Immigration minister says struggling universities must ask provinces for help

Canada’s immigration minister says universities and colleges struggling to balance the books after federal cuts to the international student program will have to turn to their provincial governments for financial help. 

Lena Diab told a crowd in Halifax on Friday that there were more than one million foreign students in Canada at the beginning of 2024 and that dropped to about 700,000 by November 2025. 

She said the influx of newcomers after the pandemic, including international students, put unsustainable pressure on the health-care system, housing and other services, but the government is now on the path to finding a balance. 

Universities across the country are struggling with the drop in international enrolment, as those students typically pay much higher tuition costs than Canadian students.  

This week, for example, Newfoundland and Labrador's Memorial University announced it was selling off several buildings, including its campus in England, as it seeks to cut spending by $25 million. 

Diab said she understands post-secondary institutions are concerned, but said provincial governments are responsible for any financial help the sector needs.

Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld