Ontario’s Colleges to Bear Brunt of Foreign Student Cap.

Ontario’s Universities and Colleges Brace for Reduction in International Student Enrollment.

The Ontario government announced some changes about international students coming to study here. One thing they said is that only one university in Ontario will have fewer international students this year. But more than half of the colleges in Ontario will have fewer international students too.

This decision was made because the Canadian government put a limit on how many study permits they’re giving out to international students. They did this because there were too many students coming to Canada, and it was making rent and housing costs go up.

Last year, about 240,000 international students got permits to study in Ontario. But this year, because of the limit, only about half that number will get permits.

The government has a plan for the fewer permits they’re giving out. They want to focus on programs that train students for jobs that are really needed, like jobs in trades (like carpentry or plumbing), healthcare, human resources, hospitality (like hotels and restaurants), childcare, and STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering, and math).

What’s interesting is that colleges will see the biggest drop in international students, not universities. According to the government, 13 out of 24 colleges in Ontario will have fewer international students compared to last year. Only one university, Algoma University in Sault Ste. Marie, will have fewer international students.

The news comes just a day after the 2024 budget from Premier Doug Ford’s government showed that Ontario’s colleges are expected to lose $3.1 billion in revenue over the next two years because of the decrease in international student enrollment.

Marketa Evans, who leads Colleges Ontario, the group that represents the 24 public colleges, warned that these revenue losses will significantly affect the upcoming fall semester.

Funding Model College ‘Flawed’

In 2019, Premier Doug Ford’s government stopped increasing the money they give directly to colleges and universities in Ontario. They also reduced tuition fees by 10% and actively encouraged colleges to bring in more international students. These students pay higher fees compared to Canadian students.

Last month, the government announced they would add $1.3 billion to the funding for colleges and universities. However, this increase falls short of what experts recommended. These experts, chosen by the government, suggested a $2.5 billion increase over three years. This was before the government decided to limit study permits for international students.

The government mentioned that the biggest drop in study permits this year will happen at Conestoga College in Kitchener. This will also affect public colleges that work with private colleges to offer programs designed for international students, called public college-private partnerships.

In 2023, over 30,000 international students got study permits to study at Conestoga College, making it the top choice for international students in Canada. According to federal data, Conestoga has been leading in study permits for foreign students in four out of the past five years.

Data reveals that just 10 public colleges in Ontario have been responsible for almost 30% of all study permits issued across Canada since 2021.

In 2023, a significant number of permits, totaling 175,000, were granted to international students intending to study at Ontario’s public colleges. This number is over four times higher than the permits issued for the province’s universities, as per the data.

The government has declared that no educational institution will be allowed to receive more student permits in 2024 compared to 2023. Additionally, the number of permits allocated to each institution must not surpass 55% of its first-year domestic enrollment.

Federal Immigration Minister Marc Miller has stated that the imposition of this cap is a response to the recent increase in international student numbers. The intention is to prevent exploitative practices by certain institutions charging high tuition fees while delivering substandard education.