2.4 Funding for College/Institute Programs and Services for Immigrants

Colleges and institutes that participated in the diagnostic survey confirmed that institutions are limited in the types of new programs and services they can develop for a specific target group such as immigrants. The programs and services described in this report are funded in different ways depending on the funding structures institutions have with their provincial governments, the additional sources of funding institutions can access, and the size of the immigrant client base the college or institute is serving.

Assessment services are generally funded through a mix of sources that include operating grants transferred to colleges and institutes by provincial governments, fees charged to students, and revenue from international student recruitment. In some cases, assessment services were initially developed for international students and were then made available or adapted for immigrant students. Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) services are funded partly by provincial operating grants largely to cover costs for staff positions responsible for PLAR services, and partly by fees charged to students. Fee structures for PLAR services vary from one province to another, for example:

• fixed fees of approximately $100 per course to be assessed;
• fees set at 50% of the current approved rate for the course; or
• fees based on the duration of the course ranging from $75 to $250 per course.

The funding sources for education and training programs vary greatly, for example:

• English and French as a second language (ESL and FSL) are offered both as regular programs in some institutions and through continuing education in others.
  • ESL and FSL programs offered as regular programs are funded through a mix of funding sources, including provincial operating grants, tuition fees, and in some cases revenue from international students.
  • For ESL and FSL programs offered through continuing education the funding models vary between provinces. In some provinces such as Alberta, Quebec and Ontario, the tuition fee for these courses are set by the provincial government, and colleges/institutes are subsidized by the province for these courses through operating grants transferred to the institutions. In other provinces, non-credit courses are not subsidized but operated on a cost-recovery basis. The B.C. government does not directly subsidize non-credit courses. Individual institutions receive provincial funds based on their particular education plan, and each institution may choose to include non-credit activities within their resources that includes government funding, ancillary revenues, fundraising etc.
  • The LINC, ELSA and “Francisation” programs are funded entirely through CIC or the responsible provincial ministries in British Columbia and Québec. Many institutions face issues related to covering full benefit costs for employees responsible for delivering these programs.
• Career/technical, applied degree and university transfer programs are funded through a mix of tuition fees and provincial operating grants transferred to the colleges and institutes. Tuition fee and financial support structures currently in place are limiting immigrants’ access to college and institute regular programs. There is a lack of bursaries and scholarships for immigrants, and insufficient support for part-time and evening studies which many immigrants must take due to family responsibilities. Immigrants are also limited on accessing grants if they are working more than 20 hours per week. Fee structures also disadvantage immigrants in that courses offered individually are often more costly than if they are taken through a program.