One of Ontario’s largest colleges is suspending dozens of its full-time programs as the federal government reduces the number of international students in Canada.
Centennial College says 49 programs will not accept new students in the 2025-26 academic year, including 16 programs in its business school, 14 programs in its media school and seven programs in its engineering school.
College president and CEO Craig Stephenson says the institution is adapting to changes in the federal government’s immigration policy that led to a drop in international student enrolments, which significantly impacted the college’s financial standing.
Stephenson says reductions in staff are “unavoidable” amid the program suspensions but the college administration is making these changes to ensure its long-term sustainability.
Other colleges across Ontario have also announced program cuts in recent months, including Algonquin College that said earlier this month it was closing its campus in Perth, Ont., and Sheridan College that said in November it was suspending 40 programs.
The federal government announced in September that it will reduce the intake cap on international student study permits for this year to 437,000 permits, down from the 2024 target of 485,000.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 22, 2025.
