Across Ontario, colleges collected more than $2 billion in international tuition fees last year. However, federal immigration minister Marc Miller announced in January that he would be limiting the number of international students allowed into the country.

He also made students from private colleges partnering with public institutions ineligible for post-graduation work permits, which allows these students to start on the path to permanent residency. As a result, college revenues are falling dramatically.

In response, St. Lawrence College in Kingston is eliminating 30 managerial and support jobs.

“The reduction in study permits and restricted eligibility for post-graduate work permits for several programs has significantly reduced the number of students who can join us,” college president Glenn Vollebregt told The PIE News.

“As a result, we’ve had to make organisational changes, which unfortunately impacted the employment of some people,” Vollebregt said.

St. Lawrence is ending its public-private partnership with Alpha College in Toronto, but is allowing previously enrolled students to complete their courses.

Elsewhere in Ontario, Seneca College in Toronto is temporarily closing one of its campuses in the suburban city of Markham. That location had more than 5,000 international students – some of whom have moved to other Seneca sites.

Seneca president David Agnew said that prospective international students are shying away from Canada.

“Our recruiters are reporting that in the 150 countries where we pursue international students, there’s quite a bit of confusion about what Canada wants,” he told the TVO program The Agenda.

“You build your brand over many years and you can lose it overnight,” Agnew lamented. “That’s what happened to Canada.”

Agnew predicts that the financial hit from the loss of international tuition will have an impact across Ontario. “I suspect that half of the province’s colleges will be in deficit this year,” he said.  

You build your brand over many years and you can lose it overnight
_{^{David Agnew, Seneca College}}

In April, Fleming College, based in Peterborough, announced that it was shedding 29 programs, including accounting, business and environmental technician.

These cuts may just be the tip of the iceberg as currently enrolled international students graduate and their spots are not filled. At Fanshawe College in London, president Peter Devlin expects to see 47% fewer overseas students in January.

In an email to Fanshawe employees, Devlin did not provide any details on the impact that this drop might have on revenues or employment. However, he did say: “While domestic enrolment remains strong, this anticipated decline in international students will significantly impact our budget in the coming years.”

As if international enrolment uncertainty was not enough, the province’s colleges are facing a possible strike by 15,000 professors, instructors and other staff. Members of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union voted 79% in favour of a strike mandate in October.