P.E.I. college projecting 83 per cent drop in international students by 2026

Holland College, a community college in Charlottetown, said it would not be offering eight programs for the 2025/26 school year, with an additional three programs being downsized.

 

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A college in Prince Edward Island is anticipating a significant drop in its number of international students, pointing to the federal government's reduction in issuing international study permits.

Holland College, a community college in Charlottetown, said it was expecting to see a decline in enrollment of international students from a record high 799 in 2024 to approximately 140 by 2026, in a statement published to the college website.

The 83% reduction will see Holland College lose $7 million in tuition revenues.

In response to the decline, the school said it would not be offering eight programs for the 2025/26 year, with an additional three programs being downsized; 35 staff are impacted as a result.

“These decisions are in response to a sharp decrease in the college’s international student enrollment and come at a time when the college is working with the province to address on-going financial challenges,” the school's statement read.

Holland College president and CEO Dr. Alexander MacDonald said the school regretted “having to take this unprecedented step” but that it “must respond to these new realities to maintain the integrity and viability of our programs and ensure our long-term financial sustainability.”

The suspended programs include electronics engineering technology, architectural technology, legal administration, marketing and advertising, among others, reports the Canadian Press.

The reduction comes following the Liberal government's immigration reversal in 2024. Before backing down, immigration numbers to Canada ramped up heavily beginning in 2022.

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COMMENTS

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  • Bernhard Jatzeck
    commented 2025-04-14 21:33:16 -0400
    Much of the post-secondary educational system is concerned only with money, whether it’s from the students themselves or government funding.
  • Bruce Atchison
    commented 2025-04-14 19:44:47 -0400
    What a scam the international student program is. I hope Poilievre cleans it up.