How international student cap could affect services at universities, colleges

The federal government’s cap on the intake of international students has drawn sharp reactions from learning institutions across the country, with concerns it will impose major financial challenges on colleges and universities and the services they offer.

On Monday, Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced a two-year national cap on the intake of international students into the country. He unveiled a slew of other curbs while speaking at the Liberal cabinet retreat, which he said would reduce the intake by 35 per cent over the next two years.

Miller said for 2024, the cap is expected to result in approximately 364,000 approved study permits – a decrease of 35 per cent from 2023.

Isaac Garcia-Sitton, executive director of international student enrolment, education and inclusion at Toronto Metropolitan University, told Global News the cap is bad news for universities.

“This cap will bring financial risks for institutions, which may translate into layoffs, program closures and fewer services for students,” he said.

Garcia-Sitton added that Ontario, in particular, is looking at a bleak forecast for learning institutions.

“In Ontario, the situation is compounded by the fact that at least 10 universities are projected to run deficits this year, a result of the provincial tuition freeze and decreased funding from operating grants.”

Around 800,000 international students currently call Canada home, with thousands more expected to come with every new academic year. According to Statistics Canada, the gulf between domestic and international fees is significant.

In the 2022-23 academic year, the average domestic student in Canada paid $6,834 in tuition. By contrast, the average international student paid nearly six times that amount at