Students at private Quebec Colleges able to resume classes

For many students attending three private Quebec colleges, that all recently requested creditor protection, hope has returned.

Montreal’s M College in LaSalle, CDE College in Sherbooke and CCSQ, which has campuses in Longueuil and Sherbooke – have now reopened.

This comes about a year after the schools were suspended for “questionable” recruitment practices of students in India. Many international students were the left in the lurch, uncertain about their future and were down more than $15,000 in tuition – while some were just on the verge of graduation.

READ MORE: Students demanding refunds as private Quebec colleges unexpectedly close

“Personally, I’m so happy because we had suffered a lot from the last three months,” said Harinder Singh, a student at M College. “We protested on the roads in downtown Montreal, or we had to approach the government for legal actions. So finally, we get the rights, so we are so happy.”

Several protests were organized over the last few weeks in Montreal and Brampton Ontario, with students calling on the schools to let their education continue and process completion letters or refunds.

And now that a prospective buyer of the schools was found students are now getting what they want.

“From the 21st of March… it has been begun and the online classes are up there to the summer session,” said Singh.

READ MORE: Down thousands in tuition, students hope private Quebec colleges will resume classes with new buyers

“They’ll be able to finish their studies and that will help them in the near future as well,” added Harleen Kaur, former M College Student & Montreal Youth Student Organization.

Kaur is one of those students whose lives can move on – now that she received her completion letter from M College. Turning her student visa into a work permit. She credits the protests for getting this done.

“The more united we stand, the best decisions we get in our lives.”

But uncertainty remains for the Indian students who never made it to Canada to study because their visas were rejected – since the schools were under creditor protection.

Lawyers for the students are working with Immigration Canada to set up a streamlined process to review the previous denial of student visas…while others are hoping for refunds.

“We are waiting for the decision by courts to tell us what will be the final decision for the students that are in India. Will they be pursuing their studies or will they be getting the specific amount back?” wonder Kaur.

As for those in Canada, morale has been boosted and a win declared, now that school is back in session.

“It’s entirely a drastic change now. They are happy, they congratulate each and everyone.”