Visa drop leaves universities with a shortage of students. Canada’s universities and colleges are under heavy strain after a sharp fall in foreign students. In the first half of this year, only 36,417 student visas were approved. That is 90,000 fewer than last year and close to 250,000 fewer than in the same months of 2023. The loss has led to staff cuts, closed courses, and budget gaps in many universities.
Fewer files and a slower process
Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has seen fewer student files and longer delays. From January to June 2024, the count of files fell to 302,795, almost 100,000 fewer than last year. The rate of approval dropped to 71%. Permit renewals now take as long as 173 days, while new files from China and the United Kingdom may take five to ten weeks.
Some students have taken legal steps, with a case filed in Toronto for 25 Chinese students who had places and funds but no visa results. If you are playing in an online casino and don’t want a slow process, a platform like Sportsbet.io offers sportsbet io app android version for easier phone access to online games.
Decline deeper than targets
The federal plan was a 35% cut in student visas to ease housing costs. A further 10% cut was set for this year, with one more to follow next year. However, the real drop has gone far beyond that.
Data shows a 45% fall in visas in 2024, with the abruptest loss at colleges, down 79%. Studyportals found that search interest in Canada fell 42% year over year. From India, interest dropped 56%, while from Nigeria, it fell 49%.
Warnings from education leaders
Leaders in the sector warn that the hit is larger than what the policy aimed for. David Robinson of the Canadian group for university staff said that stricter rules, long waits, and a damaged image abroad are driving the fall.
New rules in Québec, such as proof of French skill, have added to the strain. In April 2025, Québec Universities saw a 46% fall in foreign students. McGill was down 22%, while Concordia and Université de Montréal were down 37%. One mid-size university lost 10% of its full roll in one year.
Cash loss grows
Universities that relied most on foreign fees are suffering the deepest cuts. The University of Regina faces a CA$10 million gap, tied to visa delays. In Ontario, fee freezes under Premier Doug Ford forced universities to lean on foreign fees.
In some cases, 68% of fee funds came from these students. With the drop, staff loss and course cuts spread. Algonquin closed 41 courses, while York University froze studies in classics, French, and gender fields.
The future at risk
The fall in foreign students has shown the weak base of Canada’s higher learning. Local enrollment has risen, but it cannot fill the cash gap. Smaller and rural Universities face the highest risk. Without a change in visa rules and more public funds, more staff loss and course cuts may come, reshaping the map of higher learning in Canada.
The shift can be likened to what is happening to sports, where trends in odds and play can turn the whole match, and you can place bets on sportsbet io sports for more thrill. Just as one change on the field can alter the score, one drop in student flow can reshape the fate of universities.
