B.C. university lays off dozens as international student 'crisis' looms
The spring semester is nearing an end at post-secondary institutions across the province, but the rapid decline in the number of international students has led to a round of layoffs affecting dozens of full-time employees at one B.C. university.
The University of the Fraser Valley, which serves over 12,000 students across its two main campuses and several other locations, posted a recent budget and financial sustainability update stating that “the post-secondary environment is changing rapidly.”
“UFV, like many B.C. institutions, is navigating significant financial pressures,” said the university online.
According to Greg Mather, president of the UFV Faculty & Staff Association, the university is facing a deficit of more than $20 million as a result of a significant drop in the number of international students.
University of the Fraser Valley
“Part of the deficit will be covered by reducing 45 faculty and staff positions, in addition to employees who have already voluntarily left,” said Mather. “It has been a challenging time for students, staff, and faculty at UFV.
“We’ve known for many months that layoffs would be coming, especially as the entire B.C. post-secondary sector has faced at least one, if not more, rounds of layoffs. The community is heightened and anxious about how this will affect them, their colleagues, and the quality of education and support services we offer our students.”
UFVFSA explained that, based on the published information, this month’s university layoffs included:
- Six teaching faculty reductions
- Four non-teaching faculty reductions
- 35 staff reductions
The association also added that there are three involuntary workload reductions, as well as unpublished reductions relating to exempt and excluded administrators.
UFV Today
“The FSA regrets that the fallout from financial restrictions falls primarily on our colleagues. added Mather. “Each member brings with them their unique qualifications and experiences that help make this place special. Everyone who works at UFV has relationships within our workplace and our broader community that are not easily broken.
“This crisis will impact our community not only through layoffs but potentially also through increases in tuition for domestic and international students and program cuts. This will affect students’ ability to access their education and graduate in a timely manner.”
Stacy Kirpichova, acting director of communications for the Abbotsford-based university, told Daily Hive that UFV, like many post-secondary institutions, is responding to financial pressures related to changes in international student enrolment and broader sector impacts.
“As part of this, the university has made the difficult decision to reduce costs, including workforce adjustments,” stated Kirpichova. “These decisions are part of a broader plan to support the long-term sustainability of the institution.
“We recognize the impact on members of our community and are committed to supporting those affected.”
UFV isn’t the only B.C. institution facing a massive financial shortfall.
Daniel Chai/Daily Hive
The loss of thousands of international students prompted Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) to prepare a new round of layoffs earlier this month.
KPU shared the memo with Daily Hive. It revealed that by fiscal year 2026, the university’s international student enrolment had fallen by almost 4,500 from two years previous.
“We expect a further reduction of almost 1,000 international students by fiscal year 2027 (FY27),” Acting President Dr. Diane Purvey wrote to KPU employees about the university layoffs.
“By FY27, estimated international student revenue is set to be down by $88 million from the FY24 budget. Domestic enrolment is expected to remain flat and is not sufficient to mitigate the international revenue decline.”
Erman Gunes/Shutterstock
The federal government’s push to bring Canada’s temporary resident population back to “sustainable levels” has resulted in a massive decrease in international student arrivals.
Last week, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) released the latest data on new international student numbers in the country based on statistics up to Jan. 31, 2026.
According to the agency, about 7,040 international students arrived in January 2026. That’s a 37 per cent drop from January 2025, when new international student arrivals were at 11,215.
The decline is even more drastic compared to data from approximately two years ago. In January 2024, Canada let in 27,565 international students, which means the country has experienced a 74 per cent drop since then.