Fanshawe College President Criticizes Canadian Govt’s Handling of International Student Influx

Fanshawe College’s president, Peter Devlin, has criticized the Canadian government for the recent policies addressing the influx of international students in Canada.

The London-based college president disagrees with the government’s response, saying it has used a “sledgehammer” to deal with the increasing number of international students in the country, Erudera.com reports.

“I’m disappointed that the minister chose a sledgehammer instead of a scalpel to deal with the problem of bad actors and housing.Tools were available, including the allocation of study visas to quality schools like Fanshawe, and having institutions provide a letter of attestation for individual international students,” Peter Devlin told media, pointing out he did not believe such drastic measures were about to be taken.

Fanshawe College has over 6,500 international students from more than 100 countries around the world, across all its campuses. The college offers over 220 programs, including over 50 post-graduate certificates.

Last week, the Canadian government announced a new cap on study permits for international students. It said the number of approved study permits will be capped at 360,000 this year, which is a decrease of 35 percent over 2023.

Moreover, Canada will no longer grant post-graduate work permits to international students with study permits at privately-owned institutions. This change comes into effect as of September 1, 2024.

“Starting September 1, 2024, international students who begin a study program that is part of a curriculum licensing arrangement will no longer be eligible for a post­graduation work permit upon graduation,” a statement from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) reads.

Announcing the changes, Immigration Minister Marc Miller highlighted the importance of international students for Canada, saying that these measures aim to protect the lucrative education system, which has opened the path for abuse.

“Enough is enough. Through the decisive measures announced today, we are striking the right balance for Canada and ensuring the integrity of our immigration system while setting students up for the success they hope for,” Miller stressed.

The University of British Columbia (UBC) also reacted to these changes, saying that Canada must remain a top study destination for international students. The institution said it will continue cooperating with the government and IRCC on the matter.

Canada is one of the countries attracting the most international students, mainly due to its low tuition fees and opportunities for work, especially after graduation. Last year, it was the chosen destination for more than one million international students.

Photograph: ⁦Fanshawe College ⁩London Commencement Ceremony

Source: Official Twitter account of Fanshawe College's president, Peter Devlin, posted on Nov 7, 2023