Quebec is a hub for international students. It is a place where there are many outstanding colleges. Every year, thousands of international students apply to these colleges to pursue their higher studies. However, the situation is different in 2021.
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Why is that so?
Quebec has stopped receiving receipts and processing study permit applications under the foreign student program as of now. The Quebec government has issued a list of 10 learning institutions that cannot process and accept study permit applications from international students until further notice.
Quebec shuts down applications for ten colleges
The Quebec government made the formal announcement on December 30. They declared that around ten colleges are under investigation. The Ministry of Higher Education (MES) has been stated on the Ministry of Immigration, Francisation, and Integration (MIFI) website. The statement says that the government is auditing ten colleges due to several reasons. They have not yet disclosed the reasons in detail. But we can assume that the reasons are grave, so the government is not ready to take any risk as of now.
The Quebec government has issued the list of colleges where international students cannot submit applications under the foreign student program until completing the investigation. Once the investigation results are out, the government will decide if these ten colleges can accept or process new international students’ applications.
Here are the ten colleges where international students cannot apply for pursuing their higher studies.
Montréal Campus of Cégep de la Gaspésie et des Îles.
Institut supérieur d’informatique (ISI)
M College of Canada
CDE College
Institut supérieur d’informatique (ISI)
Universel College – Gatineau Campus
Canada College inc.
Collège CDI
Herzing College (Institute)
Matrix College of Management, Technology, and Healthcare
How long will international students have to wait?
International students will have to wait until March 31, 2021. The suspension is valid until that date.The suspended ten colleges are not happy with the government’s decision, but they cannot do anything. They can only hope and pray that the government does not get disturbing facts about these colleges in their investigation.
The results of the investigation are not in favor of the colleges. Then we can only assume that a tough time awaits for them. We do not know what the government will decide if they find that these colleges have broken the laws.
What about the present international students?
Fortunately, the government has spared the international students who are already studying in these colleges. They can continue with their studies and classes in these learning institutions. All they need to show is theQuebec Acceptance Certificate and study permit.
The government has acted wisely and made a rational decision to keep the current international students’ condition in mind.
Challenges continue for international students in Canada
2020 was a disaster for international students due to various reasons. Apart from health hazards, international students faced several problems worldwide due to the social distancing protocol.
Millions of international students went back home after the pandemic started taking innumerable lives all across the world. The condition of the students who could not go back home was the worst. They had to leave their dorm rooms and look for rental apartments.
With no job and money, international students did not have anywhere to go. Torn between life and career, international students went through financial and emotional turmoil throughout 2020.
The situation started changing for the better from October 2020. It was the month when the Canadian government allowed several colleges to welcome international students again. International students sigh relief. They could finally get rid of online classes and enjoy in-person classes with their mentors. Furthermore, the Canadian government introduced new immigration policies for international students to revive the frail economy.
First, colleges can reopen and welcome international students after getting permission from the provincial or territorial government. They have to produce the Covid-19 readiness plan and substantiate the following points.
1. Colleges have done the required infrastructural changes to help international students study while maintaining pandemic protocols.
2. Colleges have made accommodation arrangements for international students to spend their quarantine period.
Second, international students can work in Canada after completing their higher studies. They can set up their business and be financially stable.
Canada is one of those countries that has understood the plight of international students and cooperated with them. Unlike many other countries, they have handled the pandemic situation quite well. Indeed, international students are still suffering due to the pandemic and the suspension of the ten colleges in Quebec. But we can hope that the situation will turn in their favor in 2021.
There is still a ray of hope
The Quebec government has allowed international students to start working while processing the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP).
The government has made it clear that only those students whose Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) has expired on December 31, 2020, are eligible for working in Quebec. The study permit of most of these students has expired during the pandemic. The government gave an automatic extension to those students. Now they can start working and establish their career in Quebec.
The government allowed many of these students to apply for the PGWP even though they did not have the documents to prove that they had finished their undergraduate program.
We must acknowledge that the cubic government has cooperated with international students as much as they can.
International students have to apply forImmigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada in 2020 with the following details.
1. Reasons why international students are submitting incomplete application forms.
2. Changes that they have encountered in their studies during the pandemic.
3. The fact that the government has extended their CAQ due to the pandemic.
Conclusion
International students and the suspended colleges are eagerly waiting for the completion of the investigation. They are hoping that the government is satisfied with the way they are operating during the pandemic. If the government is satisfied, we can expect that international students can submit new applications from April 2021.
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