The official mandate of Canada's Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) department is to build "a stronger Canada through immigration programs, citizenship services, refugee protection and issuing Canadian travel documents."
But our research shows how IRCC has become a powerful force in Canadian education policy an area that is the responsibility of provinces and territories.
Since the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act was enacted in 2002 and the International Student Program was developed, IRCC has been responsible for overseeing international students who come to Canada.
Since 2022, however, IRCC's role in higher education policy has become more marked as it increasingly uses regulations to manage and adjust the International Student Program. A significant policy change occurred in January 2024 when the federal government imposed an unprecedented cap on international student enrolments.
