Canada’s new federal policies limiting international student intake have triggered sharp enrolment declines across higher institutions, with Nigerian students among those most affected.
Canada’s higher education sector is facing unprecedented disruption following new federal policies that sharply curtail international student enrolment, with significant implications for Nigerian students, who ranked among the top four source countries for international students in Canada up to 2023. Institutions across the country are reporting steep declines in foreign enrolment, raising concerns about funding, staffing and the quality of student support services.
One of the hardest hit institutions is Conestoga College in Ontario, which recorded a 62 percent drop in international enrolment. According to figures from the school, just over 8,500 international students registered last spring, compared with more than 22,600 during the same period last year. “Just over 8,500 international students are enrolled this semester, a drastic drop from more than 22,600 last spring,” said Vicki Poirier, president of the Support Staff Union. “We can see the difference in the number of students on site. I’m not surprised. Around 180 jobs were slashed earlier this year”.
Poirier warned that the staffing cuts would have lasting consequences for student support and academic outcomes. “The college is moving backwards by cutting back in areas that need the most support: writing consultants, scheduling, student success advisors. These are roles that provide direct support to students. I don’t think students are going to get the same quality or quantity of services that were available previously,” she said, as concerns mount over the broader impact of the policy changes on Canada’s education system.