A growing number of students have come to Canada and British Columbia, attracted by promises of good schools, a strong career future and the chance to live in Canada.

But federal and provincial politicians are promising big changes amid growing fears students are being exploited by low-quality schools and unscrupulous employers.

Selina Robinson, B.C.’s minister of post-secondary education and future skills, said the government will introduce a new “framework” this year enforcing tougher standards on schools that teach foreign students, especially those that are privately operated.

Robinson said the framework would also ban “surprise” tuition hikes for international students once they begin their studies in B.C.

Robinson said she believes some of those schools and their representatives abroad are spreading false information about the programs they offer and the realities of studying in British Columbia.

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