Ontario colleges to face the biggest hit from foreign student cap

Impact on Colleges, Universities, and Future Job Opportunities

Ontario's Premier Doug Ford's government has introduced a plan that impacts the number of international students allowed to study at the province's universities and colleges. It aims to address worries about the growing flow of international students which ultimately is driving up housing prices in cities across Canada. This decision aligns with the federal government's move to restrict study permits for international students nationwide. The aim is to tackle worries about the growing flow of international students driving up housing prices in cities across Canada.

Last year, Ontario welcomed approximately 2,40,000 international students, but due to the federal limit, this number will be reduced by half this year. Ontario's government is focusing on programs that will teach students about jobs that are currently in demand, which include skilled trades, health, human resources, hospitality, child care, and STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and maths). 

This decision will affect more colleges than universities in Ontario as an estimate suggests that out of the 24 public colleges, 13 will have fewer study permits to offer. However, while only 1 out of Ontario's 23 universities, Algoma University in Sault Ste. Marie will experience a decline.

The Council of Ontario Universities claims that colleges have been mindful of managing the admission of international students. However, as College Ontario's Marketa Evans pointed out there would be serious consequences from the drop in income from overseas students. Evans drew attention to the unequal financial structure that prioritizes universities above colleges and mentioned that the government of Ontario stopped providing direct assistance to the post-secondary education sector in 2019, lowered tuition by 10%, and encouraged the enrolment of overseas students, who are required to pay greater fees than domestic students. While the recent $1.3 billion funding increase is encouraging, it is less than the $2.5 billion increase over three years that is suggested.

The colleges with public-private partnerships and Conestoga College in Kitchener will experience the largest reductions in study permits for foreign students in Ontario. Over 30,000 study permits were awarded to international students at Conestoga College in 2023, making it a popular choice for international students. This number won’t be repeated since the number of International students coming to Canada in 2024 will be limited, as announced by the government. No school is allowed to take more International students than they did in 2023, and the overall number of licenses issued cannot be greater than 55% of the enrolment of domestic first-year students. This regulation tries to stop cheap education providers from taking advantage of expensive tuition. The decision is supported by Federal Immigration Minister Marc Miller, who views it as a reasonable approach to handle the recent rise in the enrollment of overseas students.

Editor's note:

Governments across the world have recently taken steps to limit the number of international students entering the country since they seem to create competition for students who are residents of the country, increase housing expenses, and other socio-political grievances. Ontario is similarly limiting the number of international students that are permitted to enroll in its schools and institutions. This step is said to have a great revenue loss for colleges and universities and many young students across the world might have to give up on their dreams of studying in their favourite university.