(Quebec) The University of Quebec raises a “yellow orange flag” in the face of the intentions of Minister Jean-François Roberge who wants to limit the number of foreign students. The Fédération des cégeps is concerned about the “vagueness” surrounding the implementation of the government’s aims.
Posted at 4:57 p.m.
CEGEPs and universities cautiously welcome Bill 74 tabled Thursday by the Minister of Immigration. Jean-François Roberge gives himself significant powers to limit the number of foreign students in Quebec, but does not set a reduction target.
“For us, it is the yellow-orange flag that is raised, we obviously have important concerns,” argued the president of the University of Quebec, Alexandre Cloutier.
The University of Quebec has worked very hard in recent years to increase the number of international students, the French-speaking network was still behind the English-speaking network.
Alexandre Cloutier, president of the University of Quebec
Mr. Cloutier believes that the minister’s bill could have a multitude of negative effects if these new powers are misused by the government. “It can have impacts on the vitality of certain programs, on research, on regional development or on employment and […] even on our agreements with international partners,” listed the president.
Worried about the reaction, particularly in the regions, the Minister of Immigration promised to spare programs essential to the survival of CEGEPs and universities. The government’s intention is to better control the arrival of foreign students in Quebec, according to several criteria such as regional realities and labor needs.
Read “Foreign students: Quebec wants to clean up, without harming the regions”
On Thursday, the minister also said that language will also be considered. “It’s not about attacking the English-speaking network, not at all. However, it may be an element that will be considered, namely in what language the program is given,” said the minister.
Concordia University responded in an email to The Press that “the growth in the number of foreign students is seen more in French-speaking universities, in part due to government funding granted for international recruitment that English-speaking universities do not receive.”
The devil in the details
The devil is in the details, they told The Press several players in the field. “Basically, for us, it’s the [mise en application] which raises questions, as to what happens next, it remains a gray area,” indicated the president and CEO of the Fédération des cégeps, Marie Montpetit.
We hear the minister say that he wants to reduce the number of international students, so what is the nature of this reduction, what is the extent of the reduction and how it will be done. These questions remain.
Marie Montpetit, President and CEO of the Fédération des cégeps
The story is similar with the Regroupement des cégeps en region. “The minister tells us that he wants to protect the regions, well once he says it, it must be reflected in the bill,” underlined President Sylvain Gaudreault, who demands that the minister’s power be tag. Quebec gives itself the possibility of proceeding by decree.
The Association of Private Colleges of Quebec, which brings together subsidized establishments, fears for its part of being penalized by the group while the government wants to tighten the screws on private colleges which have developed “a kind of business plan to sell permanent residence”.
At a press conference, Mr. Roberge spoke of “slippages” citing the case of a private college – which he did not name – which “saw its clientele of foreign students increase […] by 1392%” in less than two years.
The number of foreign students with a valid study permit exploded in Quebec from 2014 to 2023, going from 50,000 to 120,000, an increase of 140%.
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