“Systemic differences”, “often arbitrary” decisions: the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration does not go beyond to denounce the “high” rejection rate of study permit applications submitted by African-speaking students of French.
This committee has just made public, without a glimpse, a report that slaps the fingers of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). A list of 35 recommendations was made to assess the recruitment and acceptance of foreign students, mainly in Quebec.
As Radio-Canada explained last fall, rejection rates for these study permits, issued by Ottawa, have jumped in Quebec in recent years.
The proportion of rejection, for students from Algeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Togo, Senegal or Cameroon can approach or exceed 80%.
Composed of elected officials from all political drawings, this federal committee asked, from 1eh February to 1eh in March, more than 30 witnesses, including Immigration Minister Sean Fraser.
Ng many barriers for foreign students
This report confirms many barriers met these French-speaking African students who wanted to study French in Quebec or at a French-speaking institution in another Canadian province.
” While citizens of the African continent may play a role in sustaining Francophone communities in Quebec and the rest of Canada, students from Africa find it difficult to study in the country. “
These students may be tempted to go elsewhere, such as France, which competes fiercely with Canada to attract French -speaking studentsunderline this report while triggering concrete consequences of this fact.
For their establishment, Admitting foreign students provides greater financial assistance and, in some cases, ensures their safety in certain regions..
” The shortage of international students was felt by the host community as well as by students in Canada, who may not have access to some programs due to enrollment problems. “
How do we explain this high rate of decline? Decisions of visa officialsIRCC can be tainted by racial prejudiceIs it written in this report, which also reminds the employees ofIRCC such problems have been reported.
The publication of data on the results of anti-racism and anti-oppression training conducted by the ministry should be done, this committee suggests, also asking Immigration Canada to provide a detailed plan […] to promote the achievement of Francophone immigration goals and to address the labor shortage in Canada, including Quebec.
A guidance should also be sent to all Canadian visa offices to remind them the obligations of the federal government in relation to Francophone immigrationwe mentioned.
This report also asks questions IRCC to review the criteria for a program for students from Nigeria and to re-evaluate their financial needs.
Currently, to get to Canada, citizens of this country must show that they have the equivalent of $ 30,000 Canadian in their bank account, compared to $ 10,000 for students from other countries.
Chinook System Verification and Monitoring
Used to process Immigration Canada study permit applications, the Chinook computer system is also in the sight of this committee, which wants moreinformation and more on aninaw about this software.
Criticized by some experts and elected officials in recent months, Chinook was implemented in March 2018 by the Federal Department of Immigration to analyze the files and expedite their processing.
Some witnesses expressed concerns about the use of Chinook, a computer program used […] to display a series of requests and related documents on one screencan we read in this report.
If Chinook cannot, on its own, make decisions and refuse requeststhe elected members of this permanent committee believe that the functions of this software can have an influence on decisions, and this, without the knowledge ofIRCC.
So, for example, no algorithm impact analysis has not yet been made, we can read in this document, which says the validation by Chinook of a third party and the independent monitoring of this tool.
When questioned by Radio-Canada, Minister Sean Fraser’s office soberly indicated that it had heeded these recommendations.
We will review the report and file an official response at a later date.said a spokesman.
At his hearing on this committee, Minister Fraser showed openness to some changes while arousing the desire to have more flexible in consideration of study permit applications.
Source: Radio-Canada
