Post-Secondary International Education (Designated Institutions) Act

As of September 1, 2026, all post-secondary institutions in BC that wish to:

• advertise programs of instruction (programs) with a duration greater than six months to foreign nationals;
• offer to provide programs to international students;
• enter into a contract to provide programs to international students;
• enrol international students; or
• provide programs to international students holding federal study permits

must hold a valid designation certificate under the Post-Secondary International Education (Designated Institutions) Act.

Designation certificates are overseen by the administrator designated under the Act, who is within the System Integrity Branch of the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills.

Post-Secondary International Education (Designated Institutions) Act

The Post-Secondary International Education (Designated Institutions) Act establishes a framework for the designation, oversight, and accountability of institutions that provide post-secondary instruction to international students in British Columbia.

Under the Act, institutions must hold a valid designation certificate in order to provide programs to international students who require federal study permits.

The Act prohibits an institution that is not designated from advertising programs of a duration over 6 months to foreign nationals, offering to provide a program to an international student, entering into a contract to provide a program to an international student, enrolling an international student in a program, and providing a program.

The Act supports student protection, transparency, and regulatory oversight across the international education sector in British Columbia.

The Act replaces the Education Quality Assurance (EQA) policy-based designation program and will replace the previous mechanism for adding institutions to the federal government’s designated learning institutions (DLI) list. Institutions holding EQA designation immediately before the Act comes into force are deemed under the Act to hold a valid designation certificate until the expiry of their EQA designation. Institutions will apply for designation renewal under the Act.

The legislative framework includes the Act, the Post-Secondary International Education (Designated Institutions) Regulation and administrator rules.

Post-Secondary International Education (Designated Institutions) Regulation

The Regulation establishes additional requirements necessary for the administration of the designation framework, including matters such as eligibility, certificate term length, application deadlines, fees, and other operational requirements.

• Post-Secondary International Education (Designated Institutions) Regulation

Administrator's Rules

Section 24 of the Act authorizes the administrator to make rules for the administration of the regulatory framework. These rules set out requirements on specific matters.

Rules will be published here as they are made by the administrator.

Who Must Be Designated?

An institution must obtain and maintain a designation certificate if it provides, or intends to provide, a post-secondary program to international students in British Columbia.

International students are defined as foreign nationals who require a study permit to study in a program offered by an institution.

Becoming a Designated Institution

The Act and Regulation set out which institutions are eligible to apply for a designation certificate.

Eligible institutions may apply for a designation certificate by submitting:

• A completed application;
• Required information and records; and
• The applicable application fee.

The administrator reviews applications and may issue, renew, or refuse an application. As part of the administrator’s regulatory powers, the administrator can impose terms and conditions on, or cancel, a designation certificate after considering the matters set out in the legislation.

EQA@gov.bc.ca for more information.

Designation Mark

The Act authorizes the use of designation marks by institutions holding a valid designation certificate. The designation mark serves as a public indicator that an institution has met designation requirements under the Act.  The designation marks are protected under the Trademarks Act (Canada) and licensed use of the marks by designated institutions is established by administrator's rules.

Online Directory of Designated Institutions

The administrator must maintain an online directory of designated institutions. The directory provides public information regarding the institutions’ designation status and helps students identify institutions authorized under the Act to host international students in BC.

View the list of Designated Institutions (PDF, 228KB)

Note: This page is a plain-language summary only. Institutions should consult the Act, regulations, and administrator's rules for complete legal requirements.