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Paper short abstract:

Universities are important centres for international student-migration and "success". They have also been accused of taking advantage of students; becoming "bad actors" in Canada's higher education system. This paper looks at the overdetermined narrative of "success" and accompanying stereotypes.

Paper long abstract:

With a global reputation the University of Toronto (UofT) is an important centre for international student-migration, student life, and discourses of diversity and educational “success”. Being known as an “immigrant-friendly” country, Canada, and UofT specifically, promise international students a pathway to "success" in a welcoming environment. More recently, however, international students have been "scapegoated" or blamed for contributing to the country's worsening "housing crisis." Some private colleges and public universities have also been accused of taking advantage of rising international student fees, while providing under-resourced infrastructures and "fake" degrees, to exploit students - becoming "bad actors" in Canada's higher education system. With a stated goal of targeting these "bad actors" — and amid concern about the impact growing numbers of international students are having on the housing market so close to federal elections — Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced that the federal government will cap the number of international student permits over the next two years. This paper will take a closer look at the overdetermined narratives of "success/failure" and "good actors/bad actors," how they limit the experiences of international students, as well as ignore the university as a place of refusing single narratives and stereotypes.