British Columbia’s Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills has recently introduced new measures to enhance the integrity of the province’s international student program. According to a ministry release, these measures include new protections and elevated standards for designated learning institutions (DLIs), notably through the Education Quality Assurance (EQA) code of practice.
The EQA has three main objectives, one of which is to limit international student enrollment to 30% of the total student body at public DLIs in B.C. This restriction does not affect private DLIs. A ministry representative informed CIC News that many of B.C.’s 25 public post-secondary institutions already have international student enrollments below this percentage.
When questioned about the relationship between the 30% cap and the provincial limit on international students set by the number of Provincial Attestation Letters (PALs) issued, the ministry did not provide specific details. However, they emphasized that the allocation of PALs supports international student programs at public DLIs. Ministry staff will assist institutions in adjusting their recruitment strategies to meet this target while managing financial impacts. Institutions will utilize their international education strategic plans, as outlined in the new guidelines, to achieve this threshold.
For 2024, British Columbia has been allocated 83,000 PALs, which confirm a student’s acceptance to a DLI. This allocation is part of a new step introduced by Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) following the announcement of a cap on study permits processed over the next two years. The number of PALs each province receives is based on its population, with British Columbia being Canada’s third most populous province. In 2024, 53% of B.C.’s PALs will be issued to public post-secondary institutions and 47% to private ones.
Additionally, DLIs in B.C. will be required to publish tuition fees for the entire duration of a student’s program, helping incoming students budget for their education and life in Canada. International students significantly contribute to Canada’s economy, with spending amounting to over $37 billion in 2022. In the 2023/2024 academic year, international undergraduate students paid an average tuition of $38,081, and B.C. hosts 111,900 international students in public institutions.
To meet EQA standards, institutions must adhere to provincial quality assurance standards, develop international education strategic plans, enhance student services, provide housing support, and ensure that Indigenous and domestic students are not displaced. These standards build on the International Framework Measures introduced last January, which included pausing the growth of new DLIs, increasing oversight of private institutions, and strengthening compliance and enforcement actions. The province considers these new measures as Phase 2.
Institutions that comply with the EQA code will receive an EQA designation, allowing them to accept international students. Those that do not meet the standards will lose this designation and the ability to enroll international students.
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