International students allocated to Ontario colleges, universities to drop again

The Ford government has been told to again reduce the number of international students who can study at Ontario universities and colleges, as overseas applicants disappear and their tuition revenue falls out of the province’s post-secondary system.

Since applying a cap on international students at the beginning of 2024, the federal government has been reducing the number of applicants each year, with Ontario then lowering allocations at its institutions.

Figures released on Wednesday show the number of international students Ontario can invite dropped again this year. For 2026, the province will be able to host 70,074 students from outside of Canada, 42 per cent lower than the year before.

The province will offer 96 per cent of those places to public colleges and universities, with the final four per cent going to private institutions and language schools.

“As we have been since the beginning, we will continue to work alongside our colleges and universities to ensure they can keep delivering the world-class education that Ontario is proudly known for,” Nolan Quinn, Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security, said in a statement.

The process for international students to apply to study in Ontario involves receiving a Provincial Attestation Letter or PAL. The government will be allowed to hand out 104,780 of them, knowing some who receive a letter will not end up studying in the province.

The 70,074 figure is a firm cap on the number of students who can head to the province, the government said. For the first time in 2026, graduate students won’t need a PAL — but they will still count toward the student cap.

The province said in a statement it would claw back some unused PALs in the middle of the year, as it did last year. It added that its plan would prioritize in-demand sectors.

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The latest numbers come amidst a review of the formula that funds public colleges and universities, which have been struggling for years.

Thousands of workers have been laid off, campuses shuttered and programs discontinued as the sector desperately searches for a way to make up for lost international student revenue, which used to account for about one-third of its total income.

Colleges Ontario has said its members have already cut $1.8 billion, suspended 600 programs and shed 8,000 jobs.

“This further destabilizes colleges in Ontario and the communities they serve, underscoring the urgent need for Ontario to complete its funding formula review and respond to federal policies,” the organization wrote.

Meanwhile, the Council of Ontario’s Universities said its members were projecting $265 million in deficits for the current year and called for a number of funding increases.

Asked repeatedly about the review and the impact of the loss of international students, Quinn has remained tight-lipped.

“Looking forward to the briefing in a couple of months,” he said. “Right now we’re looking at the funding formula review, and that’s what we’re looking for.”

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