Add StudioX as a preferred source on GoogleManitoba has asked the federal government to reconsider immigration policies that affect international students coming to Canada, according to a report by the Brandon Sun. The province says it needs these students to meet its labour-market demands.
Advanced Education Minister Renee Cable made the comments at Assiniboine College’s fall graduation ceremony in Brandon. The Brandon Sun reports she also pointed to the contribution newcomers make to communities.
Minister points to skilled trades and graduate programs
Cable said she is hopeful the Carney government will revisit a number of its immigration decisions. She singled out students who come to Canada for skilled trades and graduate programs.
“We know that our labour market needs them,” she said, adding that communities are richer when they are more diverse.
She said the province’s approach will include continuing talks with Ottawa, particularly about international students who can help ease labour shortages.
Assiniboine College sees fewer graduates
The Brandon Sun reports that the drop in international students is becoming more visible at colleges and universities across the country, as institutions adjust to changes in federal immigration policy.
Assiniboine College president Mark Frison said the effect is already showing up in graduation numbers. A couple of years ago, the college had more than 3,000 graduates a year. It is now heading closer to 2,000, he said.
Frison said fewer international students means lower overall enrolment and, in turn, fewer graduates. He described federal immigration policy as a challenge for post-secondary institutions, which have traditionally relied on international enrolment as one part of their student population.
Financial pressure on institutions
Asked whether the reduction in international students is affecting the finances of post-secondary institutions, Cable answered “Absolutely.”
She said the provincial government has been working closely with Manitoba’s colleges and universities to help keep them financially stable. Cable described the funding as consistent, reliable and predictable, with increases every year since her government took office and record amounts going to institutions.
The province intends to keep working with colleges and universities as they deal with changing enrolment patterns, she said.
Cable also argued that education matters beyond jobs and the economy. An educated population is more productive, she said, and it helps protect things people rely on, such as a strong democratic system.
For Manitoba, she said, the goal is for immigration and post-secondary education policies to recognize the province’s need for skilled workers while protecting the financial health of its colleges and universities.
Source: Brandon Sun
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