Canada has become the most popular country in the world for international students. But some experts believe that to attract them, Ottawa is implementing measures that are a little too “catchy”.
The student recruitment firm IDP Connect just completed a flattering poll for Canada, report it Vancouver Sun. : 39% of the 3,650 international students surveyed, from 55 countries, make it their favorite destination for pursuing their post-secondary studies. The US and UK are the top choice for 17% of respondents and Australia for 16% of them. Entitled New Horizons, the study ofIDP Connect precise :
A majority of students who choose Canada as their first option appreciate the possibility of working part-time during their studies (72 %), moderate tuition fees (66 %) and the cost of living (64 %)”.
Red carpet for foreign students
By considering international students as prime candidates for immigration, “Ottawa took the opposite direction of other countries during the pandemic and allowed study visa holders to apply for taxpayer-funded programs such as the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit,” highlighted journalist Douglas Todd in the Vancouver Sun.. And Salvatore Babones, professor of sociology at the University of Sydney, specialist in international education, is surprised by this initiative:
This is a strange decision because most of these students must demonstrate their ability to support themselves financially before obtaining a study visa. ”
In addition, adds Douglas Todd, “Canada has taken the rare decision to remove the limit on the number of international students who can work in Canada. A cap of 20 hours per week was reinstated on August 30, 2020, but it includes the right to work full time during half-yearly breaks ”. The country has also started allowing study visa holders to return to the country in October 2020.
Too many privileges ?
The Director of Settlement Services of the British Columbia Immigrant Services Society of BCChris Friesen says daily that the Canadian public does not know why the country’s policy has been changed to prioritize international students. He calls for the establishment of a commission of inquiry to determine whether Canadians would be prepared to accept that these students, who came from “Favored circles” in their country of origin, are privileged when it comes to obtaining permanent resident status.
The Canadian Bureau for International Education signals that 530,540 international students chose to study in Canada in 2020. More than half of them were from India or China.
Martin Gauthier
–
Source
Launched in April 2016 and intended for French expatriates and candidates for expatriation, Courrier Expat offers information drawn from the international press on the professional and personal environment of French people living abroad, on the
[…]
Read more –
