The dreams of hundreds of international students in British Columbia have been thrown into turmoil following the sudden closure of a private college. Pacific Link College, with campuses in Surrey and Burnaby, was ordered to shut down in October by the province's regulatory body, leaving students on study permits facing an uncertain future and fighting to recover tens of thousands of dollars in tuition.
Broken Promises and Financial Devastation
For students like Moses Ugwueze, a 22-year-old from Nigeria, the closure represents a catastrophic personal and financial setback. Arriving in Canada in October 2023, Ugwueze had planned to study information communication technology for two years at Pacific Link College, a path he hoped would lead to a post-graduation work permit and eventual permanent residency.
"When I came to the college, what they told me was not what I saw," Ugwueze said, expressing the betrayal felt by many. His parents paid $14,900 for his tuition. "All I want is my money back, I want a refund. I feel really bad." He is now devastated and plans to return to Nigeria next month to resume his studies.
Regulatory Action Reveals Serious Violations
The shutdown was ordered by B.C.'s Private Training Institutions Branch (PTIB), the unit that regulates private career training schools. The province's Post-Secondary Education Ministry stated the regulatory body found Pacific Link College had committed a series of serious violations.
These violations included programs not being delivered as approved, inappropriate attendance policies, and work experience placements that did not align with course learning objectives. Furthermore, the ministry said the college enrolled students without ensuring they met admission requirements.
A Scramble for Solutions and Warnings for Others
While the province stated that affected students can file complaints for tuition refunds if they feel misled and are able to apply to other institutions, advocates say the process is fraught with difficulty. "It's a major stress point for them," said Balraj Kahlon, co-founder of the support organization One Voice Canada.
Kahlon noted that some students have already relocated to other provinces to continue their studies, often at a significant additional cost. "Some of them paid more at these schools than I did for my master's," he revealed. He strongly advises international students to seek out public institutions over private ones, citing a pattern of problems.
He described Pacific Link as a college that advocacy groups were long aware had issues, warning that online presentations can be misleading. "It looks like it's a very legit, quality college online, but they come here and it's, like, two rooms inside of a business complex," Kahlon said.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about the oversight of private post-secondary institutions in Canada and the vulnerabilities faced by international students, who pay premium tuition fees in pursuit of their Canadian dreams.
