, the University of Montreal experienced a 2% increase in its international registrations, which can be explained by the renewal of the registration of already admitted students. Taking into account only new registrations, we see instead a drop of 3%, which could be higher if some students have not managed to obtain the necessary documents to immigrate.
This is without taking into account an increase in refusals to grant the admission certificate or its renewal by Quebec, a reality observed in recent months.
“All this adds stress to these students,” deplores M.me Admirals. It is a whole series of shaky situations which lack clarity and prevent them from projecting themselves into the future in a serene manner. »
According to statistics collected by the Ministry of Higher Education in 2021, the number of international students in the province’s universities almost doubled between 2009-2010 and 2019-2020, going from 24,504 to 48,406.
CEGEPs: a necessary critical mass
In 2009-2010, there were 2,899 foreign students in the province’s CEGEPs. Ten years later, there were 16,505.
An increase fueled in particular by calls from Quebec, which sought to counter the labor shortage in certain sectors, recalls Marie Montpetit, president and CEO of the Fédération des cégeps.
Cohorts of international students have made it possible to maintain numerous programs in regions that had become devitalized. “At CEGEP de Matane, 30% of students are international. A minimum number of students is required for a cohort to be authorized to start,” says M.me Montpetit.
The cap on foreign students, of whom 9,280 have registered for the 2024 academic year, will have no economic impact on CEGEPs, specifies the CEO. But the members of the Federation are concerned about the future of certain programs , if their customer base is set to decrease.
Marie Montpetit recalls that in its 2023-2027 strategic plan, the Ministry of Higher Education mentioned that “attracting more international students to the province’s French-speaking colleges and universities is a government priority.”
A wealth evacuated from public debate
The debate over the number of students overshadows the value they bring, lament the speakers.
“Each student who arrives from outside comes to train, but they also give back a lot,” argues Pascale Lefrançois. They bring their experiences and enrich both student life and that of their community. Those who stay contribute to our economy, and those who return home become valuable international allies for the Quebecers they have met here. »
“Beyond contributing to the vitality of college programs, foreign students enrich exchanges between all young people and open the horizons of Quebec students,” emphasizes Marie Montpetit. It is essential to offer them an open and inclusive welcome, because all of Quebec society benefits. »
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