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How is the international student cap impacting Fanshawe College? Staff may soon find out

Fanshawe College staff and faculty could learn more about how the federal government's cap on international study permits will impact the college and its programs moving forward.

Several Ontario colleges are cutting programs, announcing layoffs following cap

Fanshawe College Campus is home to a large population of international students, predominantly from India.
Fanshawe College Campus is home to a large population of international students, predominantly from India. (Alessio Donnini/CBC News)

Fanshawe College staff and faculty could soon learn more about how the federal government's international study permit cap will impact enrolment and college programming moving forward.

Several Ontario colleges have unveiled sweeping program cuts and layoffs aimed at salvaging balance books battered by a drop in international tuition, which is multiple times higher than domestic tuition.

Algonquin, Centennial, Mohawk, Northern, Sheridan and St. Lawrence colleges all recently announced program suspensions and layoffs due to the permit cap, which is expected to cost Ontario colleges billions in lost revenue.

At Fanshawe, however, officials have remained tight-lipped so far, only saying in an email to CBC News that an enterprise-wide review by an independent consulting firm is ongoing, and the "true impact to Fanshawe will not be known for a few months."

"We're being deliberate and careful to ensure a thorough review. When we have a clear picture of the impacts, we will be clearly and quickly communicating to our Fanshawe community," spokesperson Kyle Rooks wrote.

In response to follow-up questions, Rooks said the college would be able to answer the questions after a planned staff and faculty update on Thursday, but later said it had been delayed. 

He added the update would focus on several topics, including enrolment and the ongoing review, which is being conducted by StrategyCorp and paid for by the province. It's expected to finish in March.

Fanshawe's international student population has been among the highest in Ontario, with roughly 11,700 permits approved for the college in 2023. More than 13,500 temporary residents were in Canada through 2023 with Fanshawe permits for that year, federal data shows.

In 2024, that number fell to 7,630 by November, compared to 10,290 for the first 11 months of 2023. Figures from December and January 2025 were not available.

Last fall, in an internal email obtained by CBC News, Fanshawe president Peter Devlin said the college was expecting a 47 per cent and 39 per cent cut in level one student enrolment for its January and May intakes, respectively — about 5,000 fewer students.

"Officially, we haven't heard anything from the college in terms of the elimination of programs ... Unofficially, yes, there will be cuts," Singh said.

The business management program at the south London campus will likely wind down after winter 2026 and be replaced, he said. The province has ordered a pause on international enrolment for one-year business management courses.

The campus is made up of mostly international students. Fanshawe says it signed a new five-year lease on the building last year.

"The new program they are planning would be … an IT management program," Singh said, adding some culinary programs at the downtown campus may also be affected.

The former Kingsmill's building in downtown London, seen on Feb. 9, 2024, houses Fanshawe College's School of Tourism, Hospitality and Culinary Arts.
The former Kingsmill's building in downtown London, seen on Feb. 9, 2024, houses Fanshawe College's School of Tourism, Hospitality and Culinary Arts. (Matthew Trevithick/CBC News)

In November, Fanshawe's student newspaper, The Interrobang, reported that intake for 15 level one programs at the School of Tourism, Hospitality and Culinary Arts would be suspended for the 2025 spring, 2025 fall, and 2026 winter semesters. Two programs would be suspended for winter 2025.

Sixteen programs are offered through the school, based out of Fanshawe's three-building downtown campus, Fanshawe's website says.

CBC News has not independently verified the story, and college officials have not provided confirmation.

The newspaper learned of the suspensions through a leaked presentation that had been given to staff, said editor Hannah Theodore.

"It seems to me as though there might be some awareness among staff and faculty, but the broader public is not really being brought into those conversations," Theodore said. "The changes are already happening ... That's why it's frustrating we're not just getting these public statements from the college."

International students have expressed confusion over the lack of information and changing federal policy, she said.

"The speed at which the changes keep coming are overwhelming and confusing for students that might have been on the path toward permanent residence and citizenship, and now they're just seeing constant roadblocks."

It's unclear what impact such suspensions could have on the downtown campus.

Ward 13 Coun. David Ferreira said he had not heard any developments, and described the campus as a vital part of London's educational capacity.

"There are a lot of unknowns," and there are more to come, he said, referring to provincial and federal elections, and the return of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Fanshawe will persevere, and "find a way to operate the great programs it offers in the locations it has," he said. "We will make it out of this."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Matthew Trevithick

Reporter/Editor

Matthew Trevithick is a radio and digital reporter with CBC London. Before joining CBC London in 2023, Matthew worked as a reporter and newscaster with 980 CFPL in London, Ont. Email him at matthew.trevithick@cbc.ca.