Numerous international students are facing uncertainty following the shutdown of Pacific Link College in Surrey, British Columbia. The college lost its certification last October and was directed to cease its educational programs by the Private Training Institutions Regulatory Unit (PTIRU).
Charukesh Kavya Chandrika Sivaprasad, an international student from Kerala, India, participated in an online session organized by PTIRU to gather information. He shared his experience, mentioning that the session was crowded with students striving to plan their next steps, with everyone urged to seek refunds.
The issues leading to the closure of Pacific Link College were not sudden. Previously, the college had been the subject of complaints from international students. In a report by OMNI News in May, it was disclosed that the college was instructed by the regulator to reimburse students.
Balraj Kahlon, co-founder of One Voice Canada, a nonprofit supporting international students, highlighted that concerns about Pacific Link College had been ongoing since 2019. More students came forward after the May report by OMNI News.
PTIRU listed various violations based on documents examined by OMNI News, aligning with the grievances reported by students to One Voice Canada over the years.
Sivaprasad, nearing the completion of his program, disclosed that he is owed approximately $18,000 by the college. Many of his peers are struggling to navigate the refund process independently as Pacific Link College’s website is no longer operational.
Despite attempts to contact the college for comments, there has been no response. The Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills informed OMNI News of their inspection of Pacific College earlier in the year, leading to the cancellation of its certification and termination of all career-training programs.
Kahlon expressed that the regulator’s intervention was delayed and could have safeguarded more students if acted upon sooner. He emphasized the need for stricter monitoring of private colleges by the government to prevent such situations.