Lethbridge post-secondary schools dealing with impact of international student cap
Lethbridge post-secondary schools are trying to navigate recent changes to the cap on international students, announced by the federal government in January.
Approximately 360,000 international students will be permitted into Canada for 2024, down about 35 per cent from the year before.
Schools are still trying to figure out just how much the change will impact them.
“It's frustrating that here we are, nine months after IRC started the clampdown. They're still implementing new rules, that are making it very difficult,” said Brad Donaldson, Lethbridge Polytechnic president and CEO.
In 2023, the University of Lethbridge had nearly 1,200 international students while international students made up around 20 per cent of Lethbridge Polytechnic’s student body.
The number of international students will be down slightly for both schools this year.
The University of Lethbridge Students Union (ULSU) says it hasn't noticed a significant decline in international applications yet. But there's a belief a decrease will be coming over the next year.
“In the later semesters or years to come, there will actually be that significant decline,” said Moyosoreoluwa Oladoye, the international student representative for the ULSU.
"Like that you can pin a point to it that this is actually affecting the students that are coming in."
That decrease in applications could mean fewer top prospects and graduate students will consider Canada for schooling.
"Recent changes to immigration, refugees and citizenship Canada, including visa processing delays, combined with a cap on international student numbers threatens to make Canada a less attractive option for post-secondary education amongst international students," Michelle Helstein, U of L provost and vice president academic, said in a statement."
The cap on international students was introduced after a sharp increase in students coming to Canada in recent years, which put pressure on public services as well as housing.
But international students also became big money-makers for schools thanks to the higher fees they pay.
Schools are now looking at ways to make up for that lost revenue.
"We're still trying to understand what the impact of that will be. So there will be a reduction in international student revenue for sure. Just because of the number of programs that we have that are eligible for international students. But we do have a bit of a runway here," Donaldson said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Gunman at large after UnitedHealthcare CEO fatally shot in apparent targeted attack, law enforcement official says
The CEO of UnitedHealthcare was shot and killed in midtown Manhattan Wednesday morning in an apparent targeted attack as he was about to attend the company’s annual investor conference, a law enforcement official tells CNN. The gunman remains on the loose.
Trump considers DeSantis for the Pentagon with Hegseth under pressure over allegations: AP sources
The nomination of Pete Hegseth, U.S. president-elect Donald Trump's choice to lead the Pentagon, is under pressure as senators who would need to confirm him weigh a series of allegations that have surfaced against him.
VPD issue public warning after random sucker punch at bus stop
Vancouver police have released security video as they seek witnesses to an unprovoked assault in the downtown core.
$80-million jackpot: 2 winning tickets sold in Canada
There are two winners of the $80 million Lotto Max jackpot, Ontario Lottery and Gaming (OLG) has announced. The prize will be split between two tickets sold in Quebec and Alberta, respectively.
2 Quebec men top BOLO program's latest Top 25 list of Canada's most wanted
Two men believed to be central figures in Quebec’s violent and ongoing drug conflict topped the Bolo Program's latest Top 25 list of Canada's Most Wanted fugitives.
Mexico president says Canada has a 'very serious' fentanyl problem
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly is not escalating a war of words with Mexico, after the Mexican president criticized Canada's culture and its framing of border issues.
Mexican troops seize a record fentanyl haul days after Trump threatened tariffs
Mexican soldiers and marines have seized over a ton of fentanyl pills in two raids in the north, with officials calling it the biggest catch of the synthetic opioid in the country’s history.
Transgender rights case lands at U.S. Supreme Court amid debate over ban on medical treatments for minors
The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing arguments Wednesday in just its second major transgender rights case, which is a challenge to a Tennessee law that bans gender-affirming care for minors.
Calls for Ottawa to end Canada Post strike mount as businesses face challenges
As the Canada Post strike nears its three-week mark, stores across the country have turned to alternate measures to send products to paying customers and keep operations running smoothly.