CHARLOTTETOWN – A P.E.I. college says it is suspending a number of programs for the upcoming school year as a result of the federal government’s cap on international student study permits.
Holland College said in a statement it’s projecting an 83 per cent decrease in international students, which comes with $7 million in lost tuition revenue.
The statement says the college’s international student enrollment will decrease from a high of 799 in 2024 to approximately 140 in 2026.
To cope with the drop in enrollment, Holland College says it will stop offering eight programs this upcoming school year and another three programs will be downsized.
It says 35 staff will be affected by the change.
The suspended programs include electronics engineering technology, architectural technology, legal administration, and marketing and advertising, among others.
The school says students who are currently enrolled in the suspended programs will be able to complete their second year of studies, but no new students will be admitted.
“While we regret having to take this unprecedented step, we must respond to these new realities to maintain the integrity and viability of our programs and ensure our long-term financial sustainability,” Holland College president Alexander MacDonald said in the statement announcing the program cuts.
More than a year ago, the federal government announced a 35-per-cent reduction in study permits, marking one of the first major reductions in Canada’s permanent and temporary immigration targets.
International students pay much higher tuition fees than their domestic counterparts, which has left post-secondary institutions struggling to fill that hole and decide which programs and services they can live without.
Former immigration minister Marc Miller said in December that the international student system was set up to attract talent to fill key roles in the labour market, but he had to make the cut because the program got “overheated.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 13, 2025.
