Thank you, Madam Chair, for the question.
The department is very much committed to facilitating the mobility of bona fide students. The most common reason for refusal is that the applicant was not able to show the officer that they were able to support themselves while in Canada and thus demonstrate that they would be leaving Canada at the end of their stay. Oftentimes, this is seen inasmuch as the applicant is not able to show that their studies are affordable for themselves and their family. We note that in Africa in particular that is often a core reason for refusal, and is a space that the department is working to improve.
In terms of specifically what the department is doing, we are looking for opportunities to improve outcomes. Programs like the student direct stream and the Nigeria express stream are ways for clients to demonstrate that they have the funds and therefore demonstrate that they would be able to support their studies in Canada.
In addition to that, we do active promotion and outreach within the continent. In 2021, we had over 20 webinars and sessions with potential clients to make sure they understood the legitimate requirements for coming to Canada and understood what was required to be submitted. We also provide training to our employees. All of our decision-makers do unconscious bias training. In addition, for Africa we also have them do cultural studies such that they have an awareness of the local culture and the socio-economic conditions within various countries.