More Canadian Schools Allowed To Welcome International Students
More Canadian schools allowed to welcome international students. Canada has updated its list of approved Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs) that are currently allowed to host international students during the coronavirus pandemic.
A DLI is a school, college, or university that is allowed to welcome international students. Canada had previously introduced travel restrictions on non-essential travel to contain the spread of COVID-19.
Initially, travel restrictions had first included new international students. Only those students who have approval issued on or before March 18 were allowed to enter Canada. However, Canada has recently begun to remove restrictions to allow more students from overseas to pursue their education in the country.
Canadian schools that wish to be included on the list must have a COVID-19 readiness plan approved by their respective provincial or territorial government.
Students who are enrolled in these approved Canadian schools are exempt from travel restrictions, and will likely be allowed to travel to Canada by a border official upon arrival.
Many prominent Ontario-based institutions have been included, such as the Ryerson University, OCAD University, University of Waterloo, and the University of Windsor.
All international students entering Canada are required by law to quarantine themselves for fourteen (14) days upon arrival. This means that students should stay inside in this period specified by the law. Failure to do so may result in hefty fines.
Furthermore, travellers to Canada, particularly by air, are asked to install the ArriveCAN mobile application. You will be required to lodge your travel and contact details, your quarantine plan, as well as daily COVID-19 symptom self-assessment details.
A quarantine plan must include where you want to quarantine, and how you are intending to obtain necessary items such as groceries and medicine.
Drop-in international enrolment
Many schools across the country, including in Ontario and British Columbia, have seen an increase in domestic enrollment and a decline in international enrolment. This is according to a study carried out by CourseCompare, a platform that helps link students to courses and training programs.
Not all schools saw a drop in international enrollment. There are some exceptions. For instance, UBC Okanagan saw a nine percent increase in international undergraduate enrolment. Overall, however, the study shows a nine percent decline in international enrolment across Canadian learning institutions. This is based on official figures by more than fifty (50) institutions across the country.
One possible explanation for this is that many Canadian schools are planning to extend their online education into next semester. Some international students, particularly students who pay higher tuition fees, may not be willing to enroll until classes revert to being on-campus.
In addition, many students are enrolled in more practical hands-on programs such as nursing, acting, electrical engineering, and film production.
Such programs may be considered to be the most negatively affected since it is very difficult to present the courses online. An option is to present the courses on-campus with social distancing procedures. In some cases, the courses could be suspended altogether.
When it comes to local students, however, schools in Ontario, Quebec, Atlantic Canada, and British Columbia saw a significant increase in enrollment. This may be down to higher unemployment levels.
