B.C. caps international post-secondary student enrolment at 30 per cent of total

The University of British Columbia campus is seen in the foreground, with downtown Vancouver in the background, in this photo from June 2019.

British Columbia's government has introduced new guidelines for public post-secondary education institutions, capping the number of international students at 30 per cent of their total enrolment.

In a statement, the provincial Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills says the new limit is meant to make sure that "international student enrolment doesn't strain an institution's ability "to provide appropriate services."

The ministry says the new guidelines call for public universities and colleges to submit international education strategic plans to the government, which the province will monitor to make sure the cap is being followed.

Schools such as the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University and University of Victoria say international student enrolment levels there do not exceed the 30-per-cent limit and the change will not impact operations.

Kwantlen Polytechnic University exceeded the limit set for 2023-24 at 36 per cent, but officials say the school year started before the federal government capped international students at 360,000 this year — a 35 per cent decrease from 2023.

The university's vice-president Zena Mitchell says in a statement that the B.C. government guidelines aligned with their expectations.

The province says the guidelines start this month, and schools are expected to come into alignment over the coming year.

It B.C. government says the cap is also meant "to help ensure that enrolment levels do not put pressure on local communities."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 16, 2024.