OTTAWA — Last year, Ottawa issued 45-per-cent fewer new study permits according to the latest immigration data, a larger decrease than anticipated compared to the 35 per cent that was planned when it implemented policy changes last year to cap the number international students in Canada.
According to new report by ApplyBoard, it projected Canada’s yearly study permit approvals would decline by 45 per cent from 2023, resulting in a maximum of 280,000 admissions across all study levels from K-12 to post-graduate studies. Since the implementation last year, this forced many colleges, such as ones located in Ontario to suspend some of their lower enrolled programs.
Centennial College is the latest Ontario college forced to make major changes. On its website, the college announced it’s suspending 49 full-time programs that were supposed to accept new students starting in the summer and fall 2025 semesters as well the winter 2026 semester.
Impacted programs include Hotel, Resort and Restaurant Management, Hospitality and Tourism Administration and Food Tourism. Students who are currently enrolled in one of the impacted programs will continue to be supported to graduation. The international student cap has resulted in a drop of almost 50 per cent in admissions for Ontario colleges and a $752-million decrease in operating spending across various campuses.
“We are doing what we must to position the college for long-term sustainability, so that we can keep producing job-ready graduates aligned with labour market needs and continue to serve our communities,” says Craig Stephenson, president and CEO of Centennial College. “However, it doesn’t diminish the impact program suspension will have on our community as faculty and staff reductions will be unavoidable. We are proceeding with care as we work through what this means for our people, adding that 128 full-time programs will continue to admit new students and the suspension of the 49 programs could be re-opened in the future.
Earlier this month, Algonquin College informed its employees and students in Perth, Ont. that by the end of August 2026, it will shutter its campus.
Additionally, Sheridan College suspended 40 programs in November 2024. Seneca College is also temporarily closing its Markham, Ont.-based campus altogether because of an enrolment decline. At Mohawk College, 20 per cent of the administrative staff were let go and 16 programs were suspended for 2025.