International student enrolment in Quebec plummets: report

International student enrolment is in freefall in Quebec universities, where the drop sometimes exceeds 50 per cent.

According to La Presse, the institutions blame the tightening of immigration rules, which they say tarnishes the image of Canada and Quebec internationally.

At Concordia University, applications from outside the country were 37 per cent lower than in the fall of 2024, while they declined by 22 per cent at McGill University.

At the Université de Montréal, new international undergraduate enrolments have dropped by 31 per cent compared to last year, according to preliminary data.

Both enrolment and international applications are in freefall across the network, particularly in French-speaking universities.

English-language institutions have also experienced a decline in their enrolment from the rest of Canada in recent years, due to tuition hikes made by Quebec.

At the Université de Sherbrooke, international undergraduate student enrolment has plummeted by 58 per cent compared to last fall, a level not seen in recent years.

The drop will result in millions of dollars in lost revenue and will hurt universities.

A climate of insecurity amidst immigration changes

Universities see only one explanation for such a sudden decline: the recent immigration tightening by different levels of government.

Earlier this year, Quebec slowed the increase in the number of international students in higher education institutions. For the first time, it set a cap on the number of applications that can be received from international students who wish to obtain a certificate of studies in Quebec.

This measure was in addition to the plan announced by Ottawa to reduce the number of temporary residents over the next three years, including international students.

Between Jan. and June 2025, the Canadian government allowed 88,000 fewer new students to enter the country than during the same period last year.

This drop comes at a time when Quebec universities are facing financial difficulties, in a context of budget cuts in higher education.

The impact, say the universities, are more than just financial. Most students working in labs and research centres come from abroad and if Quebec is to remain competitive these students are invaluable.