ASSOCIATION OF ATLANTIC UNIVERSITIES
AAU 2024-25 Preliminary Survey of Enrolments

Atlantic universities have experienced an overall decline of nearly -3,000 undergraduate and graduate international students since the introduction earlier this year of a cap' on visa students by Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

On October 15, the Association of Atlantic Universities (AAU) released its 2024-2025 Preliminary Survey of Enrolments (the Survey).

Gardner Pinfold Consultants Inc. (Gardner Pinfold), projects a regional spending loss of $163 million resulting from the significant decline of international undergraduate and graduate student enrolment across the region.

Gregor MacAskill, Partner, Gardner Pinfold, also noted that the financial impact of the loss of international students is far reaching, well-beyond paying tuition.  Without the cap on enrolments, international student spending this year would have totalled to at least $1.3 billion.

A recent research study conducted among international students currently studying in the region revealed that more than 70 percent live off campus during their studies and 86 percent work during their studies, making a significant contribution to local economies, labour force development and regional GDP.

Total enrolment of international students (undergraduate and graduate) declined -11.4 percent year-over-year. from 26,220 - to - 23,237 (-2,983). 

Dr. Rob Summerby-Murray, Chair, AAU and President, Saint Mary's University, said "We anticipated significant declines in international student enrolments when IRCC announced a 100 percent increase in the cost-of-living financial requirement of international students in December 2023, followed by the surprise introduction of its 'cap' on new international student permits in January 2024."

"What is most distressing," said Dr. Summerby-Murray, "is that in September IRCC announced a further reduction in the intake cap on international student study permits for 2025, based on a 10 percent reduction from the 2024 target of 485,000 new study permits issued.  The lack of recognition among IRCC officials for the incredibly negative implications this additional reduction in study permits will have on our institutions and region is disappointing."

He added that, "our universities are deeply concerned that recent IRCC policies have severely damaged Canada's reputation as a great destination for young talent from all over the world. The IRCC policies are negatively affecting Canada's brand as a welcoming country for international students, threatening the future financial sustainability of our universities and undermining an important and growing stream of new immigrants to the federal government's Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP)." 

Overall, enrolments of full-time undergraduate and graduate students have declined by -2.9 percent (-2,488) year-over-year, from 85,720 - to - 83,232 across the region.

Notable in the AAU Survey is steady growth among New Brunswick's four universities which saw an overall year-over-year increase of 2.1 percent among full-time undergraduate and graduate students from 18,577 - to - 18,972 (+395). Increases were largely driven by significant growth in undergraduate students at the University of New Brunswick (+382) and growth in undergraduate and graduate international students (+137) at l'Université de Moncton.