International student enrolment dropping below federal cap, Universities Canada warns
CTV
As university students head back to campuses across Canada this school year, fewer international students will be among them, but the dip in enrolment is deeper than the federal government had designed.
As university students head back to campuses across Canada this school year, fewer international students will be among them, but the dip in enrolment is deeper than the federal government had designed.
According to Universities Canada, enrolment from outside of Canada has dropped below the federally imposed cap on student visas imposed earlier this year.
"What we are seeing is a real steep decline in interest, which has obviously led to a decline in applications to universities," Universities Canada vice-president of member services Julia Scott said.
In January, the Liberal government imposed limits on post-graduate work permits and announced a two-year cap on the number of international student applications it would approve.
This year, the target was set at 364,000 undergraduate study permits, a 35 per cent decrease from the nearly 560,000 permits issued in 2023.
Universities Canada says the cap has had a chilling effect, prompting major financial concerns for post-secondary institutions.
"The changes have been incredibly damaging to universities, and they will have ramifications likely for decades to come," Scott said. "What we are seeing now is Canada's reputation as a premier destination for education taking a hit."
