Dear Minister Miller:
On behalf of Colleges Ontario, I write to express our strong objection to the federal government's decision to end automatic work permits for international students attending Ontario's public colleges. We appreciate the policy objective of improving alignment of programs of study with labour market needs. However, the policy implementation in fact jeopardizes Ontario's ability to meet pressing labour market needs.
Among their many contributions to Ontario's workforce, Ontario's public colleges:
- Have over 20,000 nursing students currently enrolled
- Graduate 50 per cent of Ontario's STEM undergraduates
- Are the largest pipeline of skilled trades talent
All Ontarians rely on college graduates.
Ontario's public college graduates are integral to solving well known and pressing labour shortages in health care, childcare, automotive, dental care, skilled trades, transportation, construction, energy, manufacturing and more. They are also key in regional and local industries - mining, agri-business, tourism, hospitality, aviation - among many others. Colleges Ontario therefore urges meaningful consultation with the province as a national approach will certainly miss important economic drivers. Simply put, this policy undercuts the availability of workers who sustain Ontario's economy and prosperity.
Over the past many months, Colleges Ontario proactively provided IRCC with our thoughts on proposed solutions to build stronger pathways for international students to study in the skilled trades. We had hoped to work together on solutions. Minister Boissonnault specifically called out the dramatic skilled trades shortages. This IRCC policy shift does nothing to address this pressing need. Ending work opportunities will exacerbate labour shortages, stall economic growth and damage the province's ability to compete globally.
This decision also disregards Ontario's dire need for health care professionals. Last year, over 1,800 international students enrolled in PSW programs, and nearly 1,000 studied to become practical nurses critical workers in Ontario's health care system. More than 4,500 international students are enrolled in early childhood education programs, a key group that helps meet Ontarians childcare needs. Without them, these sectors will face further strain, making it harder for Ontarians to find affordable childcare and health care close to home.
In the case of degrees - for example nursing degrees - quality criteria are actively regulated by the province. A student in a college nursing degree must meet exactly the same accreditation criteria as a student in a university nursing degree. So why would a student in a college degree program not qualify for the same work permit as a student in a university program?
Every Ontarian will be impacted by this policy choice.
We are very concerned about the lack of consultation with provinces and the use of national labour market information to inform what local employers need.
We urge the federal government to work collaboratively with the province to ensure that the needs of Ontarians are taken into consideration under this new work permit system.
Yours very truly,
Marketa Evans, President and CEO
