On Sept. 18, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced tightened limits on study permits and significant changes to the eligibility criteria for the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP).

Immigration Minister Marc Miller confirmed that the international student cap will remain in place, with IRCC issuing only 437,000 study permits in 2025. This figure represents a 10 per cent reduction from the 2024 target of 485,000 permits, with a plan to stabilize the intake cap at this level for 2026. Consequently, the department anticipates a decrease of approximately 300,000 study permits issued over the next few years.

Roger Farias, a Fanshawe College student from Colombia, voiced his frustrations regarding the government’s latest regulations.

“We are practically at the mercy of anything the Ministry of Education and the government decide,” he remarked, highlighting how recent news has left many students anxious about their status and future opportunities.

With these changes coming less than a year after many international students arrived in Canada, Farias expressed his dismay at the lack of clear communication.

“It seems unfair that the expectations set by agencies and colleges can shift so drastically based on decisions made about other institutions and students,” he said.

In addition to the study permit cap, the eligibility requirements for the PGWP have changed. Starting Nov. 1, applicants must demonstrate a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 in English or Niveaux de Competence Linguistique Canadiens (NCLC) 7 in French in all four language areas. Additionally, college graduates will need a CLB of 5 in English or NCLC 5 in French in all four language areas. Miller expects these changes to result in 175,000 fewer PGWPs issued over the next three years.

Farias noted, “After two full years of studying and communicating in English, it feels redundant to be required to prove our language skills again through a proficiency exam.”

On Oct. 4, IRCC published the updated guidelines for PGWP eligibility, which now include specific requirements related to the field of study. The eligible fields of study for PGWP have aligned with the Express Entry categories introduced by IRCC in 2023, which reflect the current needs of the national labour market. The eligible fields are:

• Agriculture and Agri-food
• Healthcare
• Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)
• Trade
• Transport

These field of study requirements do not apply to university Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD graduates.

In a note to faculty on Oct. 23, Fanshawe President Peter Devlin said that in response to the changes, the college would be conducting a “thorough review” of its current program offerings and comparing them against the criteria set by the federal and provincial governments.

“Over the next several weeks, we will work to identify which programs qualify for post-graduate work permits under these new guidelines,” Devlin said. “Once the list is finalized and approved by government officials, we will be well-positioned to proceed with our multi-year program viability and budget analysis.”

Devlin was able to share with “reasonable certainty” that Fanshawe is projecting a 47 per cent reduction in international Level 1 student enrolment for the January intake and a 39 per cent reduction for the May intake. In the short term, he said the reduction in international student enrollment will result in fewer program sections being offered in the upcoming semesters.

“I understand that these are uncertain times, and it’s natural to feel concerned,” Devlin said. “However, I am confident in our ability to navigate these changes together. Our priority remains clear: to deliver an outstanding education for all our students and to ensure the long-term success of Fanshawe College.”

The uncertainty brought about by the new regulations has broader implications for international students currently at Fanshawe. Students like Farias have uprooted their lives, leaving behind family and friends to pursue their dreams in Canada.

“We put our lives into this,” Farias emphasized. “The time, money, and effort that go into studying abroad are immense, and when policies shift unexpectedly, it feels like our hard work is at risk.”