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Toronto Sun
24-05-2025
- Business
- Toronto Sun
Fewer international students adding to university budget challenges
Published May 24, 2025 • 3 minute read McGill University campus pictured in Montreal on Monday March 18, 2024. Photo by John Mahoney / Montreal Gazette OTTAWA — Canadian universities are being forced to tighten their financial belts as they struggle with plummeting enrolment from international students who pay higher tuitions. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. 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Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Universities Canada says 'inadequate' provincial operating grants are also a factor in ongoing budget challenges for post-secondary institutions. President Gabriel Miller says tuition and fees from international student enrolment had provided a funding stopgap, but that is now being challenged due changing rules for international students, including a reduction in permits. 'We've been dealt a bad hand on international students, but the real problem is that governments have been gambling with the future of higher (education) for more than a decade,' Miller said. 'What we're now seeing is an opportunity gap that will start to grow where future students who want to go to study in universities are not going to have access to as many spaces. They're going to be forced to be in bigger classes, because the deal between government and families that build our universities isn't being held up.' Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Miller said it's 'striking' how uniform budgetary issues are across the country. McGill University is projecting a $45 million deficit for the next fiscal year, due in part to declining international student enrolment. The University of Waterloo is looking to cut spending by $42 million this year as it faces a $75 million deficit. The University of Regina is raising tuition by four per cent with 'flat' domestic enrolment and a 'significant' drop in international student enrolment contributing to budget challenges. 'We are seeing a severe loss of talent, which is greater than anything most people anticipated. And so that obviously means loss of revenue and loss of opportunity for Canadian students because those international students have been helping to pay the bills in our universities,' Miller said. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Mary Feltham, chair of the Canadian Federation of Students, said that they're receiving reports of program cuts and reduced on-campus services. She said the reduction of international student enrolment is creating a domino effect that extends off campus. 'Now we're seeing a decline in services offered for everyone, a decline in jobs, a decline in different types of programs, which is impacting the ability for people to get an education and then contribute back to their province and country,' Feltham said. The government's target for study permits this year is 437,000 nationwide, a 10 per cent reduction over 2024. Ottawa first introduced it's cap on study permits in 2024, which it says contributed to a roughly 40 per cent reduction in international students and 'eased' the rental housing market in areas with high student populations. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Tuition for these students varies by school, but international fees are typically four to five times what domestic students pay. An emailed statement from a spokeswoman for Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab said that Canada values the 'significant' benefits international students bring to the country but the program faced sustainability challenges. The statement adds that the new minister looks forward to meeting with stakeholders to address concerns and ensure Canada continues to attract top talent. Miller said Universities Canada has requested a meeting with the minister. He said the cap itself isn't as big an issue as requesting stability in the rules for international students so Canada can be seen as attractive. Feltham said that the CFS is working on lobby efforts to all levels of government to improve post-secondary funding and they'd been warning about these coming issues 'for years.' 'It's just really frustrating to see because international students have often been used as a scapegoat for these problems or been used as cash cows,' Feltham said. 'So universities and colleges have really relied on them to be a source of income, which is also not appropriate, and this is why we've been asking for governments to properly fund these institutions.'
CTV News
24-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Fewer international students adding to university budget challenges
The Roddick Gates are monumental gates that serve as the main entrance to the McGill University campus are seen on November 14, 2017 in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz OTTAWA — Canadian universities are being forced to tighten their financial belts as they struggle with plummeting enrolment from international students who pay higher tuitions. Universities Canada says 'inadequate' provincial operating grants are also a factor in ongoing budget challenges for post-secondary institutions. President Gabriel Miller says tuition and fees from international student enrolment had provided a funding stopgap, but that is now being challenged due changing rules for international students, including a reduction in permits. 'We've been dealt a bad hand on international students, but the real problem is that governments have been gambling with the future of higher (education) for more than a decade,' Miller said. 'What we're now seeing is an opportunity gap that will start to grow where future students who want to go to study in universities are not going to have access to as many spaces. They're going to be forced to be in bigger classes, because the deal between government and families that build our universities isn't being held up.' Miller said it's 'striking' how uniform budgetary issues are across the country. McGill University is projecting a $45 million deficit for the next fiscal year, due in part to declining international student enrolment. The University of Waterloo is looking to cut spending by $42 million this year as it faces a $75 million deficit. The University of Regina is raising tuition by four per cent with 'flat' domestic enrolment and a 'significant' drop in international student enrolment contributing to budget challenges. 'We are seeing a severe loss of talent, which is greater than anything most people anticipated. And so that obviously means loss of revenue and loss of opportunity for Canadian students because those international students have been helping to pay the bills in our universities,' Miller said. Mary Feltham, chair of the Canadian Federation of Students, said that they're receiving reports of program cuts and reduced on-campus services. She said the reduction of international student enrolment is creating a domino effect that extends off campus. 'Now we're seeing a decline in services offered for everyone, a decline in jobs, a decline in different types of programs, which is impacting the ability for people to get an education and then contribute back to their province and country,' Feltham said. The government's target for study permits this year is 437,000 nationwide, a 10 per cent reduction over 2024. Ottawa first introduced it's cap on study permits in 2024, which it says contributed to a roughly 40 per cent reduction in international students and 'eased' the rental housing market in areas with high student populations. Tuition for these students varies by school, but international fees are typically four to five times what domestic students pay. An emailed statement from a spokeswoman for Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab said that Canada values the 'significant' benefits international students bring to the country but the program faced sustainability challenges. The statement adds that the new minister looks forward to meeting with stakeholders to address concerns and ensure Canada continues to attract top talent. Miller said Universities Canada has requested a meeting with the minister. He said the cap itself isn't as big an issue as requesting stability in the rules for international students so Canada can be seen as attractive. Feltham said that the CFS is working on lobby efforts to all levels of government to improve post-secondary funding and they'd been warning about these coming issues 'for years.' 'It's just really frustrating to see because international students have often been used as a scapegoat for these problems or been used as cash cows,' Feltham said. 'So universities and colleges have really relied on them to be a source of income, which is also not appropriate, and this is why we've been asking for governments to properly fund these institutions.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 24, 2025 David Baxter, The Canadian Press
Winnipeg Free Press
24-05-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Fewer international students adding to university budget challenges
OTTAWA – Canadian universities are being forced to tighten their financial belts as they struggle with plummeting enrolment from international students who pay higher tuitions. Universities Canada says 'inadequate' provincial operating grants are also a factor in ongoing budget challenges for post-secondary institutions. President Gabriel Miller says tuition and fees from international student enrolment had provided a funding stopgap, but that is now being challenged due changing rules for international students, including a reduction in permits. 'We've been dealt a bad hand on international students, but the real problem is that governments have been gambling with the future of higher (education) for more than a decade,' Miller said. 'What we're now seeing is an opportunity gap that will start to grow where future students who want to go to study in universities are not going to have access to as many spaces. They're going to be forced to be in bigger classes, because the deal between government and families that build our universities isn't being held up.' Miller said it's 'striking' how uniform budgetary issues are across the country. McGill University is projecting a $45 million deficit for the next fiscal year, due in part to declining international student enrolment. The University of Waterloo is looking to cut spending by $42 million this year as it faces a $75 million deficit. The University of Regina is raising tuition by four per cent with 'flat' domestic enrolment and a 'significant' drop in international student enrolment contributing to budget challenges. 'We are seeing a severe loss of talent, which is greater than anything most people anticipated. And so that obviously means loss of revenue and loss of opportunity for Canadian students because those international students have been helping to pay the bills in our universities,' Miller said. Mary Feltham, chair of the Canadian Federation of Students, said that they're receiving reports of program cuts and reduced on-campus services. She said the reduction of international student enrolment is creating a domino effect that extends off campus. 'Now we're seeing a decline in services offered for everyone, a decline in jobs, a decline in different types of programs, which is impacting the ability for people to get an education and then contribute back to their province and country,' Feltham said. The government's target for study permits this year is 437,000 nationwide, a 10 per cent reduction over 2024. Ottawa first introduced it's cap on study permits in 2024, which it says contributed to a roughly 40 per cent reduction in international students and 'eased' the rental housing market in areas with high student populations. Tuition for these students varies by school, but international fees are typically four to five times what domestic students pay. An emailed statement from a spokeswoman for Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab said that Canada values the 'significant' benefits international students bring to the country but the program faced sustainability challenges. The statement adds that the new minister looks forward to meeting with stakeholders to address concerns and ensure Canada continues to attract top talent. Miller said Universities Canada has requested a meeting with the minister. He said the cap itself isn't as big an issue as requesting stability in the rules for international students so Canada can be seen as attractive. Feltham said that the CFS is working on lobby efforts to all levels of government to improve post-secondary funding and they'd been warning about these coming issues 'for years.' 'It's just really frustrating to see because international students have often been used as a scapegoat for these problems or been used as cash cows,' Feltham said. 'So universities and colleges have really relied on them to be a source of income, which is also not appropriate, and this is why we've been asking for governments to properly fund these institutions.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 24, 2025
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Canada-in-Asia Conference 2025 Advances Canada-Asia Engagement Amid Global Turbulence
Third annual conference convened Canada-connected individuals from across Asia and Asia-engagers from Canada over two days in Singapore Feb. 19-21, 2025 VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APF Canada) and Universities Canada (UnivCan) concluded a successful Canada-in-Asia Conference 2025 (CIAC2025) in Singapore on February 21, 2025. With 740 attendees from across Canada and the Indo-Pacific region, CIAC2025 convened business leaders, experts, investors, policymakers, researchers, and innovators from across Asia and Canada in an exchange of perspectives, ideas, and innovations to facilitate collaborative partnerships and increase bilateral trade and investment as stakeholders on both sides of the Pacific contend with the dramatic and disruptive impacts of the current U.S. administration. CIAC2025, held at the Raffles City Convention Centre in central Singapore, focused on four critical sectors (Agri-food & Food Security, Ocean Tech & Blue Economy, Clean Technology, and Energy Transitions & Energy Security) with four cross-cutting engagement tracks (Innovation Ecosystems, Investment & Finance, Trade & Supply Chains, Artificial Intelligence). The conference provided networking opportunities and inter-disciplinary discussions on some of the most pressing issues in Canada-Asia relations, with speakers from a range of backgrounds: business leaders, innovators, investors, government ministers, trade representatives, university presidents, senior researchers, and more. 'Now a signature annual event, our third Canada-in-Asia Conference successfully exposed potential partners and collaborators in Asia and Canada to each other's thinking, innovations, and priorities,' said Jeff Nankivell, President & CEO of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. 'As Canadians brace for increasing global geopolitical turbulence and the threat of damaging trade actions by the United States, CIAC2025 provided an important and timely engagement platform to contextualize Canada-Asia relations and catalyze partnerships in key sectors where mutually beneficial opportunities abound. It is critical, now more than ever, that Canadians take to the field, get out of their comfort zones, and pursue new opportunities in the dynamic economies of Asia.' 'Canada's universities are at the forefront of research, talent development, and global collaboration,' said Gabriel Miller, President and CEO of Universities Canada. 'As trade tensions with the U.S. create uncertainty, Canada must expand its partnerships across Asia. CIAC2025 highlighted the strength of our universities in forging these connections—creating new opportunities for research, business, and education that benefit both our country and the world.' Canada-in-Asia Conference 2025 was presented with the assistance of the Government of Canada. APF Canada and Universities Canada are grateful for this support. We would also like to thank our Major Partners, FinDev Canada, the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), and Invest in Canada; Supporting Partners, Air Canada, the Hinrich Foundation, and Royal Bank of Canada; Associate Partners, CIBC, CPP Investments, DIGITAL, Export Development Canada (EDC), Fasken, Farm Credit Canada, Gowling WLG, the Government of Québec, the Government of Saskatchewan, Investissement Québec, National Bank of Canada, and Sun Life; and, University Partners, University of Saskatchewan, University of Calgary, McGill, Queen's University, University of Toronto, Western University Canada, and University of Waterloo. Key Links:Conference Website: APF Canada: Universities Canada: Contacts:MediaMichael Roberts Communications Director | Directeur des communicationsAsia Pacific Foundation of Canada | Fondation Asie Pacifique du Canadacommunications@ Universities CanadaLisa WallaceAssistant Director Communications | Directrice adjointe des communicationscommunications@ About the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada: The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APF Canada) is an independent not-for-profit organization focused on Canada's relations with Asia. APF Canada is dedicated to strengthening ties between Canada and Asia through its research, education, and convening activities. For over four decades, our research has provided high-quality, relevant, and timely information, insights, and perspectives on Canada-Asia relations for Canadians and stakeholders across the Asia Pacific. Our mission is to be Canada's catalyst for engagement with Asia and Asia's bridge to APF Canada at Universities Canada: Universities Canada is the voice of Canadian universities, at home and abroad. A membership organization providing university presidents with a unified voice for higher education, research, and innovation, Universities Canada advances the mission of its member institutions to transform lives, strengthen communities, and find solutions to the most pressing challenges facing our world. The organization advocates for Canadian universities at the federal level, provides a forum for university leaders to share ideas and address challenges in higher education, supports students by providing information on university study and offering scholarships on behalf of private sector companies, and fosters collaboration among universities and governments, the private sector, communities, and international partners. Visit Universities Canada at in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
International study permit data an 'earthquake' for Canadian university finances
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. "The drop in international students is like an earthquake hitting an education system that's already structurally weakened by years of underinvestment," 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, it's 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 it's projected the province had a 55 per cent decline in international permit approvals for 2024. The dramatic decrease led Toronto's Centennial College to suspend 49 full-time programs. The University of Winnipeg recently cut its women's soccer team and English language program to find cost savings, citing pressure from lower international enrolment. Alberta's quota for international students was boosted by about 10 per cent last year, but it's 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 government's new policies aiming to cut the number of international students have caused confusion and uncertainty for students planning to continue their studies in Canada. "That's pretty much all across every single level, whether that's PhD, master's, primary — even the programs or levels (and) institutions that were not part of any of these policy changes," 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. "Domestic tuition fees (are) going to go higher," he added. Miller said the numbers are a "big, bright, flashing yellow light for the country." 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 governments' funding decisions will likely result in layoffs, larger class sizes and hiring freezes, Miller said. "A major drop in international student enrolment represents a fundamental change in the funding system for Canadian universities," he said. "And unless that system now is repaired by governments, we're not going to be able to meet the need for education among our own native-born population." 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 didn't say how it would be affected. "This impact will grow over time, as students would have been anticipated to attend over multiple years." The university said in a statement that while it's too early to speculate on the cap's impact, it will "certainly lead to a budgetary shortfall, the full extent of which is currently being assessed." Ermia Rezaei-Afsah, president of the University of Calgary students' union, said several programs at the school have been frozen. "We're seeing that the caps are working better than they're intended to," Rezaei-Afsah said. "It's going to get worse in 2025," he said. "The reputational damage is immense." Pari Johnston, president and CEO of Colleges and Institutes Canada, said it has been warning about the "devastating" impacts from the reforms. "Canadian student access to high-demand programs, the training and talent pipeline employers depend on, and local research and innovation capacity are all at risk," 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 "didn't tell any university or college to charge international students four or five times what we charge domestic students." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 31, 2025. Matthew Scace and Maan Alhmidi, The Canadian Press Sign in to access your portfolio
