Cap on international student admissions could cost St. Clair College 40million

A cap on international student admissions will hurt the 'bottom line' at St. Clair College in Windsor according to a top official at the school.

Ron Seguin, Vice President, International Relations, Campus Development and Student Services, says there are some 'bad actors' in this industry and they needed to establish some control, but it will impact the college.

"We believe we're doing everything right and it's going to hit us hard, not so much in 2024 but in 2025," he told AM800's The Morning Drive. "It's going to be $40-million to the bottom line of our operating statement, so that's a significant reduction and we've got work to do."

Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced cap on international student admissions on Monday, including a temporary cap that will reduce the number of new student visas by 35 per cent this year.

The international student program has come under significant scrutiny in recent months as experts warn that strong population growth is putting pressure on an already-strained housing market.

The number of new visas handed out this year will be capped at 364,000, a decrease from the nearly 560,000 issued last year. The number for 2025 will be set after an assessment of the situation later this year.

The cap will apply only to post-secondary undergraduate students, not those seeking visas for master's programs, doctoral degrees or elementary and high school students.

The government will also bar students in schools that follow a private-public model from accessing postgraduate work permits as of Sept. 1.

Seguin says Minister Miller had to make a decision because there are some 'bad actors' in this industry and they needed to establish some control.

"You're looking at, in many cases, private colleges in the Toronto area that basically close their eyes to student attendance and student quality. Put a lot of kids through programming that once their done, they're not eligible for post-graduate work permits, they've mislead people," he says.

Seguin says St. Clair College has four per cent of the international population in Ontario's college system.

"We've been between 4,000 and 5,000 students between Windsor and Chatham for the last five years," he says. "We were up a little bit in September but we also have a huge graduation this winter. So we haven't shocked the community, we've been steady and during that time we built a significant residence for international students on campus."

Foreign nationals who want to study at a Canadian institution usually need to get a study permit from the federal government. To apply, prospective students must submit a letter of acceptance, personal documentation and proof of financial support.

Until now, there have not been any limits on the number of students who can enter the country. The government mostly approved visa requests as long as the student could show they were accepted at an accredited school.

With files from CTV News