Files from The Canadian Press
Georgian College President Kevin Weaver says he is disappointed the federal government has introduced a two-year cap on international students without consultation to understand "the far reaching and damaging impacts that will follow."
Ottawa announced on Monday that new visas for international students will be slashed by more than one-third as the federal government tries to slow a rapid increase in temporary residents that has put immense pressure on Canada's housing system.
In Ontario, the cut could be more than 50 per cent.
"At Georgian, we are concerned about what the cap will mean for students, local employers and our communities," said Weaver in an statement on Thursday. "Governments must work together and meaningfully consult with public colleges and students to ensure the implementation of new measures does not have unintended consequences.
Weaver added that international students are valued contributors to the region's classrooms, communities and economy. He said Georgian was truly a global college with about 6,300 of 12,488 full-time students in total at its seven campuses coming from 86 countries.
"Many will stay after graduation to build a life in Canada. The only way we’ve been able to deliver the labour force and programs that our communities and employers rely on was to increase international enrolment, especially given the pressures facing some of our rural and northern communities in Central Ontario. Without access to that critical talent pipeline, their organizations just can’t compete and their continued operation is jeopardized," he warned.
Immigration Minister Marc Miller has said the two-year cap will give federal and provincial governments time to tackle problems in the student visa system that have allowed some bad actors to take advantage of high international student tuition while providing a poor education.
"It's a bit of a mess," he said. "It's time to rein it in."
More than 900,000 foreign students had visas to study in Canada last year and more than half of them had newly issued permits. That's more than three times the number 10 years ago
