Canada

Canada is one of the world’s leading destinations for international students and international student recruitment. However, the operating environment has changed considerably over the last two years. Federal policy shifts, tighter study permit processing, and increased public scrutiny have created a more constrained and volatile market.

For Canadian institutions, this has two immediate effects. First, recruiting internationally is harder, slower, and less predictable than it was. Second, the importance of partner discipline has increased, particularly where education agent behaviour can create reputational or consumer protection risk.

In this environment, institutions still depend on agent recruitment. At the same time, institutions need a clear, Canadian way to describe what responsible agent engagement looks like in practice.

It is important to recognise that Canada is not a single regulatory environment. Expectations differ by province, and institutions operate within both federal constraints and provincial frameworks.

This page provides a practical overview of the three key provinces where expectations for agent engagement are most clearly articulated through provincial legislation and formal sector standards, and how institutions can strengthen agent governance and partner discipline in a way that remains institution-led. Each of the three provides a concrete illustration of how quality standards for recruitment are developing in Canada, and an indication of the factors that are now shaping international student recruitment in all Canadian provinces and territories.

British Columbia remains one of Canada’s most internationally recognised regional destinations, with a long-standing emphasis on quality and institutional accountability in international education.

In BC, institutions operate within the Education Quality Assurance (EQA) framework. This framework includes provincial designation requirements for international education providers, alongside a strong focus on transparency and student protection.

For institutions operating in BC, responsible agent engagement typically includes:

• Clear partner selection criteria: Institutions should be able to explain why they work with specific agencies and what baseline eligibility they apply.
• Written agreements and role clarity: Agent relationships should be documented, with clear boundaries on representation, marketing and student-facing communications.
• Internal oversight and partner discipline: Institutions should have a consistent approach to reviewing agent performance and addressing concerns when they arise.
• Transparency and student protection: Institutions must be able to show that students are receiving accurate information and appropriate support.

In February 2026, the Government of British Columbia introduced new legislation: The Post-Secondary International Education (Designated Institutions) Act. This legislation enshrines the provisions of the EQA framework into law. Among other provisions, it provides “government with the necessary tools to inspect designated institutions and take enforcement action to hold bad actors accountable.” The overall direction set out in the Act is towards strengthened oversight (backed by enforcement powers) of Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs) in the province.

Along with BC, Manitoba is the only other province in Canada to give institutional obligations related to education agents and recruiters the force of law.

Manitoba’s International Education Act and the associated Code of Practice and Conduct set out clear expectations for designated education providers when working with recruiters and contracted agents.

This makes Manitoba an important reference point for the Canadian market. It establishes a clear expectation that institutions must take reasonable steps to ensure recruiters act with honesty and integrity, and that recruitment activity is overseen on an ongoing basis.

In practical terms, this means institutions operating in Manitoba should be able to demonstrate:

• Written agreements are in place with contracted agents, and a list of authorised agents is maintained
• Institutions have taken reasonable steps to assess agent reputation and competence
• Recruitment activity is reviewed on an ongoing basis. Institutions can terminate relationships when behaviour falls below expected standards

Ontario remains one of Canada’s most important international education markets, and expectations around agent governance have tightened materially in recent years.

For Ontario institutions, particularly public colleges, there is now a clear sector direction on agent governance, due diligence and documentation standards.

Ontario institutions are operating in a high-scrutiny environment. The practical expectation is that institutions can evidence responsible partner management and take action when concerns arise.

For Ontario institutions, quality assurance expectations for recruitment are tightening:

• Stronger due diligence expectations
• Greater emphasis on agent performance management
• More scrutiny of marketing accuracy and student-facing communications
• A need for better documentation and internal consistency

ICEF Agency Status (IAS) is the sector’s largest global accreditation framework for international education agencies. It provides institutions and partners with a clear, independent way to verify who an agency is and whether it meets baseline professional requirements to operate in international student recruitment. IAS accreditation is based on verified agency information, institutional references, and acceptance of the ICEF Agency Code of Conduct. It signals that an agency has passed a structured review process that provides transparency and a common reference point across the sector.

Train Your Agents is an online training platform that enables institutions and master agents to deliver counsellor training at scale, and to have time-stamped evidence of course completion at the counsellor level.

ICEF Due Diligent allows institutions to conduct on-demand public-information checks on agents around the world. ICEF Due Diligent scans for the following indications for each agency:

• Sanctions and watchlist signals
• Adverse media and reputational signals
• Ownership and identity mismatch indicators where available

The scan results are designed to support staff review, decision making, and follow-up by institutions. The system does not generate automated decisions or outcomes.