Even if the two levels of government want foreign students to settle permanently, they face major obstacles both in terms of their attraction and their retention. Faced with these “inconsistencies” documented in their new study, the Institut du Québec (IdQ) recommends in particular to accelerate access to permanent immigration for foreign graduates and to include them in future consultations in Quebec.
Nearly half of foreign students admitted by a Quebec university have been refused a study permit by the federal government, note the authors of the document. One of the main reasons given by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) was that “the student was at risk of not returning to his country of origin”.
This reason comes “in direct contradiction” with the objective of retaining them after their graduation, remarks Emna Braham, director general of the IdQ and co-author of the study.
As demonstrated The duty in 2021, the refusal rates of foreign students are higher in Quebec than elsewhere in Canada. They are notably high for African and French-speaking students and for those studying in the regions. The IdQ now notes that this trend has continued in 2021 and 2022: 72% of study permit applications made by students of African origin were refused, “which puts Quebec at a disadvantage, which recruits mainly in this basin”, write the two experts and co-authors of the study.
Today, international students can no longer count on quick access to immigration
Yet the province spends millions of dollars recruiting overseas. In 2021 alone, the government has entered into agreements worth almost six million dollars with various organizations for the “attraction and retention” of international students. “They also organize activities to encourage students to stay once they are there,” recalls Daye Diallo, principal economist at IdQ and co-author of this study. He also cites the I choose Montreal initiative, which is aimed directly at this public. Educational institutions also have their own international seduction operations, adds his colleague in an interview.
“The impact of these investments could, however, be limited by procedures which no longer have their raison d’être”, says Ms.me Braham. The IdQ therefore proposes to eliminate the requirement to return to one’s country of origin when deciding whether or not to accept a study permit application.
A blocked future after studies?
Despite these refusals, the number of study permits has still skyrocketed in Quebec in recent years, going from 37,900 in 2017 to more than 54,000 in 2022. These people have “significant assets”, such as the already recognized by the public authorities. They have lived here, have already adapted, have a network and a diploma that meets Quebec requirements, note the two authors. “It is for all these reasons that they are considered prime candidates,” insists the director of the IdQ.
The time to access permanent residence is also longer here than in the rest of the country. This time, both levels of government are responsible.
On the one hand, Quebec requires work experience of 12 to 18 months after graduation before accessing the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ). This pathway to permanent settlement has also seen an extreme drop in admissions since its last reform.
On the other hand, IRCC takes longer to process applications for permanent residence from Quebec compared to those from other provinces. Those who have studied in Ontario or Alberta, for example, can access the Express Entry program in four months if they meet the criteria. A foreign student in Quebec waits an average of 21 months to see his application for permanent residence succeed.
“Today, foreign students can no longer count on quick access to immigration,” summarizes Mr. Diallo.
This is because the attraction strategy “is not explicitly considered when planning permanent immigration”, note the researchers. In other words, while the target of permanent residents remains the same since 2009, the number of foreign students is on the rise, which creates a “bottleneck”, they call it.
More generally, the authors emphasize the importance of considering temporary immigration in future consultations. They indicate that “temporary residents now constitute the most important part of the flows of new people who settle in Quebec”.
The IdQ therefore recommends that this increase be better taken into account, particularly in the establishment of immigration thresholds, to put an end to some of these “inconsistencies”.