The minister told CTV news that Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has some concerns about the volume of international students in Canada and said some provinces have not been doing their job in reining in that number to a more sustainable volume.
For example, in 2022 there were over 800,000 international students in Canada and last year the minister said he expected that number to rise to 900,000 by the end of 2023. This is more than triple the number of international students a decade ago (275,000 in 2012).
Education in Canada, including post-secondary education, is a provincial responsibility. This means that it is up to provincial governments to decide which schools can accept international students as Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs).
The minister said that the DLI model in some provinces is a factor in the high number of international students and that “robust” discussion is needed between the provinces and DLIs, particularly those who are “profiting off the system”.
“There’s a challenge to the integrity of the system,” he said, “and it comes with institutions that have been leveraging the fact there has been this permissive Designated Learning Institution model and getting people outside the country paying a premium dollar to and not necessarily getting the education they were promised.”
When questioned about a potential cap on the number of study permits that IRCC issues each year, the minister said that IRCC was considering it if the provinces do not take appropriate action, but a cap would not be a “one-size-fits-all solution.”
Further, the minister has not confirmed any details surrounding the creation of a limit on the number of study permits issued and last October he told the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration that he was not in favour of a cap as it punishes good actors within the system.
Designated Learning Institutions
If a post-secondary institution such as a college, university, or trade school, wishes to accept international students, they must meet provincial accreditation requirements to become a DLI. Each province’s requirements are different, and some are stricter than others.
According to the official list of DLIs in Canada, there are 529 DLIs in Ontario, the country’s most populous province. Quebec has 443 DLIs, British Columbia has 277 and Alberta has 158. All other provinces have less than 50.
Once a provincial government receives a DLI application and deems that an institution is eligible, the information is submitted to IRCC. The department then assigns the school a DLI number and adds it to the list of official DLIs.
High acceptance rates for international students
Once a school becomes a DLI it can begin issuing Letters of Acceptance (LOAs) to international students. An LOA is a key document in a student’s application for a study permit. The number of international students a DLI may accept is often based on an institution’s ability to provide adequate support.
Throughout the CTV interview, Minister Miller explained that IRCC has been working to “get our own house in order federally.” As part of this, throughout the second half of 2023, IRCC announced new measures to improve the integrity of the International Student program.
For example, DLIs are now required to verify an applicant’s LOA after they apply for a study permit. When an overseas international student submits their application for a study permit, the DLI will receive daily emails as a reminder to verify the applicant’s LOA in an online portal. The DLI must do so within 10 days or the student permit application will be cancelled and returned to the applicant, along with a refund of fees paid for processing costs.
IRCC is also working to launch the Trusted Framework Agreement with DLIs. In September 2023, ICEF reported that under the agreement, institutions that demonstrate they are reliable partners in terms of sustainable intake, compliant with regulations and provide a supportive environment for international students will benefit from expedited permit processing.
IRCC’s proposal for the new Agreement shows that to be eligible to participate DLIs will need to provide data such as:
international student retention rate;
on-time program completion rate;
scholarships awarded to students from less-developed countries;
the percentage of revenue the institution receives from international students; and
the availability of DLI-administered housing for international students.
The proposal shows that the Agreement could come into effect as of Spring 2024 in time for the 2024 academic season.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers placed All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey on injured reserve because of his lingering calf and Achilles tendon injuries.
The move made Saturday means McCaffrey will miss at least four more games after already sitting out the season opener. He is eligible to return for a Thursday night game in Seattle on Oct. 10.
McCaffrey got hurt early in training camp and missed four weeks of practice before returning to the field on a limited basis last week. He was a late scratch for the opener on Monday night against the Jets and now is sidelined again after experiencing pain following practice on Thursday.
McCaffrey led the NFL last season with 2,023 yards from scrimmage and was tied for the league lead with 21 touchdowns, winning AP Offensive Player of the Year.
The Niners made up for McCaffrey’s absence thanks to a strong performance from backup Jordan Mason, who had 28 carries for 147 yards and a touchdown in San Francisco’s 32-19 victory over the New York Jets. Mason is set to start again Sunday at Minnesota.
After missing 23 games because of injuries in his final two full seasons with Carolina, McCaffrey had been healthy the past two seasons.
He missed only one game combined in 2022-23 — a meaningless Week 18 game last season for San Francisco when he had a sore calf. His 798 combined touches from scrimmage in the regular season and playoffs were the third most for any player in a two-year span in the past 10 years.
Now San Francisco will likely rely heavily on Mason, a former undrafted free agent out of Georgia Tech who had 83 carries his first two seasons. He had at least 10 touches just twice before the season opener, when his 28 carries were the most by a 49ers player in a regular-season game since Frank Gore had 31 against Seattle on Oct. 30, 2011.
The Niners also have fourth-round rookie Isaac Guerendo and Patrick Taylor Jr. on the active roster. Guerendo played three offensive snaps with no touches in the opener. Taylor had 65 carries for Green Bay from 2021-23.
San Francisco also elevated safety Tracy Walker III from the practice squad for Sunday’s game against Minnesota.
BRUSSELS – Canada walked away with some hardware at the Diamond League track and field competition Saturday.
Alysha Newman finished third in women’s pole vault, while Marco Arop did the same in the men’s 800-metre race.
Newman won a bronze medal in her event at the recent Paris Olympics. Arop grabbed silver at the same distance in France last month.
Australia’s Nina Kennedy, who captured gold at the Summer Games, again finished atop the podium. Sandi Morris of the United States was second.
Newman set a national record when she secured Canada’s first-ever pole vault medal with a bronze at the Olympics with a height of 4.85 metres. The 30-year-old from London, Ont., cleared 4.80 metres in her second attempt Saturday, but was unable conquer 4.88 metres on three attempts.
Arop, a 25-year-old from Edmonton, finished the men’s 800 metres with a time of one minute 43.25 seconds. Olympic gold medallist Emmanuel Wanyonyi of Kenya was first with a time of 1:42.70.
Djamel Sedjati, edged out by Arop for silver in Paris last month, was second 1:42.87
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 14, 2024.
MILAN (AP) — Bologna’s preparations for its Champions League debut are not going well though it managed to spoil Como’s first Serie A home match in 21 years on Saturday.
Bologna came from two goals down to salvage a 2-2 draw to gather three points from its opening four matches.
Bologna hosts Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday. Its only other appearance in Europe’s top competition was in 1964 in the preliminary round of the old European Cup.
AC Milan is also winless as it prepares for a Tuesday Champions League match against Liverpool. The Rossoneri hosted promoted Venezia later. Juventus drew at Empoli 0-0.
Como made a great start in the fifth minute when Patrick Cutrone attempted to roll the ball across the six-yard box but it took a huge deflection off Bologna defender Nicolò Casale for an own goal.
Bologna thought it was gifted a way back into the match on the stroke of halftime when referee Marco Piccinini signalled for a penalty following an Alberto Moreno handball, but he revoked his decision and instead gave a free kick because the handball was just outside the area.
Bologna improved after the break but found itself further behind when Cutrone raced onto a through ball and cut inside past a defender and fired into the far bottom corner.
Tommaso Pobega hit the post for Bologna, which finally pulled one back in the 76th through substitute Santiago Castro.
Another substitute helped the visitors snatch a point when Samuel Iling-Junior curled a fine strike into the top left corner in stoppage time.
Unbeaten sides
Juventus, and more surprisingly Empoli, are among six unbeaten sides.
Empoli held Monza and Bologna to draws either side of a shock 2-1 win at Roma. Juventus’ perfect start to the season was ruined by Roma in a goalless draw before the international break.
On Saturday, there were few clearcut chances in Empoli although home goalkeeper Devis Vásquez made spectacular saves to fingertip out a Federico Gatti header and deny Dusan Vlahovic in a one on one with the Juventus forward.
Empoli had a good opportunity in the 73rd minute following an Alberto Grassi one-two with Pietro Pellegri but the finish was straight at Mattia Perin.
The host could have won it right at the death but Gatti flew in with a great sliding block to keep out Emanuel Gyasi’s close-range effort.
Juventus hosts PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Tuesday.
