LaSalle College Students Face Uncertainty Amid Language Policy Changes

Dozens of students at LaSalle College in Montreal have been unexpectedly shifted from full-time to part-time status, prompting significant concern as the school tries to align with Quebec’s new language reform policies. With less than a month before classes begin, students like Alex Abraham, who was preparing for his final year in network management, expressed shock and frustration over the abrupt change.

Abraham, 33, described the notification he received last week as a “devastating blow” to his plans for a career in Quebec. “We all came here with lots of expectations and dreams,” he said. The alteration in his enrollment status means he will no longer qualify for Canada’s post-graduation work permit, severely impacting his ability to work off-campus to support himself.

Impact of Language Quotas

LaSalle College’s decision affects approximately 90 students and is limited to the upcoming fall semester. According to the college’s spokesperson, Caroline Gervais, the measures are necessary to comply with the Charte de la langue française and government-imposed quotas on English-language AEC programs, which are vocational diplomas.

Gervais stated that the institution exceeded its English-language enrollment quota by 1,066 students in the previous academic year, resulting in fines totaling $30 million from the Quebec government. This amount includes an earlier fine of $8.7 million for the same infraction.

In an email reviewed by CBC, LaSalle College acknowledged that it had the capacity to accommodate Abraham as a full-time student but could not do so due to government restrictions. “We understand that such changes can be stressful and disruptive,” Gervais noted, addressing concerns about how this might affect students’ graduation timelines and financial aid.

Student Reactions and Future Steps

Abraham, who moved to Canada from India, emphasized the difficulties presented by the part-time status. “How can I meet my expenses?” he questioned, highlighting the immediate financial implications of this unexpected shift. He had planned to rely on a factory job to cover his living costs while completing his studies.

Many of the affected students are international, like Abraham, who were drawn to Quebec for its quality of life and cultural appeal. “We are all putting in the effort to learn the [French] language and trying to build a career here,” he remarked. He was aware of the college’s fines but believed that a solution would be found to avoid impacting students.

Gervais clarified that various factors, including student failures and changes in academic pathways, influenced the decision to change students’ statuses. She maintained that this situation does not indicate an overall oversaturation of AEC programs but rather reflects scheduling challenges and capacity constraints.

As LaSalle College faces a civil suit challenging the fines, the office of Higher Education Minister Pascale Déry has refrained from commenting to avoid interfering with ongoing judicial processes. Meanwhile, LaSalle has arranged a meeting for affected students with representatives from Immigration Canada to provide clarity on their situations.

Abraham expressed a desire for transparency regarding the reasons behind his status change. “I have the right to know the reason,” he said, adding that he would be dissatisfied if the explanation merely served to deflect blame from the college’s financial mismanagement. “I am not the reason for the fine. They did the wrong thing.” The upcoming meeting is expected to shed more light on the issue, as students seek answers to their pressing concerns.