The Canadian government's cap on international students may be beginning to impact Canadian colleges, reported India Today.
One such example is Sheridan College, located in Ontario with campuses in Mississauga, Brampton, and Oakville, which has announced the suspension of 40 academic programmes and staff reductions. The decision has been taken due to changes in government policies and an anticipated decline in student enrollment.
According to CBC News, Sheridan College expects a 30% decrease in student numbers next year, resulting in a projected 112 million dollars revenue loss, as stated by its President, Janet Morrison.
Founded in 1967, Sheridan College serves over 40,000 students, including a significant number of international students.
What are the programmes being suspended?
Sheridan College is suspending 40 academic programmes across various faculties, including animation, arts and design, health & community studies, humanities & social sciences, science and technology, and business.
Additionally, 27 other programmes will undergo an "efficiency review", the college announced.
It also informed that current students in these programmes can still graduate, but no new first-year students will be enrolled. Some programme suspensions will begin in May, while the other courses phased out over the coming months and years.
Policies being tightened
The announcement follows the Canadian government's decision to impose a cap on study permits for international students.
This decision is aimed at addressing the country's housing shortage and rising cost of living.
Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), confirmed that study permit approvals for 2024 will be reduced by 35%, with a cap of around 3,60,000 permits.
In 2023, approximately 3,20,000 Indians were granted study permits, but the 2024 cap is expected to significantly reduce the number of approvals.
Revenue loss for these colleges
Ontario’s 2024 budget projects a 3.1 billion dollar revenue loss for the province’s colleges over the next two years due to a decline in international student enrollment, according to India Today.
While Sheridan College’s president did not directly link this to financial challenges, a background document on its website cited "declining domestic enrollment" and "major changes in government policy" as factors that led to the decision.
Similarly, Seneca Polytechnic, another institution in Canada, announced the temporary closure of its Markham campus in response to the international student permit cap, highlighting the broader impact of the new policy, as per CP24 News.
