Canada region cuts international student enrollment by 20% 

The new policy, which will limit the number of international student applications, is part of the government’s effort to manage immigration levels.

CBC News reports that the Immigration Ministry published the updated maximum number of applications for new international students in Wednesday’s edition of the province’s Official Gazette.

The new quotas will significantly reduce the number of students allowed to enroll in Quebec’s collegiate and university networks this fall. The government has also set the number of international student enrollments at universities to align with 2024 levels.

The move follows the passing of a bill in December 2024, which granted the Education Ministry the authority to limit the number of international students admitted to Quebec’s educational institutions.

The Fédération des cégeps, a group representing Quebec’s public colleges, criticized the decision. The CEO of the federation, Marie Montpetit, according to reports, argued that reducing the number of international students will harm Quebec’s educational and economic vitality.

“By restricting international students’ access to CEGEPs, the government is targeting a network that plays an essential role in Quebec’s educational and economic vitality,” Montpetit said in a news release. 

The federation pointed out that international students account for only 5% of CEGEP enrollment but are important for sustaining many programs. Limiting their numbers could disrupt regional development and the supply of skilled workers, the federation warned.

Université de Montréal, Daniel Jutras, expressed concerns about the impact of the new quotas on the province’s higher education system. He argued that international students are being unfairly grouped with those who may misuse the system.

“International students have been placed in the same basket as those who abuse the system, and we’re treating those people in the same way as someone who is coming to Quebec to pursue a PhD in IT or a masters in social work,” Jutras said in an interview with Radio-Canada’s Tout un matin. 

This policy shows a change in Quebec’s approach to managing international student enrollment.

The government hopes that these new limits will better control the province’s immigration levels while maintaining a balance between educational needs and resource capacity.