Message from the President – IRCC update

Posted on Thursday, November 7th, 2024

Dear colleagues,

I want to provide an update on the College’s ongoing efforts following decisions made by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to cap international student study permits for 2024 to 2026, and its more recent announcement to reduce certain programs’ eligibility for Post-Graduate Work Permits (PGWP).

These decisions carry substantial consequences for the entire post-secondary education sector in Canada, and Algonquin College is not immune to the negative impacts. Together, the IRCC policy changes are creating unprecedented financial challenges for the College.

Among the most pressing concerns are the following:

  • The College’s 2024-25 Second Quarter Projection Report confirms that international student enrolment will be short by nearly 2,400 incoming students in comparison to the budget target of 7,447 new international students. This enrolment shortfall, which has a multi-year impact, will contribute to an overall revenue decrease of $32 million (as compared to the approved Annual Budget).
  • A recent internal review indicates that approximately 65 per cent of the programs the College currently offers have been deemed ineligible for PGWPs for international students based on the IRCC’s criteria.
  • These programs attract high enrolment from international learners. If the IRCC’s work permit decision remains unchanged, our ability to attract international learners will continue to be significantly impeded.
  • The College also continues to face sustained financial constraints due to the provincial government’s ongoing freeze on domestic student tuition fees, which started in 2018-19 following a 10 per cent reduction that reset tuition to 2015-16 levels.
  • Adding to this challenge, the provincial government funding that supports our operations has had only minor increases over the past seven years, with no adjustments to help cover the rising costs from inflation.

As a result of these challenges, I have tasked the College’s Executive Team to prioritize the needs of our learners and focus on the College’s financial sustainability. Current mitigation measures include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Deferring expenses wherever practical and reasonable and reducing corporate expenditures.
  • Reviewing all hiring and staffing decisions to ensure that only roles that are essential to supporting learners and priority needs are being processed.
  • We will be taking a measured, fair and transparent approach in order to mitigate impacts on employees.

To be clear, the government policy decisions that have been announced will be with us for some time, and this will compound the financial impact on the College in the years to come. It is therefore imperative to take measures and make difficult budgetary decisions now, knowing that some actions will take time to be fully implemented and have the outcomes realized.

You should note that we continue to vigorously advocate for changes to these IRCC decisions. We are collaborating with provincial and federal government, as well as post-secondary partners – including Colleges Ontario and Colleges and Institutes Canada – to emphasize the significant contributions our graduates provide in all sectors of the economy.

Together with the Executive Team, I am committed to keeping you informed on these important issues and ensuring that any updates relevant to individual departments are shared promptly.

As we navigate these difficult times together, I want to thank you for your ongoing commitment to providing our students with an exceptional learning experience in a dynamic and supportive environment.

Sincerely,

Claude Brulé
President and CEO


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