New report links immigration policies to decline in Quebec university rankings
Posted March 25, 2026 9:48 am.
A new report by Times Higher Education (THE) suggests that restrictive immigration policies for international students are beginning to affect university rankings, including in Quebec.
The report finds that most universities in countries with tighter international student policies have fallen in the ranking of the world’s most international institutions. It warns universities may be at risk of losing places in overall standings.
“These data confirm exactly what the Quebec university community anticipated: restrictive immigration policies are leading to a measurable decline in the influence of our institutions,” said Madeleine Pastinelli, president of the Fédération québécoise des professeures et professeurs d’université (FQPPU).
“Quebec has embarked on this same trajectory in recent years. But there is still time to take note and adjust the situation.”
The FQPPU says the findings support concerns raised in its brief on Bill 74 and in an overview of the situation of international students in Quebec universities.
“Quebec has always made its openness to the world a distinctive strength,” Pastinelli added. “International data clearly shows us the risks of a downturn. We invite the government to work with us to stop the current setback for our universities.”
The 2026 report indicates that 75 per cent of ranked Canadian universities, including McGill University, have dropped in the standings.
Similar trends were observed internationally, with 83 per cent of Australian institutions and 60 per cent of Dutch universities also declining, following recent caps on international student recruitment.
All three countries have reported a drop in their international reputation scores.
“Although causality cannot be definitively established, the timing of these declines coincides with policy changes that affect international student flows,” said Cathy Tushabe, a data scientist at THE.
The report adds that such policies affect not only recruitment, but also institutions’ global reputation and the quality of their research collaborations.
