The University of British Columbia is continuing to manage the impact of recent cuts to international study permits and is now seeing an increase in enrollment from students abroad.
In early 2024, the federal government made an announcement that would have a deep impact across the Canadian post-secondary system in coming years: limiting the number of international study permits issued.
It would not be an insignificant cap, either. In 2023, the last year before the policy was instituted, 701,714 new and continuing permits were issued to students. For 2024 and 2025, the government’s target was to issue 485,000 and 437,000 new and continuing study permits, respectively.
The announcement was significant for Canadian post-secondary institutions. As a whole, many of these schools have relied on revenue brought in by international student tuition for many years, as it is often much higher than domestic student tuition. Nationwide, the cuts meant a loss of billions of dollars, putting strain on many schools.
The actual number of new study permits issued in 2024 dropped by 41 per cent from 2023 to just above 292,000 permits. By 2025, that number of permits issued was sitting at 115,060.
At the end of 2025, the government announced further cuts as a part of the 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan. This year, the government intends to issue only 155,000 new study permits (408,000 new and continuing permits), and 150,000 new study permits each year for both 2027 and 2028.
The end result has been a stark decrease in the number of study permit holders in Canada.
According to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the total number of study permit holders peaked in June 2024 with 1,033,101 people. Since then, as reductions started to set in, that number has fallen to 632,850 in May 2026.
Systemically, these cuts have meant less international tuition revenue being funnelled into Canadian colleges and universities with resulting budget constraints. However, a UBC spokesperson said the cuts have been absorbed without a significant impact on student numbers.
“UBC navigated this period thoughtfully, and we’re now seeing encouraging signs, with a positive increase in both enrolment and applications,” said Thandi Fletcher, Acting Director of News and University Affairs.
“Like many institutions, UBC responded with careful financial planning and responsible stewardship of resources.”
In the 2025-2026 academic year, UBC recorded an increase of 3 per cent in overall student enrolment at the school’s Point Grey campus. When looking specifically at international students, there was a 14 per cent increase from 2024-2025 to 2025-2026, following three years of decline.
While admission rates have held steady, the number of applications submitted by prospective international students dropped by 36 per cent between 2021-2022 and 2025-2026, according to UBC’s Annual Enrolment Report. For domestic undergraduate admissions, the number of applications has not declined.
The annual budget for the 2026- 2027 academic year remains balanced; however, a UBC budget report makes note of ongoing financial pressures facing the university.
“There is no question that we are experiencing challenging times—we are notably navigating international student visa and tuition constraints, rising costs, and global uncertainty— yet through a disciplined and strategic approach to our planning, we continue to build fiscal resilience,” wrote UBC President and Vice-Chancellor Benoit-Antoine Bacon in the report.
UBC has so far been able to avoid university-wide layoffs and cuts, using hiring pauses and implementing a voluntary retirement program for eligible staff to ease budget pressures.
However, the drop in international students has taken a toll on other post-secondary institutions in the Metro Vancouver area.
Last year, Kwantlen Polytechnic University warned tuition revenues could fall by 49 per cent, and in April, University Canada West laid off 240 staff members due to the government’s decision to reduce the number of international study permits. For Langara College, a popular option for hopeful students trying to transfer to UBC, international student applications for the spring 2025 semester dropped by 79 per cent.
AMIE BERNAERDT IS A FIFTH YEAR STUDENT AT UBC, MAJORING IN CREATIVE WRITING AND ANTHROPOLOGY. SHE LIVES IN WESBROOK PLACE.