Visa slowdown could hurt universities

Thousands of international students planning to study in Canada might not be there when classes start in September because of a slowdown in processing visa applications outside the country, reports CBC News.

The Association of Atlantic Universities (AAU) is asking the four Atlantic provincial premiers to lobby the federal government to do what it can to end a work-to-rule campaign by workers who handle visa applications. It says institutions' reputations are suffering. The federal government and the union representing diplomats and immigration officers abroad have been locked in a contract negotiation battle for months. As part of escalating job action measures, diplomats at key visa application centres – including Beijing, Delhi, São Paolo and Mexico City – have withdrawn their services.

International students make up an increasingly important and lucrative part of the university student body. AAU Executive Director Peter Halpin said the number of foreign students studying in the region is now close to 11,000, up 12% compared to the previous year.
Full report on the CBC News site