A “sharp decline” in the number of international students enrolling in classes has forced a Metro Vancouver university to issue layoff notices to dozens of faculty members this week.
Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) made the announcement earlier this week on its website, citing federal government changes since December 2023 as the reason for the drop in students from outside of Canada.
According to the university, there were 2000 fewer international students in the current fiscal year, with an additional 1,500 fewer projected in the next.
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“The university’s international tuition and fees revenue is projected to fall by $49 million in Fiscal 2026,” said KPU in the announcement.
“KPU responded by looking to boost income and reduce expenditures. The university has cut new discretionary spending and implemented a hiring review, where every potential job posting is scrutinized so only those positions go forward that support KPU’s strategic priorities, vision and recruitment efforts, and operations are maintained at its reduced size.”
Kwantlen announced that it would issue full or partial layoff notices to roughly 70 faculty members by the end of the week. The layoff notice period is for five months, which includes a labour adjustment period where KPU said it will work with the Kwantlen Faculty Association to try to find ways to minimize the number of layoffs.
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KPU welcomes over 20,000 students annually to its five campuses in Surrey, Richmond, Cloverdale, Langley and Civic Plaza.
“While we kept our promise to maintain regular faculty positions through the current academic year, the reduction in students and revenue is too steep to renew that promise in the next academic year,” said President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Alan Davis in a statement.
The Canadian government announced last October that the number of new international student study permits issued in 2025 will be 10% less than the 2024 target of 485,000 permits. In addition, Ottawa officially ended its fast-track visa program for international students from 14 countries last November.
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This comes after the federal government announced early last year that it would cap international student visas for two years. There are also additional restrictions on international students, such as limiting their work hours.
A decline in international student enrollment has affected several local post-secondary institutions, including Simon Fraser University, Langara College, and Camosun College.
Davis added that the polytechnic university would continue looking for new sources of income and areas of savings and reassured students that KPU is committed to their education.
“We want to assure you the university is committed to providing the courses, services and supports you need to complete your programs,” he added.