Federal International Student Cap Creates Crisis for Saskatchewan Educational Institutions
New federal immigration policies have triggered a dramatic 75 percent decline in international student enrollment at the University of Regina, resulting in a staggering $20-million funding shortfall according to university president Jeff Keshen. The situation has created what Keshen describes as "an exercise in frustration" over the past two years, with Saskatchewan's post-secondary institutions facing unprecedented challenges.
Federal Policy Implementation and Unintended Consequences
In January 2024, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada introduced an intake cap on international student permit applications. Government officials stated the admission limits were designed to stabilize international student arrivals and alleviate pressure on housing, healthcare, and other essential services. The federal government established individual provincial and territorial caps weighted by population, intending to create more significant decreases in provinces where international student populations had experienced unsustainable growth.
However, a recent report from the federal auditor general titled International Student Program Reforms reveals the system may not have functioned as intended for provinces like Saskatchewan. The report explicitly states that "smaller provinces were disproportionately impacted by lower study permit approvals," contradicting the policy's stated goal of fairness across regions.
Severe Enrollment Declines Across Saskatchewan Institutions
The federal auditor general's report indicates that while changes to the system were intended to reduce approvals in provinces experiencing unsustainable growth while boosting approvals elsewhere, Saskatchewan experienced the opposite effect. The province was projected to see a 10 percent increase in approvals but instead faced a devastating 63 percent reduction.
The report explains that "the department's approach resulted in smaller provinces experiencing two compounding challenges: limited allocation spaces and lower study permit approval rates. This was made worse by decreasing application volumes." This perfect storm of factors has created particularly difficult circumstances for Saskatchewan's educational institutions.
Among Saskatchewan's three major post-secondary institutions, the University of Regina appears to have been hit hardest. New international student numbers plummeted by nearly 76 percent from 2,480 students in the 2023-24 academic year to just 606 students in 2025-26 according to university data.
Saskatchewan Polytechnic recorded a 68 percent decline in new international enrollment, with 3,030 students arriving in 2023-24 compared to only 977 for 2025-26. The University of Saskatchewan experienced a nearly 57 percent drop from 1,402 international students to 608 over the same period.
Financial and Operational Consequences
The dramatic enrollment declines have forced significant operational changes across Saskatchewan's educational landscape. Saskatchewan Polytechnic has implemented cuts to staff, faculty, and programs over the past year, consistently citing financial shortfalls directly attributed to the changing international student landscape.
Thevi Pather, associate vice-president of international at Sask Poly, explains that potential students have become increasingly concerned about having their applications rejected. This psychological impact has translated into tangible enrollment declines, with international applicants to Sask Poly dropping from 10,408 in the 2024-25 academic year to 5,529 for 2025-26.
"It settles deeply in the psyche of students and then they start looking elsewhere," said Pather, highlighting how perception of reduced approval chances drives prospective international students to consider educational opportunities in other provinces or countries.
Broader Implications for Provincial Education Systems
The situation in Saskatchewan illustrates broader challenges facing smaller provinces under the federal international student cap system. While the policy was designed to address national concerns about housing and service pressures, its implementation has created significant regional disparities that threaten the financial stability of provincial education systems.
The $20-million funding gap at the University of Regina represents just one example of how reduced international student enrollment translates into direct financial consequences for institutions that have come to rely on international student tuition to support their operations and educational offerings.
As Saskatchewan's post-secondary institutions continue to navigate these challenging circumstances, the federal auditor general's report suggests the need for policy adjustments to ensure smaller provinces are not disproportionately impacted by national immigration strategies that affect international education.
