The Canadian government has urged universities and colleges to broaden their scope for international student recruitment beyond India, which is currently the largest source of students for study permits. This comes as part of a new strategy to increase diversity in the student body and reduce dependency on one country.
“I would say universities and colleges have been going to one or two source countries and constantly going back to the well on that, and we expect the diversity of students,” Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Marc Miller, said during a recent interaction in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), as reported by Hindustan Times.
While recognising India as an important contributor of international students, Miller emphasised that universities should seek a more balanced approach in their recruitment efforts. “That doesn’t mean that Indian students aren’t some of the best and brightest,” he acknowledged. “Indeed, (as) one of the largest populations in the world, you would expect students to come from India,” he added.
Encouraging global talent diversity
Miller has asked educational institutions to “put a little more effort into the price of acquisition” and to “invest more in the talent that you’re bringing here,” urging them to expand their reach to more countries. “And that is a message that is ongoing as universities and colleges are asked to not only rebrand but change their pitch to attract people from around the world from different countries,” he said, according to a video shared by Prime Asia TV, as per the HT report. However, Miller also noted, “There will always be some students from India,” recognising its continued role in the Canadian student demographic.
Focus on quality over quantity
In addition to diversifying the source countries of international students, Miller stated that Canada’s focus should be on maintaining the country’s reputation for excellence in education. “I think we need to make sure that the Canadian brand does focus on excellence, on quality and less quantity,” he emphasised.
Immigration policy on irregular students and post-graduate work permits
On the immigration front, Miller made it clear that Canada would not adopt the same stance as the US administration under Donald Trump on illegal immigration. “We will not be doing what the Administration of US President Donald Trump is doing with regard to illegal immigrants,” Miller was quoted as clarifying.
However, he did stress that students in Canada without the legal right to stay, including those whose post-graduate work permits (PGWPs) are expiring, will be required to leave. “If you are here in an irregular fashion and don’t have a right to stay, you need to leave or you will be removed,” he stated, as per the news report.
This is especially pertinent as tens of thousands of international students with expiring PGWPs will lose their immigration status unless they transition to permanent residency or other visa categories. “It will mean people’s hopes will be dashed to an extent,” Miller acknowledged. He also described this as a “rough ride” for both the government and the international students affected. Ottawa is closely monitoring the situation, which is expected to be a challenging period for many international students in Canada.
Ongoing monitoring of student status
Miller’s comments underscore the government’s active monitoring of the expiring PGWPs issue, a situation that could see many students having to leave the country if they cannot secure permanent residency or alternative visas.
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