CourseCompare releases new online tools to help international students vet immigration consultants and combat fraud in Canada

TORONTO, April 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CourseCompare, Canada's marketplace for education, which served more than two million prospective students from more than 100 countries in 2023, has developed a set of digital tools to help international students and future newcomers to Canada more safely navigate the market for immigration and education consulting services.

The new digital tools include in-depth profiles with verified customer reviews for immigration consultants and lawyers, rankings of licensed immigration consultants and immigration lawyers, pricing guides for immigration consultant and lawyer fees, as well as an outcomes-based ranking of the best colleges in Canada for international students, which accounts for student housing availability among its metrics.

"CourseCompare's new interactive tools will make it easier for students and potential newcomers to identify the best service providers in Canada and avoid falling victim to scams," said CourseCompare CEO, Robert Furtado. "Having served thousands of students, our team was able to identify critical information gaps associated with the application process, study permits, funding and beyond -- all potential vulnerabilities for bad actors to exploit."

Canada's population grew by 1,030,378 people in the first nine months of 2023, exceeding the total growth of any full-year period, including the record set in 2022. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) processed 1,089,600 study permit applications (including extensions) in 2023, up from 917,900 in 2022.

However, in January the IRCC announced a 35% reduction in study permits for 2024 in an effort to address concerns over housing, healthcare and other public services, and to rein in some institutions it believed were at risk of degrading the quality and reputation of Canada's post-secondary sector.

Other government measures include:

• Plans to implement a framework of "recognized institutions" in the fall of 2024 that will identify Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs) whose international students are going to benefit from high-quality education and better housing and services.
• Starting in September 2024, international students who begin a study program that is part of a curriculum licensing arrangement between a public and private career college will no longer be eligible for a post-graduation work permit. Under current licensing agreements, students can physically attend a private college that has been licensed to deliver the curriculum of a partnering public college.
• Increased scrutiny on immigration consultants and lawyers, with the government stepping up verification of university acceptance letters in 2024 following a string of fraud investigations. Post-secondary institutions will be required to confirm applicants' Letters of Acceptance (LOAs) directly with Canadian immigration authorities.
  

"Post-secondary education is one of Canada's greatest exports," said Furtado. "To maintain and grow our global standing, international students need a reliable and straightforward way to discover, evaluate and access our colleges and universities. The same applies to the ecosystem of service providers and institutions that support immigration."

Immigration accounts for almost 100 percent of Canada's labour force growth. Immigrants make up 36 percent of physicians, 33 percent of business owners with paid staff, and 41 percent of engineers. Moreover, international education accounts for more than C$22 billion in economic activity annually, and supports more than 200,000 jobs in Canada.

Newcomers to Canada can verify if an individual is licensed to represent immigrants or give advice using the following public databases:

• An Immigration Consultant must be a member of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants.
• Lawyers or notaries must be members of a Canadian provincial or territorial law society, or the Chambre des notaires du Québec.

About CourseCompare

CourseCompare is Canada's marketplace for education. In 2023, more than two million people from more than 100 countries visited CourseCompare.ca to pursue in-demand skills or launch new careers in Canada. CourseCompare matches learners to more than 300 schools and 5,000 vetted programs based on their career goals and learning needs. The company facilitated more than 100,000 student connections to 50 partner institutions across Canada in 2023, creating over $100 million in economic value.

About Robert Furtado

Robert Furtado is the CEO of CourseCompare. His writing and commentary about higher education, technology and careers has appeared in Global News, the Toronto Star, the National Observer, MoneySense, University Affairs and dozens of other leading publications. Robert is a former marketing executive and instructor at Humber College's Faculty of Media & Creative Arts.

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