Quebec wants to limit the number of international students in the province

The Quebec government wants to limit the number of temporary foreign students on its territory.

Quebec Immigration, Francization and Integration Minister Jean-François Roberge tabled a bill on this Thursday at the National Assembly.

Quebec also wants to give itself the power to set the number of applications from foreign students based on the region, level of study, educational institution or study program.

“We will reduce the numbers with some criteria that are well chosen,” Roberge said at a press conference Thursday. “We don’t want to reduce just to reduce. We don’t want to say, okay, let’s cut and discuss after. We [will[ discuss first, and if we need some students coming from other countries, well, they will still continue to go here in Quebec. So we didn’t today take any decision, but to increase our agility.”

In a press release, the government says 24 per cent of non-permanent residents are foreign students.

“The number of foreign students who have a valid study permit in Quebec increased by 140 per cent between 2014 and 2023, from just over 50,000 to nearly 120,000 people,” it indicated.

Premier Legault had previously said this is partly due to certain private colleges he said were “abusing the system” and charging tens of thousands of dollars to those hoping for permanent residency.

“The growth in the number of international students in Quebec has really gone up as the figures demonstrate,” said Dolores Chew, an educator and community activist. “But I don’t believe this legislation really addresses some of the concerns, for example, the allegation that there’s fraud being committed by certain institutions that are sort of fly-by-night and they kind of bring in foreign students.

“Because I feel if that’s the case, then you deal with that particular issue and you don’t have a kind of blanket clamping down on foreign students,” she added.

In Ottawa, federal immigration minister Marc Miller on Thursday said he was able to quickly glance at the legislation.

“We’ve said that we’ll work with him on making sure that the integrity of their education system is preserved. It requires some help from us, but they’re taking action. We’ll just have to work with them to see that it works,” he said.

The Legault government has been constantly insisting that the number of temporary immigrants in Quebec must be reduced.

“The arrival of foreign students stimulates research and innovation and contributes in particular to the influence of Quebec educational institutions and the viability of several cohorts in the regions. Their presence, like that of other non-permanent residents, however, raises issues in terms of the availability of housing and public services,” the press release continues.

This summer, Quebec announced a six-month suspension of the temporary foreign worker program for low-wage jobs in Montreal.

“We saw how the so-called newcomers were providing services our Premier called them guardian angels and then after the pandemic, now they’re a problem, they’re creating lack of housing, they are flooding our institutions,” said Chew.

Last fall, Quebec decided to increase tuition for out-of-province students by 33 per cent to reduce the number of non-French speaking students from other provinces who attend English universities like Concordia and McGill.

“The government has a duty to promote and ensure the vitality of the French language, of course, and to do everything in its power to reverse the decline that we know now,” Roberge said.

In a statement to CityNews, Concordia University says they’ve seen a nearly 16 per cent decrease in international student enrollment for this year.  

“Now that the bill has been tabled, we hope that the government will consult with universities and consider each specific situation,” the statement reads. “As we’ve said repeatedly last fall, we believe international students bring tremendous contributions to Quebec’s economy and society and that they are among the best candidates to stay and integrate in the province.”

The Université de Montréal welcomes 13,000 international students yearly.

A spokesperson for the university says in a statement: “The study of this new bill will be an opportunity for the Université de Montréal to reiterate to the government that the contribution of international students is crucial to Quebec in many ways. They help open the horizons of Quebec students, who are confronted with otherness, new cultures, and new ways of seeing the world. These encounters contribute to the personal enrichment of both local students and the university community. International students, particularly graduate students, are also vital to research and innovation in Quebec.”

McGill University says in their own statement said: “As Minister Roberge recognized in his press conference today, international students are a vital asset for Quebec. The unique experiences and background they bring to our universities enrich the learning environment for all students, including Quebecers. International students help strengthen Quebec’s competitive position in the knowledge economy, provide highly skilled talent for the workforce and help attract business to Quebec. During their studies, they also make a significant contribution to the local economy.”

“I don’t think it’s the end of the world right now on those universities,” said Roberge. “So everybody should analyze this carefully and I don’t think they have to be afraid. Let’s discuss together how we can do it in the best ways.”

–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews