B.C. blocks new colleges seeking to enrol international students

By The Canadian Press on January 29, 2024.

SURREY, B.C. – British Columbia’s Minister of Post-Secondary Education Selina Robinson says no new institutions will be allowed to enrol international students for two years.

Robinson also says the province is setting minimum language requirements so international students are “better prepared” before coming to B.C.

She says in a release that many students are being exploited and there will be more frequent inspections on such schools to ensure standards are met.

The moves come after the federal government announced last week that it was capping the number of study permits it approves over the next two years to slow the ballooning international student program.

Immigration Minister Marc Miller said the limit would reduce the number of new student visas by 35 per cent for this year.

The student program has grown significantly, including a 31 per cent jump to more than 800,000 students in 2022 from the year before, putting added strain on Canada’s housing market.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 29, 2024.

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