More layoffs coming to B.C. university amid steep drop in international students | Daily Hive

Kwantlen Polytechnic University Langley campus

The continued decline in the number of international students has prompted Kwantlen Polytechnic University to prepare a new round of layoffs, affecting dozens of staff members.

KPU shared the memo issued on Tuesday, Aug. 26, with Daily Hive. It cited federal government changes since December 2023 as the reason for the drop in students from outside of Canada.

According to the memo by KPU Acting President Diane Purvey, there are almost 60 per cent fewer international students compared to Fall 2023, with just 2,360 expected to enroll in the upcoming semester.

Kwantlen Polytechnic University Surrey campus

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“Unfortunately, the continued international enrolment decline means revenue this year is now projected to be $5 to 10 million lower than forecast in the 2025-26 budget,” said Purvey. “With universities in B.C. mandated to operate without deficits, KPU must make difficult decisions to decrease expenses to align with our significantly lower revenues.”

The staff notice added that the number of domestic students has also dropped by about three per cent since Fall 2023, with overall enrollment for this upcoming semester down by 25 per cent compared to two years ago.

“The impact will be felt in future years as students who graduate and leave are not replaced by equivalent numbers of incoming students,” added Purvey.

Kwantlen faced a $5 million reduction target for administration, as well as BCGEU roles and overtime, in the 2025–26 budget. The target represents an elimination of between 40 to 45 full-time equivalent positions by the end of March 2026, prompting the layoffs.

Of the target figure, $2.6 million has been reduced by eliminating approximately 20 open positions and not replacing roles as they become vacant.

KPU has also cut $3.3 million in discretionary spending from the current operating budget. And most temporary positions with fixed contract dates will not be renewed in 2026, resulting in a reduction of approximately $4 million in administrative and BCGEU positions.

“Lengthy Immigration, Refugee, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) international study permit processing times and increased study permit denial rates are now the biggest barrier for international students seeking admission to Canada,” explained Purdey in the memo. “We’re doing what we can to limit the impact.”

Daniel Chai/Daily Hive

The university also issued layoffs to dozens of faculty members earlier this spring, stating that international tuition and fees revenue was projected to fall by $49 million in Fiscal 2026.

“This latest announcement represents a profound moment for KPU,” said Mark Diotte, president of the Kwantlen Faculty Association (KFA), to Daily Hive. “With the eight new layoff notices, combined with retirements and the drying up of contract work, we estimate that between 10 to 20 per cent of KPU’s faculty complement may be lost.

“That scale is unprecedented at KPU and will directly affect students through fewer course options, reduced program capacity, and longer times to graduate.”

KFA has launched a “Protect Education, Protect Communities” campaign calling on both federal and provincial governments to step up.

“Ottawa must fix immigration processing and stabilize funding in the fall federal budget, and Victoria must protect public universities and direct resources where they’re needed,” added Diotte.

“What’s missing is real provincial leadership. Ontario moved quickly with approximately $1.3 billion contingency fund to stabilize its universities. In B.C., despite a $4 billion contingency fund, the government has offered no equivalent support. Instead, we’re told to ‘restructure,’ which in practice just means layoffs and lost union jobs.”

Daniel Chai/Daily Hive

Diotte also stated that B.C.’s students, future workforce, and economy will pay the price if there isn’t investment in public education.

“For students and the community, this isn’t just about jobs — it’s about the quality and accessibility of education. B.C.’s own Labour Market Outlook shows 1.12 million job openings in the next decade, three-quarters of which will require post-secondary education. Shrinking university capacity now is completely at odds with those needs.”

KPU welcomes over 20,000 students annually to its five campuses in Surrey, Richmond, Cloverdale, Langley, and Civic Plaza.

The Canadian government announced last October that the number of new international student study permits issued in 2025 will be 10 per cent 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.

And as of June 2025, international students in Canada in non-degree programs for 178 fields of study will no longer be eligible for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP).

According to an announcement by IRCC, these fields of study were cut because they are no longer linked to jobs in long-term labour shortages.