Schools and colleges in B.C. continue to deal with the fallout of the federal government’s move to issue fewer international student permits.
Last January, the federal government announced a two-year cap on the number of international students that colleges and universities in Canada are able to accept each school year.
More than a year later, educators say the impacts of the change are being felt at post-secondary institutions across the province.
Selkirk College in B.C.’s West Kootenay region says it is closing learning centres in the communities of Kaslo and Nakusp as it addresses financial challenges related to federal restrictions on international student recruitment.
Selkirk College president Maggie Matear says the college anticipates a loss of $9 million in revenue.
“While this decision wasn’t made lightly, it’s part of a larger plan to ensure Selkirk College remains financially sustainable and continues to serve our region for generations to come,” Matear said.
Daybreak South6:09Selkirk College closing learning centres in Nakusp and Kaslo.
President Maggie Matear says Selkirk College facing $9 million loss in revenue due to federal restrictions on international student recruitment.
Matear said that her heart goes out to students and staff at the affected learning centres, adding that she began her career at a remote community college.
Nakusp Mayor Thomas Zeleznik told CBC’s Daybreak South that the loss of the learning centres is devastating for the community, stating that beyond academic learning the college also offered forestry programs and first aid training.
Lane Trotter, the president of Camosun College in Victoria, B.C., told CBC’s All Point West that the college is anticipating an $11-million shortfall in revenue this year. He said the college is preparing for faculty layoffs.
“Moving towards layoffs is the last thing that we want to do, but unfortunately that’s the direction that we’re moving in,” said Trotter, who added that the number of layoffs is unknown.
Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU), which has five campuses in the Metro Vancouver suburbs of Surrey, Langley and Richmond, said last month that it planned to issue full or partial layoff notices for 70 staff members. KPU provost and vice-president of academics Diane Purvey said the university projected that revenue from international tuition and fees will decline by $49 million over the 2026 fiscal year.
A notice on the Government of Canada’s website says that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) plans to issue 437,000 study permits in 2025, a 10 per cent decrease from the 2024 cap.
A statement from B.C.’s Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills said that while it understands the challenges faced by B.C. schools, institutions are responsible for their own operations under B.C.’s University Act and College and Institute Act.
The ministry said that from 2017 to 2025 the province has increased operating grants for public post-secondary institutions by over $1 billion.
The ministry said it has raised concerns about the impacts of the policies to the federal government and it will continue to work with B.C. post-secondary institutions as they work to manage their operations and budgets.
IRCC said in an email that it cannot comment on the finances of educational institutions as adequate funding is a provincial and territorial responsibility.
It also said it is working with provinces, territories, educational institutions and stakeholders to develop a sustainable path forward for international students.
