The Quebec government wants to limit the number of temporary foreign students on its territory.
Quebec Immigration, Francization and Integration Minister Jean-François Roberge tabled a bill on this Thursday at the National Assembly.
Quebec also wants to give itself the power to set the number of applications from foreign students based on the region, level of study, educational institution or study program.
In a press release, the government says 24 per cent of non-permanent residents are foreign students.
“The number of foreign students who have a valid study permit in Quebec increased by 140 per cent between 2014 and 2023, from just over 50,000 to nearly 120,000 people,” it indicated.
The Legault government has been constantly insisting that the number of temporary immigrants in Quebec must be reduced.
“The arrival of foreign students stimulates research and innovation and contributes in particular to the influence of Quebec educational institutions and the viability of several cohorts in the regions. Their presence, like that of other non-permanent residents, however, raises issues in terms of the availability of housing and public services,” the press release continues.
In a statement to CityNews, Concordia University says they’ve seen a nearly 16 per cent decrease in international student enrollment for this year.
“Now that the bill has been tabled, we hope that the government will consult with universities and consider each specific situation,” the statement reads. “As we’ve said repeatedly last fall, we believe international students bring tremendous contributions to Quebec’s economy and society and that they are among the best candidates to stay and integrate in the province.”
McGill University says they won’t be commenting on the bill as of Thursday morning.
This summer, Quebec announced a six-month suspension of the temporary foreign worker program for low-wage jobs in Montreal.
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews