BC takes next steps in bid to stamp out exploitation in education

The Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills of the Canadian province of British Columbia (BC) announced phase 2 of its International Education Framework on July 15.

It builds on Phase 1, which was launched earlier in 2024, and affected public and private degree-granting institutions, as well as private training institutions.

As reported by The PIE News in January, no new approvals for institutions aiming to enrol international students will be issued until 2026 in a move to end “exploitive practices and improve the quality of postsecondary education”.

Phase 1 also included changes around enhanced compliance and enforcement, higher standards for private degree programs, new language requirements for private training institutions and tuition transparency for public postsecondaries.

According to the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE), in 2023, 20% of Canada’s international students studied in the province of BC. This includes more than 217,600 international postsecondary students from more than 150 countries, approximately 111,900 of whom are at public institutions and 105,700 who study at private institutions.

Announced on July 15, Phase 2 builds on the Ministry’s previous measures, and includes changes to the province’s Education Quality Assurance (EQA) designation, which all postsecondary institutions must hold to enrol international students.

These include a requirement that institutions deliver at least 50% of the program in person to international students, that they have staff to support international students and that they are compliant in Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) reporting.

There is also a new Code of Practice for EQA-designated institutions that requires clear and accurate marketing and promotional information, accountability for education agents, tuition transparency, housing assistance, academic supports and measures to support student health and safety.

Many BC institutions are still processing the announcement.

Carolyn Russel, vice president, students, at Vancouver Island University, said she is “excited” for this next phase. “It ensures there’s a consistent experience for international students across the BC postsecondary education sector because this applies to all of us,” she commented.

Russel believes that the measures will “set BC apart” in terms of communicating “the commitment [of the institutions] for students choosing to attend a BC institution.”

Vinnie Nobre is vice president, Canadian Operations of ILSC Education Group, which includes ILSC Language Schools and Greystone College. He also characterises the framework as an “exciting opportunity”.

[The framework] will enhance quality assurance across the international education sector

Angela Johnston, ILAC

“We fully support the government’s commitment to upholding high standards and ensuring a positive experience for all students in the province.”

ILAC Education Group operates International Language Academy of Canada, ILAC International College and Tamwood Languages and Careers in BC. Angela Johnston, VP academic, says ILAC Education Group is “supportive” of the new measures.

“[The framework] will enhance quality assurance across the international education sector and ensure that students who choose Canada as their study destination will receive the quality education they expect.”

Public institutions will see a cap on international student enrollments at 30% of the student body, tuition fee transparency obligations, and a requirement to produce an international education strategic plan.

Increased annual, application and review fees, a labour market alignment requirement for degree programs, and “requirements that institutions manage enrolment in a manner appropriate for their infrastructure, student resources and services” await private degree-granting institutions.

Private training institutions, including language schools registered under the Private Training Act, will also face changes. They will be subject to increased government fees, greater program content standards and increased student protections including more generous refund policies, reduction of maximum terms on contracts and a ban on high-pressure sales and recruitment tactics.

Moving forward, the sector has no shortage of new ideas for the government support of international education in BC.

Johnston sees “increased quality assurance activities and regular site visits to ensure that organisations are operating bona fide institutions” as “key” to the “integrity of the international student program in Canada”.

“Ongoing engagement and consultation are critical to the successful implementation of sector-wide quality standards.”

Students can have that assurance and understanding that the BC postsecondary environment is a destination of choice

Carolyn Russel, Vancouver Island University

Meanwhile, Nobre urged for measures that would “complement the existing framework”, such as “increased collaboration opportunities between public and private institutions, streamlined visa and immigration processes, regular feedback mechanisms from international students and institutions, and support for professional development of educators and staff.”

Although Russel praised the Ministry’s transparency on the international ed file, she said that increased communication with prospective students in the international community around the EQA could be beneficial.

 “Students can have that assurance and understanding that the BC postsecondary environment is a destination of choice for students because it’s there to protect them and protect their experience,” she explained.