As the new academic year approaches, several universities are facing challenges with a decline in international student enrollment, resulting in significant layoffs across post-secondary institutions.
Earlier this year, a number of universities in British Columbia announced substantial staff reductions, with some institutions cutting their full-time faculty by nearly 10 percent.
Kwantlen Polytechnic University and Langara College are now preparing for another round of layoffs.
According to Brent Calvert, President of the Federation of Post-Secondary Educators of BC, Langara College recently disclosed plans for 80 regular faculty layoffs scheduled for April on top of the 70 employees laid off earlier in the spring, including approximately 150 contract faculty members. This totals over 300 job losses, representing a quarter of the faculty workforce at Langara.
Although Langara College’s CEO and President Dr. Paula Burns did not confirm the exact number of layoffs, she mentioned that reduction notices were given to 69 employees, and the institution is experiencing a decline of around 2400 international students compared to the previous year.
Dr. Burns stated in a written communication that due to the decreased enrollment, the college had to make the tough decision to downsize its workforce.
Staffing reductions have been partly influenced by federal changes in international permitting, leading to a temporary limit on international student enrollment in the country, with only 437,000 study permits issued in 2025.
Alex Khadempour, Director at CICS Immigration Consulting Inc., explained that there has been a notable decrease in the number of applications received and an increase in rejections compared to the previous year, affecting the approval rate for international students.
Kwantlen Polytechnic University is anticipating enrolling approximately 2,360 international students this fall, a decrease of almost 60 percent from 2023. An internal memo from acting KPU President Dr. Diane Pervy highlighted projected revenue losses of $5 to $10 million for the 2025/26 budget due to the decline in international student numbers.
Additionally, layoffs are being initiated for instructors at KPU’s Melville School of Business.
In response to the challenges faced by post-secondary institutions, the President of the Federation of Post-Secondary Educators of BC emphasized the need for government intervention to provide targeted financial assistance to support the sector.
Calvert underscored that the reliance on international student fees has concealed underlying issues with public funding for post-secondary education, which are now becoming more apparent.
The federation is actively advocating for funding evaluations and exploring the potential future of the sector in light of these shifts.