Quebec had 58,049 foreign students in its universities in the fall of 2023, 6.9% more than the previous year, according to the most recent data from the Interuniversity Cooperation Office (BCI), published on October 5.
Where does this enthusiasm for students come from? Why do we always want more, despite the criticisms expressed at the end of August by the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, in the wake of the housing crisis? In fact, there are 3,728 more foreign students than in 2022 who had to find a home.
Governments, universities and economic circles each have their reasons for welcoming them with open arms.
1. Tuition fees
For universities, the most obvious factor is that students from elsewhere pay much higher tuition fees than Quebec residents, which makes it a significant source of revenue.
In Quebec, tuition fees are firmly regulated, around $3,000 per year for Quebec students and permanent residents, in 2023. The fees charged to foreign students are deregulated. They vary by university and program, but in general they are between $20,000 and $30,000 per academic year.
The government announced on October 13 that the rate established for international students registered on October 1er and at 2e professional cycle will be around 20,000 per year, starting in fall 2024, less than what is already required at most universities.
Revenue from international student tuition fees provided Quebec universities with additional sums of $407 million between 2019 and 2022, including $282 million for McGill, Concordia and Bishop’s.
Universities, however, refuse to welcome foreign students “to fill their coffers”.
“It’s not a huge financial gain for us,” assures the rector of the University of Montreal, Daniel Jutras. The first question to ask is not financial gain, it is the way in which these people contribute to our programs, to the diversity of discourse in courses, labs, in research teams, and to the quality of training for Quebec students. All major universities in the world attract many international students for this purpose, not to fill their coffers. »
2. Places to fill
Student registration plays another role, that of compensating for the erosion of local clienteles. The effects of demographics mean that, after strong growth, student numbers began to plateau from 2014. In 2023, the total number of students, or 313,589, was barely higher than that of 2015. , which was 310,516.
But the number of local students, whether from Quebec, permanent residents or Canadians from other provinces, has declined. From 272,103 in 2015, it increased to 257,375 in 2022 and to 255,540 in 2023.
During this period, the number of international students exploded. In 2015, there were 38,294. This year, 58,049 are studying at a Quebec university. Result: the arrival of foreign students prevented a drop in clientele.
This impact is significant in the region, where certain programs have been able to be preserved thanks to international students.
3. A contribution to research
Another factor is the contribution of these students to research and knowledge.
“UQAM has been part of a perspective of internationalization for several decades now,” underlines the spokesperson, Caroline Tessier. Internationalization refers to the integration of an international dimension in teaching and research, as well as in community services. »
If, in the case of Quebec residents, 76.6% are registered in the first cycle, it is 49.6%, or a little less than half, for international students. The other portion of 51.4% pursues second and third cycle studies. This corresponds to a widespread phenomenon, according to which students go for advanced studies abroad. Quebecers do the same.
The fact remains that while international students account for 18.5% of total enrollment, they represent 28% of master’s students and 48% of doctoral students.
It is an essential contribution to research and innovation for universities.
“These students make a great contribution to university life,” says Yan Cimon, associate vice-rector for international affairs and francophonie at Laval University.
“The presence of foreign students is critical to the proper functioning of many laboratories, including mine,” adds Roger Lippé, professor and researcher in the department of pathology and cellular biology at the University of Montreal.
4. Ideal immigration candidates
For governments, the main reason is that international students who graduate here are ideal candidates for permanent residency. Often young, they have sought-after professional skills, in addition to having spent at least two years in Quebec, which promotes their long-term integration.
These students are a pillar of the immigration strategy in Quebec and Canada.
The new version of the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ) also aims to promote the retention of French-speaking foreign students graduating here, by offering them a quick path to immigration.
“We have students who have very interesting experience in Quebec and Canada, who are among the best talents in their country since they manage to pass through the admission requirements of our establishments,” underlines Mr. Cimon.
But be careful, national and international competition is intensifying to win the favor of high-level foreign students.
5. Economic benefits
The presence of these students also has a significant economic impact.
In 2019-2020, in addition to tuition fees, the 50,000 students from outside Quebec who attended educational establishments in Montreal generated expenses estimated at 722.3 million, according to a study by the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal.
These expenditures contributed to increasing GDP by 427.4 million and generated 52.5 million in direct and indirect tax revenue, notes the Chamber.
New pricing without much impact
The new pricing model for students coming from outside Quebec, unveiled on October 13, should have little effect on foreign students. It will mainly affect students from other Canadian provinces. Even if precise details on this project remain to come, the press release from the Minister of Higher Education, Pascale Déry, indicates that the main measure will affect Canadian students outside Quebec, whose tuition fees will increase from $9,000 to approximately $17,000 per year, the cost of their education if they enroll in one of the three English-speaking universities. The minimum rate that will be imposed on foreign students will be approximately $20,000 per year. However, this amount is lower than the fees in force at most universities. In addition, students who benefit from an exemption from additional tuition fees, notably French students, are not targeted by the new measures. However, French students represent approximately half of the foreign population in French-speaking universities, and are the third largest group at McGill and Concordia. In addition, non-Quebec students registered in the second cycle in research and in the third cycle will not be affected by these new measures. These students constitute around 50% of foreign students in Quebec universities.
The share of French-speaking universities
The share of French-speaking universities continues to grow. According to recent BCI data, the number of foreign students in Quebec’s three English-speaking universities has decreased very slightly, from 20,598 in 2022 to 20,449 in 2023, due to a stabilization of registrations at McGill and Concordia. But the enrollment of these students in French-speaking universities jumped from 33,723 to 37,600, an increase of 11.5%. This increase is mainly explained by very strong growth outside the metropolis: Laval (15.4%), Sherbrooke (18.5%) and several establishments in the University of Quebec network, in Rimouski (48.9%). ), in Outaouais (40.0%), in Trois-Rivières (34.8%). Result: the share of foreign students enrolled in English-speaking universities continued to decline. From a peak of 44.9% in 2020, their proportion increased to 37.9% in 2022. In 2023, it is now at 35.2%. In Montreal, where English-speaking universities are concentrated, we also observe a reduction. McGill and Concordia, which attracted 56% of foreign students, ahead of the University of Montreal, Polytechnique, HEC, UQAM and ETS, saw their weight drop to 50% in 2022 and to 49% in 2023.