Simply elevating the financial threshold for international students coming to Canada is insufficient, one official of CAUT says.
Simply elevating the financial threshold for international students coming to Canada is insufficient, one official of CAUT says.
The Canadian Association of University Teachers is urging the federal government to take more decisive action in safeguarding international students from fraud and abuse.
The government announced that the financial requirement for international students in Canada will significantly increase to CA$20,635 (approx. US$15,000) effective Jan. 1, 2024. The adjustment, more than double the previous standard of $10,000 set since the early 2000s, aims to ensure that new entrants are financially prepared for the challenges they may face.
The required amount will now be recalculated annually based on the low-income cut-off identified by Statistics Canada, equivalent to 75 percent of LICO for 2024.
The move acknowledges the hurdles international students face, including finding adequate housing and mitigating the impact of inflation on their quality of life.
Immigration Minister Marc Miller said that these changes aim to protect international students from financial vulnerability and exploitation, discouraging illegal employment arrangements.
While CAUT acknowledges the minister’s acknowledgment of the vulnerability of international students to abuse, Executive Director David Robinson said that simply elevating the financial threshold is insufficient.
“Raising the financial threshold of studying in Canada isn’t going to solve the problem,” he said in a press release via Yahoo News. “We need more concrete measures to crack down on misleading and unethical international student recruitment agents and low-quality private educational institutions. They are selling false promises of pathways to permanent residency.”
Highlighting the existing financial strain on international students who already pay five times higher tuition fees than domestic students, Robinson cited Statistics Canada’s data, indicating an average undergraduate tuition of $38,081 for the 2023-24 academic year for international students compared to $7,076 for domestic counterparts.
“Requiring international students to prove they have more money won’t end fraud and abuse,” he said.
“It will impose an additional financial burden on less well-off students and their families and could reduce the socioeconomic diversity of international students in Canada,” Robinson added.
He proposed that the government provide increased financial support to qualified international students from low- and modest-income families to mitigate the impact of the new regulations.
Robinson also noted the responsibility of Canadian universities and colleges, which have become increasingly financially reliant on international students.
He urged these institutions to ensure they have the necessary infrastructure, housing, facilities, services, and staff to adequately support the growing influx of international students. Reports from CAUT members indicated instances of institutions admitting more international students than their capacity allows.
In a related development, Miller also earlier announced the phasing out of the currently uncapped weekly work-hour allowance for international students on April 30, 2024, with plans to set a new work-hour limit under consideration by the department.
In July, CAUT and the Canadian Federation of Students called for substantial improvements to Canada’s International Education Strategy to benefit both international students and the Canadian post-secondary education system.
The organizations stressed the need for enhanced transparency, equity, and improved services for international students.
They highlighted the importance of fostering knowledge, cultural diversity, and understanding through international exchange while asserting that the recruitment of international students should not be driven by financial gain and should be free from discrimination.
“We share the principle that international students should not be subjected to discrimination on any grounds and the recruitment of international students should not be motivated by financial gain,” they stated.
CAUT and CFS also drew attention to the rising enrollment and fees of international students, attributing this trend to insufficient public funding for Canadian universities and colleges. They cautioned against the financial instability of institutions heavily reliant on international student fees, creating economic and social challenges for students and their families.
The organizations proposed specific recommendations for the next five-year plan of international education in Canada, focusing on transparency and accountability, such as establishing standards for information and communication and closing data gaps.
Additionally, they called for improvements in quality and services, including expanding scholarships, streamlining application processes, removing certain provisions from immigration laws, and coordinating efforts to enhance access to essential services.
CAUT and CFS also stressed the urgent need for a national strategy led by Employment and Social Development Canada to ensure high-quality, affordable, and accessible post-secondary education. They cautioned that without such a strategy, the financial and human costs for students, institutions, and education professionals will continue to escalate.
“We urge Global Affairs Canada and the collaborating departments to prioritize improving the quality of experience for international students and enhancing equity and diversity in the renewal of the International Education Strategy.”
