The Immigration Minister of Canada, Marc Miller, expressed concerns about the integrity of the education system that caters to hundreds of thousands of international students, rather than just focusing on the housing pressures they create, in an interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Miller revealed that Canada is expecting to admit 900,000 international students this year, which is a record-breaking number and almost three times the figures from a decade ago.
Miller stated that the university ecosystem that attracts foreign students has become highly profitable, but it has also led to negative consequences, such as fraud within the system. Some individuals are exploiting the perceived loophole to gain entry into Canada. Both private and public universities generate annual revenue between C$20 and C$30 billion ($14.7 to $22.1 billion) from international students, which contributes to its popularity as a study destination, as obtaining a work permit is relatively easy.
While acknowledging that some individuals benefit from this system legitimately, Miller expressed concerns regarding the integrity of the overall system. He specifically highlighted the private colleges that have proliferated in various parts of Canada, rather than public universities.
The opposition Conservative Party has repeatedly criticized Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government for its failure to address the housing crisis caused by the influx of international students. The housing minister recently mentioned the possibility of implementing a cap on the number of students admitted each year as a measure to alleviate the housing shortage. However, Miller expressed skepticism about this solution, stating that it alone would not resolve the issue.
The conversion rate between Canadian dollars and US dollars is 1.3602 to 1.
Reporting by Steve Scherer; editing by Grant McCool
Credit: The Star : News Feed
