80% of Int'l Students in Quebec May Need to Master Intermediate French, Reports Say

The Canadian province of Quebec is planning to change tuition fees for university students and make it mandatory for international students to master intermediate French by the time they graduate, local media reports say.

The Legault government is considering implementing an increase in tuition fees for students from other Canadian provinces, Erudera.com reports.

At the same time, it wants to lower fees for students from France and Belgium and potentially those from Switzerland, according to a report by La Presse. The intention, as reported, is to attract more French speakers to Quebec.

The idea now is for all these students to pay $2,880 annually, like Quebec students, which is almost a 70 percent reduction. These changes are being considered as part of the new university funding policy development led by the Minister of Higher Education, Pascale Déry.

The same source notes that the government is also planning to ask English universities to assist at least 80 percent of their students, including those from other Canadian provinces and international students, in achieving an intermediate level of French language before completing their studies.

Available data indicate that 16,000 French students enrolled at universities in Quebec during the 2019/20 academic year, accounting for one-third of all international students.

Every year, about 60,000 international students study in Quebec, home to more than 700 prestigious university centers. There are over 3,000 university programs offered in the province, half of which are at the master’s and PhD levels, the government states on its website.

The number of international students in Quebec has doubled in the past decade. As of December 2022, Quebec universities hosted 58,675 international students, 10,000 more than a year earlier.

Most recently, the Canadian government announced stricter immigration measures affecting international students. From January 1, 2024, the cost-of-living requirement for international students applying for study permits will no longer be $10,000.

“The cost-of-living requirement for study permit applicants has not changed since the early 2000s, when it was set at $10,000 for a single applicant. As such, the financial requirement hasn’t kept up with the cost of living over time, resulting in students arriving in Canada only to learn that their funds aren’t adequate,” Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada said in a statement.

Under the new IRCC rules, international students will need to prove they have $20,635 in funds to cover their living expenses in Canada.

Canada is among the most popular study destinations for international students, along with the US, the UK, and Australia. Last year, the country welcomed over 550,000 international students from 184 countries.

Over the past ten years, the number of international students in Canada has almost tripled, reaching more than 800,000 last year, according to official data.

International students contribute more than $22 billion annually to the Canadian economy.

>> Canada: Advocate Warns of Potential Decrease in Int'l Students Following Raised Income Requirement

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