A dramatic decline in international study permits issued last year is quickly becoming an existential threat to the finances of Canadian post-secondary schools, say organizations representing the institutions.

91裸聊视频淭he drop in international students is like an earthquake hitting an education system that91裸聊视频檚 already structurally weakened by years of underinvestment,91裸聊视频� said Gabriel Miller, president and CEO of Universities Canada.

Provinces where international permit allocations were increased last year are also experiencing a decline in international enrolment, creating gaps in budgets that may lead to program cuts.

The federal government said last week that Canada issued about 40 per cent fewer international study permits among kindergarten to Grade 12, post-secondary and postgraduate students last year, overshooting its 35-per-cent target.

This year, it91裸聊视频檚 seeking a further 10-per-cent reduction.

A recent report from ApplyBoard, an online marketplace for learning institutions, said the number of permits approved for college students likely dropped by about 60 per cent, while approvals for international undergraduate students fell about 40 per cent.

The total number of international study permits issued by Ontario was also essentially cut in half by the cap. ApplyBoard said it91裸聊视频檚 projected the province had a 55 per cent decline in international permit approvals for 2024.

The dramatic decrease led Toronto91裸聊视频檚 Centennial College to suspend 49 full-time programs. The University of Winnipeg recently cut its women91裸聊视频檚 soccer team and English language program to find cost savings, citing pressure from lower international enrolment.

Alberta91裸聊视频檚 quota for international students was boosted by about 10 per cent last year, but it91裸聊视频檚 expected to see a 30 per cent decline in total study permit approvals when the 2024 data is tallied, said the ApplyBoard report.

Meti Basiri, co-founder and CEO of ApplyBoard, said the federal government91裸聊视频檚 new policies aiming to cut the number of international students have caused confusion and uncertainty for students planning to continue their studies in Canada.

91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 pretty much all across every single level, whether that91裸聊视频檚 PhD, master91裸聊视频檚, primary 91裸聊视频� even the programs or levels (and) institutions that were not part of any of these policy changes,91裸聊视频� he said.

Basiri said the decline of international students has forced many colleges and universities in Canada to cut programs and close campuses, which means fewer programs for domestic students in the coming years.

91裸聊视频淒omestic tuition fees (are) going to go higher,91裸聊视频� he added.

Miller said the numbers are a 91裸聊视频渂ig, bright, flashing yellow light for the country.91裸聊视频�

The cap will hurt Canada in the long-term by forcing it to lose out on future workers, he said.

Universities have already been teetering due to various decisions made by provincial governments that have inhibited their ability to create revenue, Miller said.

The Ontario government, for example, has frozen tuition for domestic students until at least 2027, though it injected more than $1.2 billion in one-time funding last year in response to federal immigration reforms. In Alberta, cuts to the provincial post-secondary budget have led to significant tuition increases for domestic students.

Plummeting international enrolment and governments91裸聊视频� funding decisions will likely result in layoffs, larger class sizes and hiring freezes, Miller said.

91裸聊视频淎 major drop in international student enrolment represents a fundamental change in the funding system for Canadian universities,91裸聊视频� he said.

91裸聊视频淎nd unless that system now is repaired by governments, we91裸聊视频檙e not going to be able to meet the need for education among our own native-born population.91裸聊视频�

The University of Calgary welcomed nearly nine per cent fewer international students last fall than in the fall of 2023, the school said in a statement.

It said the drop equates to an impact of about $11 million on tuition revenue for the year. It didn91裸聊视频檛 say how it would be affected. 91裸聊视频淭his impact will grow over time, as students would have been anticipated to attend over multiple years.91裸聊视频�

The university said in a statement that while it91裸聊视频檚 too early to speculate on the cap91裸聊视频檚 impact, it will 91裸聊视频渃ertainly lead to a budgetary shortfall, the full extent of which is currently being assessed.91裸聊视频�

Ermia Rezaei-Afsah, president of the University of Calgary students91裸聊视频� union, said several programs at the school have been frozen.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e seeing that the caps are working better than they91裸聊视频檙e intended to,91裸聊视频� Rezaei-Afsah said.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 going to get worse in 2025,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淭he reputational damage is immense.91裸聊视频�

Pari Johnston, president and CEO of Colleges and Institutes Canada, said it has been warning about the 91裸聊视频渄evastating91裸聊视频� impacts from the reforms.

91裸聊视频淐anadian student access to high-demand programs, the training and talent pipeline employers depend on, and local research and innovation capacity are all at risk,91裸聊视频� Johnston said.

The federal government has maintained that funding challenges related to the cap are not its problem.

Immigration Minister Marc Miller said in December that the government 91裸聊视频渄idn91裸聊视频檛 tell any university or college to charge international students four or five times what we charge domestic students.91裸聊视频�