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4h ago

Ottawa Halves Foreign Student Visas as UCalgary Reports $34.7M Hit From Enrolment Drop

The cuts intensify financial pressure on campuses that depend heavily on international tuition.

Students off to class at Simon Fraser University.
Signs at the University of Calgary campus are seen on January 28, 2021.
Post-secondary education may need a new system of funding to remain competitive and better serve student needs.
The 2025 federal budget further decreases the number of visas to be issued to international students.

Overview

  • The 2025 federal budget plans to reduce annual foreign student visas to 150,000, with graduate students excluded from the cut, which UCalgary says will soften the blow.
  • Earlier IRCC limits reduced incoming international students by about 40% in 2024 with a further ~10% reduction announced in early 2025, setting the backdrop for continued declines.
  • UCalgary reports an 8.8% drop in international enrolment between 2023 and 2024 and an additional 16.3% decrease in 2025, estimating a $34.7 million impact this year that includes a $25.3 million shortfall and $9.4 million tied to the 2024 cohort.
  • Mount Royal University and SAIT describe modest effects, with MRU down 51 international students since 2023 and SAIT noting no significant change to its budget alongside strong domestic demand.
  • Alberta’s expert panel has proposed ending the two per cent tuition cap and phasing in a program- and entry-year-based funding model with targeted investments in research, IT and deferred maintenance.