International student cap won't have an impact in 2024, but beyond is uncertain: Fanshawe president

Fanshawe College's international enrolment will remain largely unchanged for 2024, with the province set to issue roughly 11,000 study permits to the post-secondary institution, the school's president told staff and faculty on Tuesday.

Peter Devlin unveiled the figure during a virtual town hall and Q&A which lasted for roughly 30 minutes, held to answer questions about the college's finances, and the impacts of the federal two-year cap on international study permits.

The full impact of the cap is not yet known, but the college is set to see a slight reduction in revenue, and some part-time faculty and staff may be laid off, he says. It's also uncertain what the college's allocation will be for 2025.

The college's international student population has grown substantially over the past several years, with around 11,700 permits granted in 2023, nearly triple the 4,064 it received in 2018. It's an increase that has also been seen at other Ontario colleges and universities.

"I'm pleased that we will have a similar number of international students than we had in 2023," Devlin told those watching, adding that the province expects the school will see a 55/45 international/domestic student ratio, about the same as 2023.

Tuesday's town hall marked the first time Fanshawe College administration has updated staff and faculty of the college's allocation for the year, which it received from the province in late March.

It comes after Ottawa announced in January that it would cap new permits issued over the next two years to address the impacts of the growing international student population on housing and other public services.

Devlin said it will take "a couple of months" to understand the full impact of the cap, but says some part-time faculty and staff will likely be impacted in some programs, although he provided no further detail.

"I suspect there will be other areas, other program areas, where we will need additional part-time faculty and staff."

The college is also set to see its revenue "slightly reduced" as a result of the cap, he said, with further impacts from the province extending its tuition freeze for domestic students to 2027 -- a freeze which forced colleges and universities to rely more on higher-paying international enrolment for revenue.

In February, the province announced it would provide a one-time $1.2 billion financial aid package to help colleges and universities stabilize their finances. Devlin said he estimates Fanshawe will receive between $4-5 million.

"I think it's important for all of us to realize that Ontario remains the most poorest-funded post secondary sector in Canada," he said. "We are reliant on international students, and with that reliance comes some level of uncertainty."

More information to come.