The Manitoba Alliance of Post-Secondary Students (MAPSS) is proposing that international students be allowed to buyinto the provincial health-care system rather than paying private premiums.

MAPSS is holding meetings with representatives from the province and opposition parties to discuss its proposal. It is also planning a public campaign in March to raise awareness.

‍UMSU vice-president advocacy Emily Kalo said international students “have a right to health care” and “really shouldn’t have to [pay]” premiums.

‍“We met with the government multiple times throughout this summer to talk about feedback from our previous budget proposal [and] how we could make this a desirable deal for both parties,” she said.

“We encouraged them to recognize that international students are a pivotal part not only to the student community and the university community but also to our Manitoba community. They contribute greatly to Manitoba’s competitiveness as a study destination.”

‍“They really do play a pivotal role in our province and they deserve to be treated as such.”

In 2018, the Progressive Conservative government repealed a 2012 clause of the Health Services Insurance Act that granted international post-secondary students access to universal health care.

The move was made to save the province an estimated $3.1 million per year.

“We’ve spent the past couple years recommending that they reinstate [international students] for free as they always have,” said Kalo. “That wasn’t working.”

“All members of MAPSS absolutely would like our international students to be included for free [and] think that they deserve to be included for free. That being said, in the meantime […] we’re still working with the government who, as of right now, has not shown movement to want to do that […] our international students continue to pay high, high premium prices and experience acts of discrimination as a result of this decision.”

According to Kalo, international students have been treated as “others” at medical facilities because they have a private health care provider and do not have a Manitoba provincial health card.

After “a lot of conversation with international students,” MAPSS decided to compromise and pursue a buy-in option for international students. However, Kalo said “that doesn’t mean that our job is done when this proposal is passed.”

“We’ve made it clear to all sides of the aisle that our end goal is for international students’ health care to be free,” she said.

Since 2018, international students without work permits have been left paying private insurance premiums that can sometimes range from $2,400 to $4,500 annually per student.

The health care plan for international students currently offered by University of Manitoba offers a full year of coverage for around $1,000.

‍In the fall 2021 term, 21.9 per cent of University of Manitoba students were international students.

‍MAPSS has already met with the Manitoba NDP in a discussion Kalo described as “extremely constructive and collaborative.”

“They very quickly aligned with us that health care is a right, that this isn’t something that we should be manipulating or avoiding for certain communities,” she said.

“We have meetings set up currently with both the Conservative and Liberal [parties] as well, they just have yet to occur.”

Kalo said they have also given “extensive feedback” to former minister of advanced education, skills and immigration Wayne Ewasko throughout the summer and have had “some discussion” with his successor Jon Reyes.

Kalo said MAPSS is planning a public campaign, titled Health Has No Borders, to run March 7 to 18 to raise awareness of the issue. The campaign will include social media activism as well as in person events.

“From our perspective, it’s important that we know and that our community knows that […] the value [international students] bring to our community and to our province is far more than 3.1 million dollars’ worth.”